Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-09
HOW A 'BONER' WON A GAME
Mister Sprafka of Minnesota Saves
Team from Defeat by Getting
Signals Crossed.
COUNTS TOUCHDOWN BY PLAY
ny FRANK G. MENKE.

NEW YORK, Jan. S--Usually when
man flivvers the consequences are dire;
when he makes a glaring error he usually
suffers. But a gent named Spratka made
n "boner"-an inexcusable error-lRst fall
and thereby saved his team from beat
ing on the gridiron and enabled II to tie
for the championship OF the western con-
ference.
Sprafgka was a substitute halfback and
end on the Minnesota eleven In 1913 He
looked promising, but that was all. IL
didn't look as II he would get real
chance to display his wares during 1915
as Minnesota had great regular back
field and some very classy substitutes.
But sprafka did get a chance-and at
tho most unexpected time. And II came
during Minnesota's clash with Illinois.
Bierman, the great Minnesota full back
was injured n few days before that game
was played and was in no shape TO enter
the combat. To add to Minnesota's SEEM
ing misfortune, some OF the best substi-
tute backfieid men were in bad shape.
you work today said Coach Williams
90 sprafka, while the team was en- route
20 Urbana.
IAN right. sir" replied sprafka, "but
before / do I'll have to be coached a
little as TO signals"
sprafka "LearIls" signals.
And then Il was that williams remem-
bered that sprafka never had been per
mitted to learn the signals. Williams i'm
mediately busted himself in teaching the
signals to sprafka. but they were long
and complicated ones. and having so
many OF them drilled into him at one time
slightly confused sprafka-
Well, the game began with Sprafka
back OF the line. He performed brilliantly
during the early part OF the game. and
seemed to have memorized the signals
thoroughly And then came the "slipup"
Minnesota had the bah somewhere near
Illinois thirty-yard line with score 90.
The Gopher quarterback chRnted his sig
nails, and as the first numbers dropped
from his lips, the backfield shifted over
toward the right side of the Minnesota
line. The end came In close and 1t looked
as II the Gophers were going 60 try for
a drive through that side.
That's Just exactly what the plan was.
hut Sprafka kicked II 20 pieces. When
the ball was passed to him no didn't
shoot toward the right. where a mass of
interference was afforded him-where his
teammates were drilling holes in the
Illinois line for him TO plough through.
Goes Wrong Way.
Not Mr.. sprafka. He did something
else. He grabbed that ball and ran to-
ward the left. where there was no inter
ference waiting for him. where there
was nothing but enemy linesmen in front
Df him.
And sprafka broke through that line
outran the Illinois end. lodged the de-
fensive halfback OF the Illinois eleven and
planted the ball behind the Illinois goal
line for a touchdown.
The Illinois players we're amazed at the
daring OF that play-of sending a mar
through the line without any help what
ever. But their amazement was nothing
In comparison. with that Of Sprafka's
teammates. when the ball was given &c
EpraNka his mates hurled themselves al
tho Illinois line. They made hole-and
they thought Sprafka was following then
through. They turned 20 look and they
saw no Sprafka. They looked back q
see II he had stumbled or fallen. at which
moment a wild roar broke loose from th'
Minnesota cheering squad. And not un'
III then did the Gophers know thai
Sprafka. by getting the signals mixed
had scored a touchdown. unaided by hii
teammates.
sprafka saved Game.
That touchdown made by sprafka wa
Amnnesota's only score during the game
A short time later Illinois made touch
down. bringing about a 20 tie. That
the way the game ended. IL sprafkl
hadn't got those signals mixed. tn
chances are that Illinois would havl
emerged a. a victor and that Minnesota
instead Of tying for the championship
would have been listed among the ''also
rams in the race for the conference title
mr. Nail ER IL FARMING