Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-10-12
YPS|LANTI NORMALS WERE
DEFEATED BY ALMA 6 TO 0
Maroon and Cream Keeps Up Its
RecOrd-Has Never Lost
To Teachers.

In the opening game of the 1915
football season at Ypsilanti last Sat
urday the Maroon and Cream football
team trounccd the Michigan State
Normal colleges heavier aggregation
by a score Of to o., in a game fea-
tured by brilliant forward passes, and
much fumbling by the Alma team.
! Helmer's men out played the Teach.
ers during every stage of the game.
and the greater portion of the strug
gle was played the Normal's half of
the field. The score does not begin
to show the superiority Of the Alma
eleven, which should have rolled up a
larger score, on the giants that the
! Teachers had in the field.
/ Time and again Alma carried the
/ ball within the shadow of the Ypsi
! goal, only to tumble the ball and lose
il to the Teachers, all of which cost
the men of Helmer dearly in touch
i downs. which might have been. Chief
among the offenders in fumbling was
Captain Johnston, playing his first
) game back of the line. Johnston
played at half and put up a fine game,
except for his fumbling tendency,
which will be overcome with more
work at the backfield job, to which he
is stranger.
Brilliant forward passing marked
the play of the locals Passes from
Quarterback to Malcolm Smith to
p;.L.,l, ,aI fro,,, b,1ftacl, uool;ban
to Richards gave Alma many yard
during the game. 1t was said after
the battle that not one forward pass
that Alma attempted went wild, when
sent from Smith or Hoolihan, to the
brilliant Alma end. who last year vas
accorded place ON the al NJ. l. \.
a. team.
During the entire first half the two
teams battled even. neither being able
to get a counter across. A couple of
times Alma was dangerously near to
the Ypsi goal, but fumbling cost touch
downs each time, the Teachers being
lucky enough to snare in the oval. az
II eluded the grasp Of the Alma play
ers, thus saving their goal for the
time being.
In the third quarter Alma marched
down the field again. with brilliant for
ward passing and linesmashing. On
the ten yard line, French was called
around ON tackle play, and the Alma
giant. smashed through the Ypsilanti
team and carried the ball over the
Green and White goal for the only
points of the day. The attempt at
goal from the touchdown failed.
In the fourth quarter Alma again
had chances to send the oval over the
line. and threatened the Ypsi goal a
couple times, but again fumbles lost
the ball, which was in each case re-
covered by the Ypsi players.
The Teachers put up "A strong game.
right from the start. but the Alma
team was in better condition and grad
ually the Ypsi eleven wore down.
Practice on clay baked field, had
toughened the men of Helmer to such
an extent that the gruelling game
had far less effect on them than on
Ypsi players, and in the latter part of
the game, Alma found it far easier
ia gain than when the struggle
started.
The Alma line put up a fine cx-
hbition and time and again, French,
Spooner, Miller, McAuley. or Foote,
ripped through the Teachers line.
slammed the interference right and
left, and downed the Ypsi runner be-
hind his own line
The opening game showed that the
Alma team is in fine condition. and is
stronger than the Maroon and Cream
team Of last year AT this time. 1t
mal4s Alma's Michigan Intercollegi-
ate chances look rosy indeed. as last
year Alma went through the NJ. l. 4.
A. season without defeat. There is
many slip in the course of a foot
ball season and plenty of chances for
upsets and surprises, but the Maroon
and Cream certainly has a good chance
to win the 1916 football championship,
as any team in the w. ]. A. A., if the
team continues to improve, as rapidly
as it has improved in the last two
weeks.
With one exception, every man that
started in last Saturdays struggle
was an old man. Barabou, the Grand
Ledge giant, was the lone exception.
The big lad started the game at guard,
and played every minute. and put up
nice exhibition. Ed. Foote, the
other Grand Ledge giant, got into the
game at end late in the game, and
showed Helmer some good work, and
is bound. before the season is over, to
make place for himself, if he con
tinues his present Improvement.
Alma lined up as follows: Art
I cote and Richards. ends; French and
! Spooner, tackles; Miller and Barabou
! guards; McAuley. center; Malcolm
n ]