New-York tribune., 1920-11-29

of teams Will be put forth l.. the order
which we thin!- is fitting Meantime
there are several struggles to review.
The first of these is the ArmyNavy
battle. And it was evefy BIT Of that.
Some who attended this contest felt
that the game was not so good as many
of the other biz tussles OF the season
because of its lack of spectacular play.
But to the dyed din-the wool football
fans, who dote on hard, sure tackling,
on coordination of backs and forwards
and good offensive and defensive play,
n SO far as straight football is con-
cerned, the encounter was glorious
affair and one which gave them many
4 thrill.
Fine Line Play
IN no game of those we saw this
fall was there line play that excelled
that which the Navy forwards put or
in the latter part of the game at the
Polo Grounds Saturday. Beginning in
about the middle of the third period
those stalwart middle forwards came
and proceeded to toss their lighter op-
ponents hithcr and thlther like SO
many rag dolls
That Army line took an awful beat
ing as the Navy began to grind out its
march to touchdown, but it stuck
hemely to its task and. as the express
sion gees, it showed itself a glutton
for punishment. But more than game
ness was required to stop the vicious
charging of the sailors on their grand
soiree. And that the Army didn't
have, primarily because it didn't pos
sess equal physical power, and secondly
because it didn't have the experience of
tie Annapolis students, who have been
playing together for two years, had.
When the Navy forwards did get
started in earnest they opened holes
big enough to drive a team through and
cleaned on occasion way beyond the
T Tecondary: That was line play, superb.
par excellence, and of the kind that
WINS football games. 1t couldn't have
been done better And under that ter
rife pounding it was no wonder the
Army line cracked. A much more ex-
perlenccd and heavier line would have
/ yielded also, and it is no discredit to
ua!y or his assistants, Pot Graves and
McEwen, who coached the line at West
Point, that the cadets gave way.
l ne Army forwards showed for near
Y three quarters of the game that they
mad been well drilled by outplaying a
heavy, experienced line, and if it
hadn't been for bad break when
French fell down on two punts it is
likely the land officers would have held
their opponents to scoreless tie.
Inc onl mistake the Army coaches
made. if it can be called a mistake
was IN not sending in substitute line
men When the Navy began to kick in
with ITS full strength. But that wasn't
sUcn grave error, for substitutes nat
nrally aren't as capable as the REGULARS
and while they might have DELAYED the
Navy in going over it is not likely they
would nave totally prevented it from
scoring 0'''
Good Lesson for Army
So far as we can see, Dalv and his
ASSISTANTS should be given credit for
the fine showing of their men in hold
ing the superior Navy team TO snch q
10" score. Iou can lay little wager
mat with the experience the Army lads
got IN Saturdays game, thew will
&c much improved lot next year. On
saturday they were simply outclas sed
and no coach can alter that.
49, dhs q eNqulsitely efficient line play of
the Navy wasn't the only feature of
SatuHday's struggle. The tackling of
ooth eleyens was remarkably we'll done
And in this respect, especially in tho
open, the cadets had slight edre on
the middies. No Navy back ever left
ms tracks or receiving a punt, so
| cleverly did White and Storck cut him
down. '''''
Another feature was the morale of
the Army in defeat. When team ;s
outclsssed and is being beaten by it's
ch1et rival it is inclined, no matter
now game 1t may be, to assume dole
ful spirit, sort of logged, downcast
attitude, which seems to say, "Weu
We beaten, but we'll give them a
/ fight"
After the Navy had scored its touch
Gown, the Army eleven resumed play,
not with a hopeless spirit. but With
an air which bctokened hopefulness sls
and which encouraged its supporters to
the belief that it would come back
before the finish. And when it took tho
ball from the Navy on a tumble. with
only few minutes of play remaining
the Army followers shouted: Nov
come on, Army, go to it," All of which
SHOWS that the cadets retained their
morale until the bitter end. Thereby.
old tney get some profit from the
Many felt that the contest was not
good one, spectacularly, because
neither side did much effective work
ohenslVely. 1t seems to US that the
defense should be credited for this
1t shows the defenders were alert at
all times.
The TACT that the feet French did
iioI get Tree by any long run was due
IN large part to the impregnabilitv of
me Annapolis line If it didn't get
MN, at least it always put the interfer-
ence out of business and gave the back
! or the tackle plenty of opportunity to
take shot at French
The Navy managed TO complete sew
eral forwards in spite of poor passing
~ Conroy. He lobbed them and would
nave put through several more if he
rad been able to hurl the ball more
swiftly The reason some of the passes
were successful was because he threw
them over the middle of the line-the
safest and most effective way of exc
cutting pass cessfully--and be-
cause the ball was we'll handled on the
receiving end by Even and Koehler.
Wllhde showed himself to be a bet
ter passer than Conroy, but the Navv
defended we'll on the pass and was able
to cover UP so we'll as it did because
the Army pass was thrown to the side
OF the field instead Of over the line
And as for the spectacle itself, there
was enough action and color in the do
ings on the side lines to make tho
game one of the most interesting Of
the season.
We hope the stuaents and supporters
of Penn State College won't think
we're throwing them down when we
declare Pittsburgh to our mind is a
better team this year. But that is our
belief after having seen the two elevers
play against each other on Thanksgiv-