The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-11-28
SPORTS
BY soB McDAxID


fall. Central and Bessemer High played
a scoreless tie yesterday morning be-
fore crowd of $500 madly cheering teen
age fans. The battle might we'll be char
acterized as a toss-up from start to
finish. Bessener5s advantage in punch
being offset by the superior generalship
and punting of Capt. PhenD Crane OF
the Central eleven. Baty at full and Mer-
ritz at half for the Tigers staged a
wonderful attack, while all Of Centrars
backs starred on defense.
Central received the kickoff. rut was
forced to Punt Bessemer attempted a
forward pase in midheld, lat Crane in
tercepte4;. TIE Crimson than began
smashing otfense against tie Bessemer
forwards. which netted four straight
first downs Coach Borbage's team moved
forward with machine-like precision right
on down to the 2o-yard line. where Bes-
sener held like a stone wall and took
the bali downs
An exchange of punts followed. after
which Bessemer made two first downs
through the Central line, but soon after
lost the ball on downs. Another ex-
change of punts followed and Central
tried Bessemers line without success.
The Tigers took the ball on a punt ond
FIRST downs. Merritt gained most of the
ground for Bessemer in this half, Baty
interference being of especial help.
Beginning the second haf Baty received
the kick off and returned it Is yards be-
fore being downed. Alternating Baty
and Merritt the Tigers ripped off Two
more first downs, carrying the ball to
CAntrafs 3a-yard line, where 1t went
over. 5-yard penalty for holding
forced Central TO kick. after which Baty
and Merritt carried the ball within the
shadow of the goal posts only 10 lose
it on downs when a forward pass was
ircompieted Crane punted out from
behind his own goal and Bessemer tried
in vain to penetrate the Crimson line
being forced to kick again bessefner
recovered the ball when Crane fumnied
tn runt Baty, by successive line piunges
ard eff tackle plays, carried the pau "
Centrars 5-yard line, where they struck
snag, ard lost the ball on downs. crane
punted s. yards out OF pouhus 90 ~
third quarter ended
An attempted drop kick by Bessemer
went wild. and Central regainkd the
ball Crane punting IS yards on hrst
down. Baty hit the line for 10 yaros III
three bucks, but Hawkins threw mn.
for loss, tumble cost Bessemer ~
yards more, and the Tigers were iqlceu
to punt. Central failed to gain, now
ever. and Ressemer took the ball on
IN downs. Baty and Merritt then nam
rnered off another first down. after "nicn
a forward pass, Waller to Noien' het.eu
20 more. With a touchdown In signt,
Bessemer was guilty OF hoidlhg anu i0se
Is yards by the penalty
iyt
nv intercepting forward pass and re-
.t,,rr.jng ii to midfield before oelng
tsckled Bessemers line was lmpreg
nable and Central was again torceu ~
kick. Baty and Merritt charged INTO the
c,entrars line four times for a hrst oo"n
80 a forwar dpass Merritt to Johnson
netted Il more, placing the ball on the
Award line. where Central took II on
downs On the first play beautifui
forward pass from Hawkins 10 1aylo
gained IS yards for Central ana piaceu
the bail on Bessemer's So-yaro iine 1u''
as the game ended oa
for nrep school player, and his genera.
shin was wei-nigh perfect Jones d.
suard for Central, as we'll as McNea a.
center played fine defensive DAHL pes
sen,er's ends had quite an adVantass
over their rivals, especially IN plocs a'.=.
Resserner's left tackle, Thomas peheVe
II Tas n,ayed a great offensive game.
Dssnite fire ferceness of the struggle
the game was clean fast and hign'y ~
teresting. The officials gave UNIVERSE
sstisfaction. detailed account OF the
game follows
FIRST QUARTER
Nferritt kicked off to Crane, who re-
turned five wards. Line plunges by Rop-
irson and GAYLORD failed to gam mueP'
and Crane punted Il yards to the center
Of the field On Bessemer's first plsA
patty tore through Centrafs line for :
y.rds Merritt fumbled but recovered
without gain. After Baty had failed to
gain in two tries Crane intercepted Mer-
rftt,s pass and returned five wards pc
fore downed Line plunges by Crane
and Hawkins netted first down. and
bucks nv Gaylord Hawkins and Crane
made another. After Gaylord had netted
nine Yards in three tries, Crane bucked
center for one yard, making the first
down Line plunges by Gaylord and
Crane and an end run by Hawkins net
ted the fourth straight first down. After
plunges by Gaylord and Hawkins had
failed to gain much, and after an at
tempted forward pass failed, Central was
oenalized five yards for offsides, and
Bessemer took the ball on downs.
Baty punted 40 yards to Crane, who
was downed in his tracks. The quarter
ended with the ball on Centrars S5yard
line.
SECOND QUARTER
After plunges by Hawkins and Gaylord
had netted but three yards. Crane punt
ed 10 yards to Waller who returned TO-
Three line plunges by Baty made first
down, and four more by the same sturdy
fullback made another. Deason, Merritt
and Baty failed to gain in four tries. and
the ball went to Central downs on
her own 3-yard line. After two end
runs by Gaylord and a line plunge by
Robinson had gained but four yeards,
Crane punted % yards to Merritt, who
was dowled in his tracks. Two end runs
by Merritt made the first down. Merritt
failed to gain an inch in two tries and
his attempted forward pass grounded
Baty then purted Is yards out of bounds
to Central's 35-yard line.
lateral pass, Gaylord to Robinson
gained five yards. and GAYLORD made two
over center. Hawkins failed to gain and
Crane punted 30 yards to Merritt, who
fumbled but recovered. seven-yard run
by Merritt and four-yard line plunge
by Baty made first down. Baty made
r. We Never Close -
H. Happiness p.