Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-01

CLEANED last Saturday afternoon when I
visited Morgantown, w. Va, to witness the
game between the University of Pittsburgh
and West Virginia University. It was the
opening combat of the season and staged
while the rural dopesters were devotng
most of their time convincing themselves
and others that the White Sox and Giants
would win the world SERIES Baseball was
the predominating sport, and It was not
believed that the good people would take
a day Off to take look at a football bat
tie. Yet 1000 cash customers used up all
of the available space on the athletic field,
and the attendance was almost as large as
the population of the town.
Hard Place to Get To
Morgantown is not an easy place to get
to- as the railroads. while being well known,
are rather uncertain. Sometimes they run
on schedule, but only some times. Despite
this handicap gridiron enthusiasts from
Fairmont, tniontown, Connellsville, Wheel
ing, Charleston, Washington, Pa Pitts
burgh and other points took a chance and
boarded the lightning expresses early in
the morning and travelled to Morgantown.
If this isn't heroic and rabid enthusiasm,
what is?
Those who made>the trip were not dis
appointed, however, for the game was one
of the best and most thrilling ever staged at
such an early date. Two of the best teams
in the country played gilt-edged football
and showed form that stamps them Is high
class eleN1 Pittsburgh won by the score
Of IA to 0, and the battle was closer than
tho score indicates. When the game was
called West Virginia had Pitt on the run,
and there is no telling wnat would have
happened had the contest lasted another five
minutes. West Virginia has a good foot
ball team this year. and was Just finding
itself when the final whistle blew
Pitt also has a good eleven. but It does
not look as strong as last years champion
ship team. Bob Peck is missed at center
and Pat Heron and, Thornhill left gaping
holes which will be difficult to fill. In addi-
tion to that, Jimmy De Hart and Red Has
tings weakened the backield when they
entered military service, and Coach Warner
has a difficult job on his hands in develop
ing men to fill the vacancies. If Pitt again
takes 1t place in the front rank this year, all
credit should go to Glenn Warner, for 1t
is up to him to put the team in the rum
ming. 1t will be an individual triumph, for
at present the odds are against him.
Field General Needed
There was something missing in the Pitt
team last Saturday and for one half was
unable to discover it. The plays did not
seem to run off smoothly and the old ag-
gressiveness was absent Two touchdowns
were made, but they were due entirely to
the individual work of McLaren and Easter
day on line plunges The interference was
not so effective as last year and the man
with the ball was given little protection
The team acted like rudderless ship cruis-
ing aimlessly around with no apparent des-
tination in view.
After the second half began, the mystery
was solved. The team lacks a field gen
eral-a man to give signals and run the
team properly. Carlson is a good CAPTAIN.
but he is kept busy at end and has little
chance to direct the plays Errors in iudg-
ment were frequent, such as calling for n
line plunge on the third down, with Is wards
to gain. when punt or an end run should
have been used Also the players seemed