Evening star., 1918-11-28
WESTERNS errors
HELP CENTRAL WIN
Evenly Matched High School
EIevens Put Up Hard Bat
tle-Score, 1876.

4SdIuS lldS ISQICSCAIC0 SCAIIA4 anu
Western yesterday in the only big
scholastic game Of the year were
more evenly matched than any two
high school elevens that have played
in the last three years Central beat
Tech just that long ago by picking
up tumble and running ninety
seven yards for a touchdown, the only
score of the game. Since that Gen.
trail has been walking roughshod
over all teams. and most of the other
contests have been won by large
scores.
Not much difference existed yes
terday in the actual playing strength
Of the two teams. Gross mistakes
were made by both elevens, but Cen
trail actually profited more by mis-
takes than did the Red and White,
and won, 13 to 6. Right at the be-
ginning, when Western, by getting OF
better punts, had driven Central back
to it's twenty-tard line. and was going
through five yards at a clip a forward
pass was tried when it did not seem
necessary to attempt such play.
Had Wight continued to drive against
carrying the ball himself, Western
probably would have scored instead
of making the pass which Central in
tercepted and converted into touch
down.
The fact that Western was able to
come back and get touchdown In
that half, after such a discouraging
beginning, reflects especial credit on
It.
Centrars second touchdown was
made near the close, of the contest,
when another forward pass was inter-
cepted down on Westerns 20-yard
line. When 1t got the ball in that po.
sition Central had the drive to put 1t
across.
Cullen was the hub of the Central
team. He played center on the de-
fense. did most of the carrying of the
ball, went back and caught punts and
did the kicking. If he did not come
near playing the whole game no man
ever did. Reed, at right end, and
ern. Reed played fine defensive foot
ball and Wight proved the big ground
gamer.
1t was especially interesting for a
scholastic foot ball game for two rea-
contests this year and the sterling
quality of play the two teams put up
without having had much training.
The players. too, fought with the
same spirit they would have displayed
had the championship been at stake.
Many men who used to watch foot
ball games when foot ball was not
the tempered sport it is now have
recalled some mighty interesting in
iron. On the side lines at the George
town-League Island Navy Yard con-
test last Saturday one of the Blue and
Gray players hoped over foe who
one Of the spectators to remark: HE
hurdled then; didn't you see him hur-
die? Hasn't that referee got any
eyes?'
That brought from a Princeton
graduate this interesting and little
known sidelight on the hurdling abil-
ity of Harold Weekes, former Colum-
bia player, who was the greatest hur-
dler the game produced in the days
when hurding was permissible:
"Queer, isn't it. how often one hears
that condemnation Of hurdling at foot
ball games in this day? According to
modern rules. hurdling is wrong and
now seems to hold about the same place
in the game that jumping on a mans
stomach or kicking him under the chin
no doubt Of that. And it's some game
right now. too-no game for mollycod-
dies. Don't let any one tell you differ
ent. But every once in while the hor-
rif1ed gasps that follow a quick little
hop into the air make some of the old
hurdling was Hurdling, with a capital
H; the biggest gun Of some teams Of
fense. There were no restrictions then.
The only rule was to jump as high and
as far and hard as you could. and
heaven help. the opposition. Some ,irst-
class boys, fellows who were high jump
ers in the off-season. could clear the
two whole teams punched together.
Newhall, who played on Germantown
Academy years ago and afterward at
Harvard. could certainly sail over. He
didn't care where or how he lit, but 1t
was usually on his head; he gained the
depth Of the two scrimmaging teams
every plunge.
But foot ball hurdling in it's high
est development at once calls to the
mind of the old fan two names of q
Weekes of columbia and Dana Kafer
Of Princeton. Weekes undoubtedly
was the greatest hurdler who ever
stepped in cleated shoes, besides be-
ing a star In other departments OF
the game. To have seen him do it is
somethins always to remember:
broad back Of . 2l5-pound guard, who
knelt to the right Of the quarterback
a few feet behind the line. Weighing
about 180 pounds himself, and fast
as chain lightning. the halfback
would start from five or six yards
ball just as he placed his right foot
on the small Of the back of the big
linesman. Up and over was the pro-
gram-always up. and nearly always
over. You couldn't tackle him until
he came to earth. and even then he
was just as likely to gain his feet
and be off for long additional gain.
You could reach up and try to grab
his foot, but he kept them pretty well
tucked under him, and somehow this
grabbing game never proved very
popular with the other team. The
usual plan was to wait until he came
to earth. several yards beyond the
place where the ball was snapped, and
then for four or five to pounce on
him. And all team had to do then