The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-08

feet six times before play was re-
sumed That was Maurice Sewers.
who was erected captain this after
noon"
The crowd broke intb cheers. Ream
sat down. The crowd rose, still cheer
ing. Several minutes of applause
crowd sat down. The moment was
Seeverss. He was to guide the des-
tinies of a football team representing
Washburn college for 1923 The
crossed in thought. He started to
speak. His voice was rather low.
Louder! On your chair! No, get
on the table, were shouted from the
Washburn college department of mu-
sic Offered the chair. and Sewers rose
to the center of the speakers table.
He again started to speak. He was
thinking deeply. After disastrous
year, what was he to say that would
inspire those present to the football
possibilities of Washburn college for
1928? seemed to be the question up
permost in his mind.
To Forget This Season.
. I'VE haven't had a very good year.
but that is forgotten. We must work
for winning team in 1923. With the
support of the alumni, with the sup
port of the Boosters club. with the
entire support of the college, we will
win in 1928"
1t was not a long speech, but what
he said was timely. 1t was the best
speech of the evening. Sewers left
the table and resumed his seat, his
quiet manner apparent thru it all.
More cheering followed his speech.
Sewers played fullback on this
years team, and was always a depend
able man. He played on the WASH
burn team last year, and next year
active in student activities. and has
had considerable experience in boys
work in the Y. NJ. c. A. camps during
the summer months. He is a good
football player and a gentleman. He
was unanimously elected to the cap
taincy at a meeting of the letter men
Thursday afternoon.
Many Toasts Given.
Prior to the announcement of the
captain, toasts were given by Ream.
p. P. Womer, president of the college,
Prof. w. A. Harshbarger, of the class
Of '93, and Mrs. Jessie Wright Whit
comb, mother of five boys. who were
members of football teams at WASH
burn college.
After pointing out that football in
terest has increased over the entire
country, President WOmer urged the
danger of football becoming too i'm
portant factor in the college life. and
not enough attention being paid to
other activities and to studies. He
also hopes for the elimination of com
mercialism in college athletics. He re-
cited an incident of a football player OF
a prominent high school coming to
him asking what he would be paid to
come to Washburn and play on the
Washburn team. He discouraged all
such practices in his talk.
Mrs. Whitcomb made one of the
best toasts of the evening. She re-
cited many of the moments when she
thought her boys were going to be-
come injured from football, then pic
turing the other side, she told of the
joy which a mother experiences.
'It is a peculiar sensation to see
the one you have combed, brushed,
spanked and chastised, manhandled
out on the football field,'' she said
TT seems that every player on both
teams is trying in every way possible
to bruise, despoil, break the bones
and otherwise eliminate ones own
child.''
Football is not as rough as # used
to be- Mrs. Whitcomb said, stating
that other thrills were not as common
as now, and football offered excite
ment.
e. A. Thrill, one of the most loyal |
of Washburn, gave a short /
talk in which he said the Boosters |
club was behind Washburn strong.
A large crowd attended the banquet, |
and more pep was shown than at fore |
ner football banquets.