The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-06
GRIM GAME OF WAR
TRIPS ARMY TEAM
Defeat by Notre Dame Proves Foot
ball Only Secondary at West
Point.

The effect of the grim game of war
on the game of football was evident at
West Point Saturday when the Army
team bowed In defeat before Notre
Dame. The gridiron pastime is a sec
ondary matter with the cadets at
Uncle Sans service school The mas
tering of military problems Is foremost
in the daily life of the young soldiers
who are giving every available moment
to a more serious game than chasing
the pigskin. Football at the academy
has taken a back seat. 1t cannot have
the attention it has received In other
years.
The game is being played this year
merely for its physical advania ges.
There is neither the time nor the desire
to perfect winning eleven. The team
which fell before Notre Dame Is a big.
strong eleve but the lack of practice
and the absence OF the incentive of an
annual game with the Navy are evil
dent. The soldiers have not had the e1-
tensive coaching they have had in for
mer years. The players are too busy
with other things.
There is a wealth of good football
material at West Point this year,
which. under normal conditions. would
undoubtedly result in one Of the most
| powerful teams the academy ever
turned out. The veteran players of the
eleven have not been coached to that
point which shows them at their best,
and the plebes are crude and green.
Notre Dame has received the coaching
, and attention It has received in other
: years and was far ahead of the Army
in team development.
The uncertainty of the season and
cancellation of the Navy game seem
TO have taken much of the ambition
from the Army team. The cadet corps
has the enthusiasm and lends its sup
} port which 1t has given to other elev-
ems al the Point, but the real object
f~r q we'll developed eleven ~ missing
The soldiers didn't know as much foot
bali as Notre Dame, and the knowledge
they had was not utilized to It's best
advantage. 1t is no discredit to the
Army team or its coaches that II does
not come up to the standard of other
years, in view of the fact that the at
tertion which usually goes to it's de-
velopment is given up to more serious
UNDERTAKINGS
Notre Dame Checks Oliphanf.
y, The West Point team is one-n,an
eleven. With a player of Oliphant' IS
great ability il would seem reasonable
that the cadets could go through an
ordinary schedule of games without
developing any great amount Of team
play But against a team as well
drilled and as spirited as Notre Dame
the task was roo much for one man TO
shouidar. Few football elevens have
been able to stop Oliphant, but the
quick charging line OF the Westeners
Yves able to stop him, but not until he
had expeE~s~S nearly all his strength
10 a sixty-y~~s march down the field
/ Notre Dame. although light In
weight had a fast pair Of ends tr
King and Hayes and two well-drilled
ia ckies in Philbin and Andrews Madi.
gan, Philtin and King on the rfght
side OF the Westetners' line. were able
70 outplay Luce, Pulsifer and March
West Points left trio OF forwar Dis
West Point was weak at this wing. and
Allison, the Notre Dame quarter back
was quick to sec II. With the Notre
i Dame hacks aligned In a diagonal for.
nation, they were able to pierce thi.
side of the Army forwards with dead.
ly effect
I The game was high tribute to ths
phs-stcal condition of Metre Dame. for
1t went through the game withou
making a substitution few week.
arc thew did the Same thing agains
I ANcttd Srd II IL one IHFOrdDJ 1oaturt
of football this year that substitution
! ar: less frequent than in former yea RS
The new rule prohibiting substitute
from rushing into game with In
sfructions ~ partly responsible. An
other enjoyable feature of foothpli Thu
season Is an absence OF fumhfing
Players in most of the big games thu
) fer this season have handled the bal
clearly, and the direct passing from
the center is more generally practic
ed
With splendid material at Yves
Point and the repid strides that Coacl
Doh'e is making with the Navy eiev
en-. the cancellation OF the Army Nav,
game. is a matter OF much regre
among the men In both branches o
the service. In the last four games tn,
uidshtpmen have scored 3oT poiut
ana have not been scored on. Thei
D one defeat was in the second game o
the season. when West Virginia wol
TO o. The Annapolis eleven reach