Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-29
PROSPECTS FOR GR|D|RON
PLAY CONSIDERED GOOD
Notwithstanding Footballs Unccr
tain Status, Practice Cen
cral In Colleges.
CUE FROM ARMY AND NAVY
Both West Point and Annapolis
Squads Have Been Practicing I'm
der Competent Coaches for Some
Timc-Pigskin Gossip.

NEW YORK, September 2S.-Notwith
standing the uncertainty regarding tho
ultimate status OF football among the
Eastern colleges. practice has been
started at Il number of institutions, and
present conditions would appear TO in
dlcate a general carrying on OF play,
arranged for earlier In the year. En-
couragement is gained from the fact
the leaders In the gridiron activity are
the two government academies at West
opinion among coaches and others in
terested in football that IL the Cadets
and training. can find time for the game
the average student enrolled in the
VARIOUS college S. A. T. c., VIII have
similar opportunities for indulging in
Both the Navy and Army squads have
been practicing under competent
Der OF candidates averaging we'll over
the hundred mark; No attempt has
ben made to Tu1 t the sehedules and
except where colleges engaged have
dropped football These open dates
cured This. however. is not particu-
larly easy task az both the Army and
Navy have impressive elevens well
tions are loath to send their teams
against the Middies or Cadets unless
fortified with powerful material.
srhiSG on HAND
At West Point virtually the entire
first string combination of last year
has reported for training. oliphant
and knight are the two missing veto
rams. and their places arc being eager
~ sought by score of husky candi-
dates. some OF whom have had consid-
nent colleges. The Navy is equally
well provided with material. Coach
Dobie has more than hundred players
out every day. including many prom
tutes and first-year men for every posi-
ton. The squad also contains a num-
weight Will be welcome. as the Middies'
eleven of 1917 was unusually light,
making up in speed what it lacked ID
Two other colleges. which were rep
resented by sterling teams twelve
at Rutgers and West Virginia. Rut-
gers is in much the same position
West Point. as coach Foster Sanford
,son eleven upon which 10 build for 1918.
West Virginia is not qnite SO fortunate
as some of the best players Of year
ago have been lost through graduation
and entry into the service. The new
candidates, however. are a promising
group and indications point TO Il team
which VIII approach the high stand
ard OF 1917.
Lehigh and Penn; State have com,
winning teams Sne veterans have
already reported at South Bethlehem.
while Penn. state began work with
squad OF more than thirty players. The
freshmen rule. barring irst-year men
from the varsity team. is still in force
which would appear TO indicate that
material for the team is not lack ing
Wesleyan and Washington and JEFF
ferson candidates are drilling regular
~. and reports from Mle training quar-
ters are to the effect that both in num-
bers and physical attributes the men
are fully UP to the expectation of the
coaches. Football work is scheduled
to commence at Cornell and PcnnSyl-
vania within a few days. and II Prince
ton. Harvard and Yale decide TO resume
play, even upon limited scale. the
outlook will be promising for "A season
equal to that OF last year when inter-
esting Eridiron contests were not lack
ing.