The New York herald., 1922-11-16
Blue Varsity Football Squad
Shows Bulk, Power, Speed
and Intelligence.
OLD BUGABOO rs FEARED
Too Much Hope Before Prince
ion Game Discouraged at
New Haven.
BY w. o. McGEEHAN.

NEW HAVEN, NOV. 15.-AS the 1ale
team worked out in a dull drizzle on
Pratt Field this afternoon there was
much in evidence to justify the wave
of Eli optimism that gathered inn
mediat.ly, after the Harvard-Prince-
: ton game. But this is no place for
optimists. They are about as un-
popular as fumbled, balls around this
place, the reason being that most
waves OF Eli optimism in the past
have been followed by inexplicable
Yale reversals.
Still there is no law against a neu-
trail getting optimistic after a peek
at the Yale team Of 1922. The shock
troops of the Blue and the first re-
serve seem to have bulk, power. speed
and intelligence. That is saying that
they seem to possess all of the quail
fications for the modern game OF foot
ball.
Just how well those qualities have
been coordinated will be shown when
the twilight begins to drop heavily upon
the field at Palmer Stadium next Sat
urday and that will be too late for pre-
iictions The football predictions have
been pretty close this season anyhow.
The laws of hospitality and the OBJ
legations imposed upon a neutral, OF
course. prevent your correspondent from
going into any of the details OF to-day's 8
practice. Football practice Is not the
Jiveliest sight in the world, but when one
IS given a vantage point on a pile of
a n - -
Yale trainer, II becomes interesting and
when Johnny arranges two more blue
blankets In the form of a shelter tent
st becomes almost comfortable.
The yitable injuries have kept the
Yale n from developing along the
lines which Tad Jones would have liked,
but certainly the Yale machine as ii was
made up to-day is a smooth running
piece OF mechanism.
Mallory VIII Not Face Tiger.
In to-day's drill the backfield was
made up of Neidlinger. quarter; Scott,
Neale and Jordan. Wight played only
part of the time. Mallory was not out
at all and the Yale men are becoming
almost reconciled to the realization that
he will not be able to start against
Princeton on Saturday. Scott will take
his place at fullback.
On n very soggy field the combina-
tions tried out seemed fast and sure
OF course this was mere drill. but ii
would take no expert TO sense the fact
that the Yale shock troops will have
real attack when they charge at Prince
ton next Saturday. There Is every In
dication that this eleven will not be
the somewhat bewildered and uncertain
organization that Harvard sent against
.the Princeton eleven.
II is not good form to ask coach
any pertinent questions as to an i'm
pending game especially when :. is q
game as important as this one to be
played next Saturday. But your cor
respondent was moved TO observe more
or less banally, lit ought to be good
game"
you know It," said Tad Jones. his
>eyes lighting with enthusiasm. 81.
surely will be a good game. one OF the
best"
Pressed for Yale hospital list
Johnny Mack. the Yale trainer. became
somewhat annoyed. Johnny Is the man
who gets lugubrious on the eve of I'M
portant Yale football games and gives
out the sad news that all OF the Yale
first string men are on the permanent
sick list and that Yale Is about TO be
represented by nothing but substitutes.
John is Withholding the list this year
eand your correspondent Is not enough
OF an expert to decide Just what sort
of an omen this may be. Any reversal
In the policies Of Johnny Mack portend
something. IL is almost uncanny.
You fellows won't believe me. any
how" Johnny explained. "Aiso. you
exaggerate. I tell you fellow Is hurt
and you have all of his ribs and his
neck broken. No sir. I am giving you
no hospital list this year.
Stirring Sour Memory.
1T looks like the day that Bill
Edwards accused somebody OF turn
ing the Connecticut River into the Yale
Bowl" somebody suggested.
Johnny Mack tossed aside his blue
blanket. Bill Edwards is a wall eyed
prevaricator." he said. or words to that
effect. "The Yale Bowl is below tho
sea level and the tide came up in Il
that day. We wanted a dry field our
selves"
Johnny was so indignant over the
memory that he glared at the young
man who came in demanding a dry ball
for the football team. Take them
wet one" snapped Mack. They go,
20 learn how TO play with n wet one.
anyhow" The rain Increased in volume
and every drop OF water reminded Mr..
+ Mack OF that moist and unpleasant IN
cident. His entire afternoon was ruined
Cupid Black. tho former Yale center
who walked through the Princeton eleven
OF 1915 carrying the remainder Of the
Yale team with him. wrapped himself in
six blankets and watched the practice
with rapt attention. Mr.. Black. though
he tried to conceal the fact was violat-
Ing the law against optimism.
lie recalled that your correspondent
before that game IN 1915 announced that
Princeton seemed TO have the better
team. After the game proved otherwise
Mr. Black could not resist the temptation
~ wiring your correspondent. Which
has the best eleven now?" And YOUR
correspondent could not resist the temp
tation of wiring right back: yale the
better eleven. TO put It correctly"
Mr. Black recalled the correspondence
without bitterness and added II hope
that Princeton has the best eleven
again"
Mr.. Black IL In good condition right
now. and your correspondent. recalling
how that stalwart young man with his
head bandaged strode toward the Prince
ton goal post with about twenty-one
other young men festooned about his
shoulders let him speak English as he
pleased. He was the incarnation OF the
bulldog that day, and II Is part Of wis
dom TO let bulldog bark to suit him
self
At the current writing II is safe 20
predict one thing. that the Princeton
Tigers arc about 10 face a real fight In
their closing battle OF tho season Those