The New York herald., 1921-12-04

MISSOURI known In their terrain as the
Tigers, from the same color combna-
ton of stripes that naturally won for
Princeton years ago also the name Of
Tigers, was playing Drake University.
An affectionate following also has given
the Drake players a nickname from the
popular animal kingdom precisely as
another populace designated Yale. And
so the Drake players are called Bull
dogs. One lone touchdown came out of
the gruelling battle of these two con-
tenders for the Missouri Valley cham
pionship and il came and won the day
in the first few seconds of play
Shearer opened the game by kicking
off for Drake Lewis Of Missouri caught
the kick off, but instead of running the
ball back as almost invariably is done
nowadays, Lewis ran forward few
yards, suddenly stopped and sent
lofty punt up the field. Behind him
when he kicked were several Missouri
players. These men, on-side. of course,
and eligible to capture the ball. swiftly
ran up the field in an attempt to keep
pace with the swirling punt. One OF
them, Elmer Kershaw, fieetest of foot
in all Missouri. beat the ball to it's fall
ing point and leaped among the amazed
players from Drake, who. apparently
suffering from Bulldog paralysis. were
unable to prevent the flashing Kershaw
from capturing the ball, leaping free
and racing onward to the goal line for
touchdown and for victory.
Goal After Touchdown.
A certain sect Of football reformers
for years have clamorously demanded
the abolition of the goal following
touchdown. Their argument has been
that this feature of football is only
two man play and that victory and de-
feat should not thus be disposed while
twenty other players stand idly by az
ter fighting each other TO a standstill.
The advocates of the goal after touch
down, however. argue first that 1t has
been a feature Of rugby football for
over one hundred years and that as a
historic detail of the game Il should be
preserved. Secondly, that IL two teams
failed to decide a game. a victory
by two players is better than a draw
There is a practical argument in favor
of the retention of the goal following
touchdown in the figures of football this
autumn, and that Is that very few
games indeed have been won and lost
in this manner. Taking the games Of
the country. only three prominent in
stances. however, of this type of vic
tory can be found. Muhienberg Col
lege Of Pennsylvania, which this fall
has produced probably the best team
in its history. has the distinction of
having won two games in this mannew
defeating Pennsylvania elevens of such
prominence as Lehigh and Swarthmorc.
The hero of both Of these victories is
Crum, quarterback of the Muhlenberg
team. Crum's competent right foot de-
feated Lehlgh IA to 13 and Swarthmore
to 6. Both of these victories, how
ever. We're sensational because the
touchdowns following which Crum lsickei
the goals were attained late In each
game when Muhlenberg apparently
faced defeat.
In a third game the goal after touch
down was the play which disposed of
the victory. but in doing so imposed
defeat upon a naughty and ambitious
major eleven by minor. Oberlin and
Ohio State, the latter the 1920 cham
pion OF the Western Conference were
waging real battle at Columbus. Left
End Huffman Of Ohio State had scored
touchdown early in the first period by
picking up tumble and dashing 20
yards for a touchdown. but Pixley OF
the Ohio State eleven failed to kick the
goal. Later In the game Oberlin. TAX
ing the ball on its own 10 yard line. un-
leashed running attack that swept SO
yards down the field and terminated in
a touchdown. William f. Parkhill,
Obelin's fullback, clear of eye, sound OF
heart and steady of nerve, faced his
crisis and kicked his goal.
The goal from the field, both from
placement and from drop kick, has
figured far more frequently In the
scores of football this fall than in any
previous year In the annals of the
sport. Not only have more field goals
been scored as whole. but more players
have scored two goals in a single
game. Never before have so many
msjor games hinged upon a scoring
play of this character. The assem-
blage Of statistics of field goals is not
without q practical lesson to tactlcians.
for 1t discloses that the drop kick has
almost wholly supplanted the place
kick as a field goal scoring mechanism.
Value OF Drop kicker.
The role OF victories achieved In great
games this fall impressiveiy teaches
the important position Of drop kicker
In the ranks OF an eleven and Il also
predicts the prolific possibilities la this
kind of attack in 1922. Chicago thus
defeated Wisconsin. Purdue beat NORTH
western and was defeated by indiana
Michigan thus defeated Illinois, Har-
ward defeated Georgia and also Holy
Cross, Yale overcamc Princeton, WASH
lHBlOil anu Leu NHEilid
Polytechnic. Maryland beat Rutgers,
Louisiana beat Arkansas and on and
on the instances OF field goal victories
run.
The glorious sunset that shone on
Harvard's victory over Yale in the
final game Of the Crimson's series has
dazzled many and prevented their
recollection of an esriy game in Hsr-
wards series, the struggle with Holy
Cross. II was a 39-yard drop Kick by
Charles Buell. over Holy Cross's :ross-
bar that gave the Crimson the only
three points scored that day by either
teap,. Again IL was a Harvard kic9er
Pfaffman, who, By n drop Kick from
the 20 yard line, gave the Crimson
victory over Georgia. In this inter-
sectional struggle each eleven had
scored touchdown, Georgia by for
ward pass and Harvard by blockei
kick. A Georgia tumble recovered by
Capt. Kane for Harvard swung the
Crimson team into the position for a
second score Unable to advance oy a
running attack. Pfafrman, field goal
expert. was substituted for jenkins
and he promptly won the game ioF
Harvard by kicking the goal.
Field goals frequently have deter
mined victories in the games OF the uni
yersities in the Western Conference. The
mast season was unusually prolific in
this type of victory. II was the double
good fortune OF Milton Romney OF Chi
caso. who scored the 10 points against
I.rjnceton. also to defeat Chicago's great
r;yat WISCONSIN The victory was made