Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-11
FOOTBALL FOES
FOR TEN YEARS
BURY HATCHER
Tiny Maxwell and Vince
Stevenson, Scrappers of
Old, Friends
THE WIN OR KILL GAME
War Broke Out in Famous
Penn-Swarthmore Game, in
the Rough Days

Ten years ago Pennsylvania ana
5warthmore met on Franklin Field IN
one of the most sensational football con.
tests ever staged on any gridiron. Penn
was the winner by the score Of Ii 70 d
but only after a battle that was marrea
by the toughest play seen on Franklin
Field before and since that time.
Pennsylvanians we're under the i'm.
preston that the powerful Swarthmor,
team went into the game with one OBJ
ject in view and that was to compel VIM
cent Stevenson. Penn's marvellous quar-
terback. to leave the game. 1t was gen.
orally believed that with Stevenson out
Swarthmore could beat PENIS greatest
team. as the Red and Blue was in It's
early stages of preparation while the Gar
net was primed for this one game
In those days Swarthmore had won
derfui teams with such stars as Willie
Crowell, now coaching Lafayette; Mill
man. Pritchard, Gus Kruger. Koble,
Barrett, Williams. weightmann. Yates
and Bob Maxwell, the latter being one
of the greatest guards that ever played
the game. With this array of stars all
in prime condition Swarthmore believed
II could win easily IL Stevenson were
out of Penn's lineup. and the Garnet
giants did not handle "Stevie' gently by
any means.
Pursuing like tactics, Pennsylvania
players retaliated and picked on Maxwell.
the giant guard, who was spilling Penn
sylvania's plays before they were even
under way. Finally the climax was
reached when there was mix-up after
which both Stevenson and Maxwell were
stretched out unconscious. When they
were revived and re-entered the game,
each accused the other of rough tactics
Throughout the remainder of the game
Stevenson and Maxwell were involved in
numerous mix-ups, Penp's giant guard,
Robinson. helping along by hammering
Maxwell whenever he got a chance.
Finally. late In the game, Stevenson, 10
batter Maxwell down, went through IN
front of every play that was directed at
Maxwell, and with Robinson keeping tho
Swarthmore Giant occupied, Stevenson in
ficted severe punishment on his rival.
But they could not put Maxwell out OF
the game or tire him.
Pennsylvania coaches and players de-
clare to this day that they never saw
such line playing as Maxwell did in that
game, but Penn finally trfumphed. Crow
ell kicking a field goal for Swarthmore in
/ the closing minutes of play.
In collegiate and amateur sport 1t 10
always considered the proper thing for
the contestants to get together after the
game and swap apologies and congratula--
| tions, but no such thing happened, after
the game, between Stevenson and Max
well. They became bitter enemies and
the feud was renewed the following year.
when both entered professional football.
Stevenson went to Canton to play with
the team managed by Blonde Wallace.
last year line coach at Penn, while Max
well went over to Massoln, Cantons
greatest rival for the professional foot
| ball championship of the United States.
1t has often been said, though neither
Stevenson nor Maxwell will admit their
part in the affair. that Stevenson was re-
sponsible for breaking Maxwell's nose
while the big Swarthmore star was gem
orally credited with ending the career of
the greatest quarterback of all time, in
| Canton, when Stevenson was so badly
hurt that he has never been able to stand
a strain on his right knee. ~
From that time on Stevenson and Max
well had been enemies and were not even
on speaking terms until they were
brought together and buried the hatchet
to work together during the coming foot
ball season to give the readers of the
knowledge OF the game.
Maxwell was known as one of the great
est guards the game has ever produced.
and had he played with a larger univer-
sity and been before the public more 1t is
almost certain that he would have been
placed on the pedestal with "Pudge" Hef-
nefiinger. OF Yale, generally credited with
being the greatest of all guards. ess
At the present time Maxwell is known
as coach and official. He officiates In
most of the big scholastic games In this
city and has been picked by the national
board OF officials to officiate In many Of
the most important college games this
fall. He is student of the game and 10
known as one OF footballs shrewdest meil
Stevenson's name will never die In the
memory OF Pennsylvanians who recall ths
teams of 1904 and 1905. which swept the
East, beating Harvard. Columbia. Car
Isle. Cornell, Lafayette and Swarthmors
for two straight years. Stevenson was
individually responsible for almost every
triumph scored by Penn both years.
He was by far the greatest player who
ever wore the Red and Blue and has been
acclaimed the greatest quarterback that
ever lived by almost every football au-
thority in the land. AS a field general the
| equal OF Stevenson has never been found
In collegiate ranks. The nearest ap-
proaches to "Stevie' were Charley Daly
and Walter Eckersall.