Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-29
LAFAYETTE ELEVEN IMPROVES;
WILL GIVE PENN HARD BATTLE
Line Coach Ballin Has Worked Wonders With Maroon
and White Forwards and Crowell Has Many New
Plays to Spring on Franklin Field Tomorrow
BY ROBERT W. MAXWELL

THERE Is n feeling OF optimism in Eas-
i ton these days and It is predicted on
all sides that Lafayette will give Penn
tho hardest game OF the year In the an
nual clash on Franklin Field tomorrow.
Not since the days before Willie Crow
ellis team took that Inflated trip to
Washington, Pa, and lost a football
game to Bob Folwcns eleven, has so
much confidence been shown by the stu
dents and the players. They are sure
Lafayette has chance and some even
20 so far as to say that the Maroon and
White will win
Lafayette no longer is in the duldroms,
The football team has found itself at
last, dragged itself out Of the rut and
now Is on the road to Improvement. The
backheld Is more snappy and speedy
than ever before and the plays are run
Off without hitch. The linemen are
playing as If they knew how and their
work is highly satisfactory TO the
coaches In ALL the Maroon and White
looks like an entirely different team as
compared with that Of week ago ana
the change has been so great that the
GOOD citizens OF Easton have a perfect
right to become highly enthusiastic
In the game against Delaware week
ago the Lafayette players put up mlser-
able game. The line was sad aitair'
and the backs were not protected Wheh
they ran with the ball. There was a
big Improvement I'm team play in the
Albright game Saturday, and decided
change was noted in the practice yester-
day. II really looks as il Lafayette mas
come back" and there Is no DOUBT nut
that IL will give PENNSYLVANIA a sum
struggle in tomorrow's matinee
Two weeks ago the Eastonians suffered
the worst defeat in history at the hands
of Princeton, by the score of 40 10 8.
Something was wrong with the team anu
all of the blame was laid upon the hne'
The backfeld was speedy and knew the
game hut they were unable to even get
started Opposing tackles and guards
syooped upon them and plays were
snoiled behind the line before the runner
took a single step.
To bolster up this glaring weakness,
Harold Ballin, last years captain AT
Princeton and An-American tackle, was
engaged to coach the line.
During the first week Lafayette played
two games, and Ballin had not the proper
chance to get the linemen Strengthened
out. In the games with Delaware state
and Albright, however, the Lafayette
forwards played better ball than they did
in any of the previous contests.
In these games Ballin inaugurated the
system of Speedy Rush in gathering in
formation on the players. Each one OF
the scrubs sat on the bench with note
book and pencil. Each had one man to
watch and to note everything that this
one man did in the course of the game
! Ballin took all this material and analysed
It and at the beginning of this week he
went to work in systematic and business.
like fashion Every man was shown just
why he was not as effective as he might
be and was shown also how he might
use his weight and power in the mos
| efficient manner.
Then Ballin made some changes. Lowe
who was reputed to be the best end ir
| school boy ranks last year and who cam,
to Lafayette from Exeter, was placed