New-York tribune., 1915-11-25
COMMERCE AND
CLINTON TEAMS
BATTLE TO-DAY
Scholastic Football Season
to End with Treat on
Polo Grounds.

Captain Harry Foster will lead his
High School of Commerce football team
into battle against Captain Zelcer's De
Witt Clinton eleven on the Polo
Grounds this afternoon, at . o'clock. II
will be the final call 10 arms for the
high school teams OF this city. There
will be nothing to save. no scouts to
fear, and every last bit of power, ev-
cry strategic move and every ounce of
fighting spirit will be hurled into this
final struggle.
Thousands will watch the schoolboys
fight their battle. This game has taken
its place in the calendar of sports, and
attracts more attention. perhaps, than
any other schooiboy game OF the sea-
son. Last year more than 10000 saw
Commerce win by score of l3 to 9,
and DR. Erwin W. Roessler, chairman
of the football committee at Commerce,
says that a greater crowd will be on
hand to-day. Certain il is that the en-
tire student body Of both schools will
be there, bringing, as thhey always do, a
supply of enthusiasm and wild cheers
Mass meetings have been held all week
until the boys are on fire.
This is the day for which Clinton
has dreamed and schemed and plotted
and planned since 1911. when Hartford
Davis won the day with a field goal.
Thanksgiving Day since that time has
been distinctly Commerce holiday.
The scores have been Al to o: 26 to g.,
and l3 TO 7, with Clinton or the short
end. But it is indeed a long lane that
has no turning. and Clinton believes
that the turn will be made this after
noon.
This feeling Of confidence is not
without cause. The Red and Black has
doomed along this fall. II is not un-
beaten, TO be sure, but none the less
it is team well grounded in the funda-
mentals II is in this all important de-
partment of the game that Commerce
is weak. The boys do not know the
ground work of the game, and the en-
tire structure has been built on a
foundation of crumbling sand. This,
perhaps is one of the reasons that Com
merce has not scored touchdown since
the Boys High game. away back in Oc-
tober. And il might be added that
Commerce has scored fewer than 80
points all season.
The Clinton team has few outstand-
ing stars. Bill Cook. the coach, has
rounded out "a machine which, if not
the most polished, is powerful The
one glaring fault in it is the inability
TO hold the bali. The attack is strong,
we'll conceived and cohesive. but fumb-
ling has nullified it in several games.
Brown. the young backfield man, is a
star, and Captain Zelcer has few su-
periors as a tackle. Walter Hoving,
too, is a dependable man. and Ritner is
a punter of exceptional ability.
That for the first time in years it is 60
ing into the fight the under dog bothers
the Commerce team not whit. If fight
ing and playing all the football it knows
how will turn the tide, then the Orange
and Blue will wave at the end. and the
Commerce lads will do all the snake
dancing. Harry Foster is one of the
best PLAYERS who ever wore the colors,
a natural fighter and born leader. He
is determined to close his career with a
victory.
A double-header will be played at
Ebbets Field, with Manual Training
VS.. Boys High. and Bay Ridge facing
Commercial. The first game is expect
ed to settle the championship of Brook
lyn Borough, and. with the rapid i'm
provement in the Boys High eleven, its
supporters are roofing for victory.
The first game will begin at 1870
o'clock.
Erasmus Hall and Poly Prep will con-
test their annual game at Washington
Park at 2:30 o'clock. As both teams
are evenly matched, the game is certain
10 be close. Poly Prep has the more
finished eleven, but it may find trouble
in breaking through the Buff and Blue
defence.
Rutge-s Prep expects little trouble in
defeating the speedy Brooklyn Prep
eleven in their game at Washington
Park at 10:30 a. m. The Brooklyn
team has enjoyed a good season, and,
with its success in the past with the
forward pass, expects to make good