New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-09
Gives Credit for Showing
of Team to Hannibal,
Old Yale Retainer.
EVERY MAN HAS WEAK
SPOT, is HIS THEORY
Famous Coach Chief Speaker at
Dinner Given at Metropolitan
Club by L. F. Loree.


ct the Metropolitan Club for eighty
Rutgers men who have during the last
three years been supporting the move
ment 20 build up a strong football team
az their alma mater.
George Foster Sanford, who has 50
successfully coached the Rutgers
eleven during this period, was the prin-
cipal speaker.
1.-Two years ago / went on your foot
ball field as an utter stranger" SAID
;lr. Sanford. land tho first look at the
team brought 10 my mind sharply an
incident from which ! gathered a very
important football lesson. One day
when was an undergraduate at New
Haven and was returning from the
football field / met Hannibal, the IA
nous old da- who was beloved by
many generat. of Yale men. Han
nibal was a shire I'd observer Of every
thing which pertained to life at New
Haven. including football. He knew
how TO introduce an idea IN a way
which made a pleasing impression. He
started in by telling me that | had
PLAYED q great game. Then he told me
something | had never known before.
"'Yo' suttinly threw those men
around somethin' awful, but there's
NH
them mo- Every man as he stands has
his weak spot. II you just touch this
you can do as well as IL you used all
your force somewhere else in his anat-
omy. Then he falls so as TO give you
no mo- trouble
Hannibal then proceeded to tell ne
that the weak spot Of a man playing
football IN the line could be found by
erecting an imaginary perpendicular
line between another line drawn be-
tween the position occupied by the
mans two feet on the ground. This is
something I have never forgotten and
which has always proved a good prin-
ciplc. Football is method not men. In
every phase of the game there is
premium on analysis Of problems, on
forcing men 20 see the value of straight
thinking and Of thinking for them
selves.
"Now. If Hannibal had been looking
at that team he would have observed
the guard taking position on defence
of the Splinter on his mark, rising to
meet the attack without a secure bal
ance and with his point of weakness
all exposed What might be antici-
pated was that when the ball was put
in play the opposing guard would In
one stride cross the intervening space,
and using, Willingly or unwittingly,'
Uannibals knowledge, he would push
him out OF the way or put the play
right over him.
Now, let's see how a master Of the
art like Bob LOree would play this po-
sition just Il word regarding Bob. lie
ranks right up with Fudge Hefel'inger
and Gordon Brown as q defensive
guard. besides which he has acquired
so much art In teaching guard defence
that / consider him the real authority
in this department of play, go much so
that his opinion is final with me when
] am weighing the respective merits Of
two candidates for the same guard po-
sition.
Bob uses no Splinter start when he
plays defensive football He stands
square to the line of scrimmage, every
muscle iu his huge frame taut, eye on
the ball. which he never loses ght OF,
and as the ball goes back so also does
the man In front of Bob. If not. he
az least stands put until old Bob gives
him permission TO 90, and that only
after Bob himself acted. No sprinter's
start here, OF, I'm fact, anywhere now
in O Rutgers line.
at has taken two years, but two
years of hard, persistent work Is none
too long "a time TO correct the funda-
mental faults OF form the men bring
with them 20 college, and 20 teach them
correct form so that they may be de-
pended upon TO MAINTAIN 10 automati-
cally, while giving their minds to other
things
"if now we realize that this team Of
three years ago not only lacked IN form
but had no facility In anticipating the
plays of their opponents and no variety
nor strength In their own repertory Of
plays, were without the benefit of prac-
/ lice against strong scrub and were
badly QUILTED and cared for, you will
not be surprised If / cay that, using
these Yale teams as q basis Of compari-
son, I should be liberal In the extreme
. if / rated this Rutgers team In Septem-
/ Der. 1913, as high as 10 per cent,
Through your generosity an ample
supply of material, from shoes 90 head
guards. was provided, a proper train
/ ing table was furnished and the atten-
/ ton of Dr. Ruuyon was supplemented
/ by that of Trainer Besac, one Of the
. best coud-t.oucrs in the country. g..
"You may naturally feel somewhat
/ disturbed at the loss this year of six Of
the team, including Ialman and Nash.
+ Well, we have some good, strong ma
.
shall get some from the freshmen
/ for Rutgers. while she remains q small
/ college. should never abandon the prac-
/ tice of playing her freshmen. The adj
vantages Rutgers holds out 10 the
freshman are many:
/ "First-You give him a good educa-
/ ton. ] know Of no college that de-
l mauds so much from or gives more 10
/ ID students.
second An economical life.
/ should say that expenses here were
not over two-thirds of those at most
| other institutions.
Third A clean moral atmosphere.
| I have never been at a college where
the life and spirit were so clean and
/ wholesome as at Rutgers.
Fourth Immediate varsity recogni-
/ ton
Again we are continually augment
| ing the coaching staff. This year, be
sides Robert L0ree and Gargan, Cap
/ tain Elmendorf came back for q while,
and Captain Toohey. Captain smith,
Irving and Gay have spent nearly the
entire season with us. To those next
wear we hope 90 add Talman and
Nash. and these men will all teach
the same method, there being among
us no diversity Of opinion.
"ginally. the generous support which
you are giving US viii be continued
20 that / look forward 20 next year as
one of promise for increased attain
ment"
Among those present at the dinner
were Or. ". S. Dcmarest, president OF
Rutgers College; Otto Kahn, D. d. J.
Sutphon. james Nielsen, l.. Latin hel-
lorg and the Rev. Or. Duryea, members
of Tho board Of trustees Of Rutgers Col
ID 49,. D.. U.fo,, Efake Pro-