The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-14
WESTERNOUTLOOk
Big Nine Elevens Stronger
Than in Many Years.
NOtre Dame Looks Like the
Dangerous Outsider"
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

New York, Sept. 14--"That other
guys brother is outside" reported the
office boy.
(which other guy?"
Remember him what came last
week; that husky bloke wild dat funny
hat; him what says he was Eastern
Football, or something like that?"
"Oh, the fellow who wore a head
gear?"
yep, him's the guy. Well, his
brother he's outside and would like to
come in
Give him ride"
. And moment or so later Mr.. West
ern Football, as husky and as power
full looking as his brother, pushed out
a huge hand and said:
"Greetings.''
Then he nodded: MY brother said
you wanted to see me; that maybe
you'd give me little writeup if
came in. Well. I'm here"
And here's the pencil poised to take
notes." We answered. Shoot"
well. the dope is this" answered
the visitor. IT look for quite a bit of
stusseling among those conference
teams. this year
Don't they do some interesting
tusseling each season.
Yes. but it amt what you might
Western Football. Somehow or other
it's always been the rule for three
or four of the teams to fight it out
and for the others to be little more
than spectators"
Little F1ye' Strengthened.
Now. as you perhaps know, the
western conference embraces nine col
leges. They are: Minnesota. Wiscon-
sin, Illinois, Chicago, Iowa, Purdue,
Indiana, Northwestern and Ohio State
University. But, as the records will
show, most of the battling during the
past few years has been among just
four of them-Minnesota. Illinois. Chi
cago and Wisconsin. The others
haven't been able to be anything more
than goats on most occasions
And this year." we coached.
well, I'm figuring it's going to be
something slightly different this sea
son. One or another of the Big Four
probably will grab that championship,
but they aren't going to have such an
easy time as in the other years I've
gotta bunch that the Little Five is
going to make some trouble"
Indiana has been somewhat of a
goat in the past But they may spring
a surprise out there this year. They've
got Jumbo Stiehm to do the coaching
and Jumbo is some coach, grab it
from me. He put Nebraska on the
football map and I'm looking for him
9
And then that Ohio state crowd
must be watched They've been COM
ing along pretty we'll during the last
few years Each season they have
best year They've got the nucleus
for a fine team. Iowa and North
western may not cause much troubl=
for the Big Four but Purdue doesn't
look SO punk on paper.
Iowa and Chicago.
so, you see, there's only two
teams-Iowa and Northwestern-that
what those fellows will get busy and
show something really worth while.
Three Outsiders
wisconsin is going to be there OIL
| Whereabouts, too" returned Western
Football. Their line and their back
field was pretty well shot up BY
promising boys from the 1915 freshie:
| TO fill the holes
| And how about those three team.
! that are outside the conference, Ne
braska Michigan and Notre Dame2,
"Notre Dame locks awfully goot
| from this distance" was the reply
That Cofall, who is a backfield man
| is half a team in himself, and he's go
| ing to have good support. Notre Dam
lost half dozen good players, bu
4 she's going to recruit some almost a
good. I'm a bit puzzled concernin,
Nebraska. Lost two of the creates
| players ever developed in the west
Rutherford and Chamberlain = an,
also Nebraska lost Jumbo Stiehm
That's a tough jolt
Michigan is even a greater puzzle
| They haven't had a real football team
UP there in some years. Just now L,
say that you never can tell about tina
fellow Yost. He IS liable to cross ev
erybody this year and bring aroun
one of those great teams of ten an
fifteen years ago."
Western Football arose, adjusted hi
toys, blew a bRrlesQue salute, ar
said:
We'll, I gotta be on my way
Thanks for anything you say abou
me-
And he was gone.