New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-24
MAPS HARVARD
FOOTBALL PLAY
BY CHESS WEN
Lorin Deland Frames Har-
ward Gridiron Strategy in
Most Novel Manner

Hsrvsrd's football Napoleon Two
guesses.
First Haughton-snd that's wrong
Second, Reggie Brown; and that TOO,
IL wide Or the mark. His name is LoriD
Deland.
The story often has been told Of the
Little CorsicHn that tho master strokes
Of strategy which made him supreme
on the battlefield were worked out on
the chessboard.
Lorin Deland is a Boston lawyer. a
master Of chess and football deyotee,
lie is a Harvard alumnus and brother
Of Margaret Deland. the authoress.
There are many Of the finer points Of
football that Deland does not under
stand. but ne does know the theory Of
the game. He sees close correlation
between the development Of football
strategy and tho intricate problems Of
chess He contends that football can
best be planned on chessboard-snd
Haughton believes him.
What Reggie Brown Is 70 Haughton's
PRACTICAL work Delsnd is 10 his theory.
They work together. Brown and his as
sistants concentrate on an opposing
team for several games until they have
their report ready.
princeton" says Reggie, "hss these
plays. "She runs them of from these
formations and on her defence her men
lire up like this"
"All right" says Hsughton that's
fine. Let's 60 see Deland."
They Seek Chess Master
And OF they go to the master of
chess. They lay the data before him,
with the diagrams OF Princeton's or
Yale's or Cornell's plays and defence,
and they ask him how they can beat
them. What system Of attack Will find
the weak spot in the opposing defence
and how must Hsrvard's men be ar
ranged 10 cover every point which the
opposing offence will attack.
They leave the data with him and he
gets out the old chess board, uncon-
scious factor in many hard fought con.
tests, and goes 70 work. He arranges
his men. shifts them and srranges
them again, until after hours of con.
centrstion he has determined on the
weak spot in the defence Of the oppo
nents and what plays will be able TO
reach II. Then he lines up the other
team on offence and determines Just
how the Harvard line and backs car
best protect all openings. He takes his
report 20 Haughton and the next day
the Crimson players are arranged &C
cording 10 Deland's suggestions.
Haughton the Builder
Not exactly. perhaps. are his plans
followed. lie is a theorist, and ali the
orists lose at times the practical view
point. II is probable that Haughton
using his common sense and practical
football knowledge, has 70 discard oo-
caSionally some Of Deland's plays As
being too radical, but the chess ex-
per''s ideas, adapted 70 modern foot
bell. are responsible for the Harvard
Concealed ball" plays, admitted by
most experts TO be the most elusive at
tack in the country.
Deland Is a genius AZ this II is said
that some years ago he was actively
connected with the coaching staff. lie
and the varsity players took to the
woods for a few weeks before the
season opened and Deland was given
free rein with his theories of tricky
offence. He applies tho old baseball
maxim Of "Hit EN- where they amt
70 football. He sends the ball "where
they amt" and he does 10 by masking
his play with threat At some other
point which will spread open the place
Of ultimate attack. The Harvard team
arrived at Cambridge with about $50
OF the most intricate and involved
plays that the brain Of this strategic
wonder could conceive.
Plays Are Intricate
But they were not successful. They
were not based on sound football, and
when arrayed against stiff defence
most Of them collapsed. They were
too intricate.
Deland's plays need 20 be gone over
by a practical football coach and toned
TO existing conditions. iiaughton does
this. Deland's ideas are grated 20
Hsughton's knowledge OF fundament-
ais, and the result is the system OF
delayed and double passes that has
been pulling opposing linesmen dur
ing the Hsughton regime. When. a.
happened this year IN the Yale game,
the Crimson forwards are too weak TO
delay their opponents long enough for
the fake thrusts 70 be developed, the
strategy lacks effectiveness, but when
Harvard can hold her foes of and let
her bsckfeld 60 through its evolu-
tions It's wise football player that
knows where the ball Is meant TO land.
As q study in contrast 1t Is Interest
ing 20 think that the vast crowds
watching the Harvard team perform
against Yale or Princeton are in
reality seeing q larger replica Of Lorin
Deland at work in bis study with no
conpanions but his stuoent lamp as