River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1920-11-18
Gurnoe's Drop Kick
Wins for River Falls
Referee Makes Queer Decision, Call.
ing it no Game After Last Period
Had Ended--Oshk0sh to Play
Here Saturday, and at Stew
ems Point Thanksgiving
Day.

After two periods of scoreless
struggle at Menomonie last Friday,
River Falls in the third quarter
worked the ball to Stevens Points 20
yd. line, and Gurnoe' booted a perfect
drop-kick squarely over the bar for
the only score of the game.
Stevens Point then made a frantic
attack, but the ball was kept in mid
field until the close of the fourth
period, when fake pass play netted
a long gain for the Point and they
had the ball on River Falls lloyd.
line. Three attempts to score each
resulted in loss, and River Falls
brought the oval back toward the
Point goal, losing it on tumble.
The Point then punted, and Quinn
let it roll. A Point man fell on it on
River Falls one-foot line and the
referee, claiming that it struck
Quinn, gave it to Stevens Point. They
made one desperate lunge at the Red
g. White line, but lost yard on the
play. Before calling signals for an
other play, the Point players assem-
bled about their captain in consulta-
ton, but did not call out time. While
this conference was going on Referee
Pettijohn turned and waved to the
crowd, which was edging in from the
side-lines, urging them to stay back.
He did not call out time, either, and
Just as the Point backfield players
were getting into their places again,
the two timc-keepers notified the
head linesman that the game was
over, and he stepped out and notified
Pettiiohn, who blew his whistle, end
ing the game.
The River Falls team and a major
ity of the crowd Immediately left the
field for down town. A Point fan,
evidently frantic over the loss OF a
bet, rushed out and claimed that their
must be at least two minutes more to
play, and to the amusement Of every
one, the officials listened to this un-
founded claim, and in spite of the
fact that the time-keepers announce
ment had definitely ended the game,
the officials at first declared for
felt to Stevens Point A long argu-
ment ensued, and during it the point
of time was cut down to 20 seconds,
it being argued that even if the refe-
rec didn't call out time while the
Point players held their short signal
conference, he should have done so,
and the officials again changed their
decision and instead of declaring a
forfeit, called it no game. This ap-
reared to satisfy the near-sport as 1T
saved him from paying his little bet,
and that appears to be the final set
Element of the case.
River. Falls won the game fairly
and squarely, and is entitled to the
northern championship title. 1t IS
not as though Stevens Point was GER
tain of a score even with the ball so
close, for they had lost over yard
on one play after having the ball
within a foot of the Red & White goal
and on a previous threat had lost
over 10 yards on three plays in the
shadow of the River Falls goal posts.
The action of the officials III argu-
ing with fans after the game is in
r.
deed deplorable, for had they left the
field as soon as the game was proper
" called off there would have been no
argument.
A number of Eau Claire Normal
ties were present at the game, and
their remarks and the report OF the
battle in the Eau Claire papers, which
was evidently only reflection OF the
Eau Claire Normal sentiment, proved
that the other schools of the confer
ence had good grounds for barring
the Eau Claire school for unsports-
manlike department.
The Eau Claire Leader published
an account of the game so filled with
mis-statements that it could have been
written only by a rabid norlnalite
whose prejudice would allow no con-
sideration of the truth. The Leaders
article stated that Stevens Point had
the ball on River Falls one-foot line,
on first down, and the time keepers