Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-12
FOOTBALL BECOMES
KING OF SPORT WORLD

Chicago. Oct u Bring forth the
robes OF royal purple and crown foot.
ball king OF the sportsworld. His
reign will be short and compared
with previous years, shorn OF con.
siderable OF its glory Despite this,
however, the gridiron sport, now that
the worlds series has been PLAYED
and the ball yards closed for the
Winter, will forge to the front as
monarch OF sportsdom.
Conditions in the colleges of the
Big Ten partake generously OF the
sombre aspect that enshrouds college
football throughout the country, yet
the gloom is leavened not a little by
the prospect of considerably strong.
er teams and much better football
than was expected when war first
cast Its shadow over college grid
iron. Coaches have had a few weeks
OF preliminary work with their men
and report things looking up, al.
though there are none of them but
sigh for the days of yore.
Coach Alonzo Stage, of the Univer.
sity OF Chicago. has the smallest foot.
ball squad he has had to work with
since the Midway school launched Its
first football craft. but he is whipping
together team that probably will
give creditable account of itself in
competition with other Big Ten col.
leges. The presence Of Brelos, end !;
Higgins, fullback. Gorgas, centre; Ell.
ton, half. and several other capable
men with considerable experience,
Dives Stage the nucleus of a credita-
able eleven
AT Northwestern University Coach
Murphy has larger squad OF men
and larger springling of veterans
than has Stagg. The purple gave
seven OF It's veterans to the country $
service, but enough OF the old-timers
and experienced men from last year
freshmen eleven are on hand to make
Murphy's gang formidable conten
der for conference honors.
Bob Iuppke, at Illinois, is con
cerned chiefly with the problem of q
suitable backheld. He has power
ful line, with such stalwarts as Rund
quist Saskatchewan, McGregor. Ems
Weiss and Sprague to take care OF
the toward entertainments. Back OF
his first line men Zuppke is building
his backfeld around Morris, capable
halfback; Nichols. star quarter of last
years freshmen team. and Rafferty,
and Larimer, Captain Ben Kraft
probably will hold down his old pos,
at end.
! Indiana turned out the smallest
squad in years and has few veterans
With Captain Hathaway and Howard
to build around, however, Coach
Jumbo Steihm is whipping into shape
a team that looms up much stronger
than was at first anticipated
Out at Minnesota Dr. Williams
started training with five letter mer
in his squad and promising lot OF
candidates. The Gophers loom III
like prospective champions unless
some OF the other teams brace up @
few weak spots. Williams will build
his team around Captain George
Hauser and Conrad Ecklund, and ap
pently has ample and able materia
to round out strong eleven.
Wisconsin is the only school in the
conference who lost Its coach because
of war Dr. Paul Wilmington las
years gridiron mentor, has entered
the service OF the nation and Johl
Richards has taken his place al
coach The Badgers, according I,
preliminary Indications, will have on,
OF the strongest teams In years, Dc
spite the loss of several stars Eigh
veterans are on hand and nine goo
men from the freshmen team OF las
year are back In school.
Ohio State has whole teams |
Chick Harley. .All.American hal
back, but since the rules call fc
} eleven men, ten others will be place
In the field. The Buckeye have
raft OF material that looks promi
Ing and II IL evident that Harley WI