Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-11-09
RY PIos KIN.

While football II very uncertain
game and upsets arc at all times pos
sible, yet there are certain factors
that govern these upsets. A muddy
field, one weak point on team, pull
ing the unexpected-any Of these may
alter the outcome of a game. One OF
the greatest factors in football, first
of all, is the condition of the playing
field. Games have been won or lost
by teams solely by reason OF slip
perry gridiron.
II is a natural fact that d wet field
favors a heavy team. Tho team de-
pending on speed is always handi-
capped on a wet field. Fast men can
not get under way when the field is
squirming and lodging are impossible
when ones feet will not stay where
placed.
In 1915 Colgate defeated Brown and
won the championship of the east. Of
course, Colgate had a better playing
machine and probably would have won
on any kind OF field. Yet Brown had
relied throughout the season on her
star back, Pollard. On that Thanks
giving day, it was rainy and the field
WAS a sea of mud. The plays that had
spelled victory for Brown in previous
games by getting Pollard loose, failed
that day to work.
Colgate's heavy tackles, West ard
Horning, charged the Brown forwards
and broke up every play Brown start
cd. Pollard could not keep his feet
and get away, and Colgate triumphed.
In this years game between Pitts
burg and West Virginia, the Noun
taineers had a number of old men
back and the prospects of victory over
her smoky city rival seemed the best
yet. According to all dope, Pittsburgh
was defeated team before entering
the fracas.
The game was played on a wet,
muddy field and this gave Pitt some
prospect, but dope favored the noun
tilineers up to the minute of play. In
order to give his heavier line and
backs an even better chance, Warner
had his men change uniforms between
halves. The players also wore longer
cleats and the entire team took off the
mud plastered uniforms and put on
clean ones. The kickers changed
shoes three times and by giving his
forwards freer opportunity to charge
and his backs to kick out of danger
Warmers Panthers won the game.
In the Oregon Washington game of
1915, the fast Oregon team should
have won, according to dope. But the
game was played on a wet field and
this favored the heavy Seattle team.
The result was that by being favored
by the wet field and resorting to a
kicking game, Dobie was able to come
out with a to 0 tie.
High winds, too, have their influ-
ence on the outcome of grid games. If
q good kicker is favored by a strong
wind. it is possible for him to boot
his team to victory.
One weak point often spells defeat
for q team. Teams have been known
to so down to defeat, because their op-
ponents found a soft spot in their
otherwise strong defense. Harvard
defeated Michigan in 1914, by pounding
a weak point in the Wolverine line
and scoring the only touchdown of
the game in that manner.
In 1915 Illinois defeated Minnesota
when the Gophers had one of the
strongest teams in their history and
had not been defeated that season
But Illinois won the game and as
founded the midwest. The reason Civ
en- was that Zupke's scouts learned
that the Minnesota line was slightly
slow In getting up to the line on their
hep" plays and that they were leav-
ing spaces between their players Ill
inois took advantage of this weakness
and the strong Gopher team lost. The
terrific charge of the line that had