The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-21
BEST YEAR OF ALL
FOR KING FOOTBALL
Return of Stars From Service
Raises Standard in Age,
Weight and Experience.
WEALTH OF MATERIAL
PLAY Will Be More Strenuous
and Rich With Many New
Formations.
WEALTH OF MATERIAL
.. GEORGE b. UNDERWOOD.

NEnOtDal Is III lOl iho bACotOSe yOoas
x.vsr in the history OF the game have |
- many high class elevens taken the |
e.,d as will be seen on the gridiron |
.SIs season. Out of the service for |
~, stars are scurrying back to the |
nonsees. keen, now that the war is over. |
~ shed army khaki or navy blue for
che moleskin of the gridiron. Never
ssva the coaches been blessed with
ma a wealth of veteran material.
81 don't know whether to consider
speh wonderful squad blessing or
curse" groaned a well known coach
ss he was going over his list of candi-
Sa,es recently. 1T certainly is going
20 he n man sized job to pick an eleven
az, Of this galaxy of stars. Why. I've
%, as many as FIVE high class men.
ssch OF whom would have had little
onnosition. in former years, trying for
~ same position. / reckon about the
orIv thing can do Is to put their names
IN hat and let Fortune decide for me-"
Not only are the stars of the 1915,
tels and 1917 elevens focking back
70 the colleges, but many good men de-
yeloped on the S. A. T. c. teams are on
hand to dispute the veterans right to
,snresent their alma mater on the
team In addition many of the men
Who did not come out for football at
college found" themselves physically
under army training and got into the
.ame az members Of service elevens.
Now that they are back at college they
ara only too anxious to announce them
.yes as candidates for the varsity.
Standard Is Raised.
There is no doubt that this seasons
football squads raise the standard as
regards weight, strength. skill and ex-
nerence far above that of the past.
incidentally the age average also will
he higher, owing to the return of the
men absent in Service to complete their
courses. The raising of the average in
age, weight and strength will mean
elevens better fitted for gruelling foot
hall. Psychologically the war spirit and
The fighting football played in the ser
vice has had a tremendous erect and the
play is bound to be more fiery, aggres-
sve and stubborn than in the past.
Not only are the football fans soing
to see hercer football but they are going
10 be treated to advanced strategy and
technique. Under the support and en-
eoura cement given the game by the
Commission for Training Camp Activi-
ties and by the army and navy authori-
ties footballs scope greatly was
increased last season. Thousands OF
new devotees gathered to worship at
footballs shrine. The many new minds
resulted in many new methods Methods
Of attack and defence are bound TO be
Bidened this season and there will be
wealth OF new playa
This opinion is shared by practically
all OF the experts. Walter Eckersall,
VINO has been just as close studcn
oft since he left college
he was a brilliant star in his playine
DAYS, is one who thinks there will b.
new formations galore Because Oh
the large number of experienced men
not only in college struggles but I
service games" says Eckersall, 1t Is
only reasonable to believe that forma-
tons will be pulled this year which
never before have been seen on the
gridiron since the forward pass first
was used, thirteen years ago.
Harvard High in Hope.
Though Harvard laments that there
was no varsity football at Cambridge
FOR two years and thinks itself handi-
capped accordingly, the fact remains
the Crimson has a splendid nucleus u
veteran material, several members OF
the 1916 varsity and two players who
1915 men are Ralph Horween, a fast,
strong, heavy backfield man Of good
puntng ability, and Billy Murray, who
has had two years of varsity quarter
back play and with Horween took part
In Harvard's last game with Yale.
Then Harvard has Eddie Casey OF
the 1915 eleven, a brilliant back vPo
should be of great aid to the Crimson
this season. Coach Fisher also has
Phinney, formerly an end, and Babe
FELTON,. brother of Sam FELTON,, trying
Tor half back positions.
Stanley Burnham, who played three
years ago, is available for the line as
also is George Batehelder. who looked
20 good in 1916. Batchelder injured his
bnee while rowing last spring but the
coaches are counting on him donning
moleskins.
Another Horween.
Ralph Horween's brother Arnold. who
explained the informal eleven two years
sgo has been shifted from the back
field to the line and Is being tried out
as pivot man. Among the other vet
Gran linemen are George Flynn OF the
1916 varsity and Woods, Hadley, Thorn
like and Stubs of the 1920 freshman
'eam. Woods played some good service
FOOTBALL last season and Thorndikt
would have been welcomed to the 1911
varsity squad had there been one.
For ends Morris Phinney OF the 1915
team and Jim Desmond. who came from
Lehigh to Harvard with a splendid rep
ptation and who was going good TIL
injured in 1915, are available. Phinney
also is being used in the backfield. II
George Batchelder's knee permits III
also will be tried out on one OF ths
wings
Among the quarterbacks is Arthu
Conlon, who made a fine showing a
exeter and who was quarter on las
:aus 5. A. T. c. team at Harvard. Benz
zimmerman, of the same team. has tn
making Of a good kicker. Dick Humph
iey, who starred several years ago as
freshman, is a backfeld candidate, a
also Is Fred Church, who shone on
freshman team before. the war.
IHIe's Veterans.
Yale also has a wealth Of veteran ma
erial Among the veteran varsity me
VINO have been working under Al Sharp
are Quarterback Chester Laroche. Jir
nraden' Hamill, Carter, Gait. Tim Gala
nan, Joe Neville and Kirkpatrick.
from the 1915 freshman team ar
herbert Kempton. the former Exete
captain; Thorpe. Murphy and Hinder
pers' Acosta, Walker and French wer
on hand from the 1917 freshman squai
Alnrlch, the burly freshman baseba
catcher Of last season. and Campbell
shother sophomore. also were In togs.
Benn Derr, the big Dakota fullbaek,
pack at Pennsylvania. He was the val
sty fullback in 1916 and saw serviC