Evening star., 1923-09-24

,,Chicago gets into action with the
Mlchigan Aggies as it's opponent. OF
ID. ld.e years the Lansing eleven has not
SHOWN the strength that character
lzed It's play some seasons back. but
at any time it may come through with
a stronger combination than some of
lis heftier opponents look for.
"a niue FARTHER west state institu-
tions meet one another in two games.
Al Fort Collins, Col, the Colorado
Aggies ere to entertain the Univer-
sity OF Wyoming, and at Iowa City
the University of Iowa will have as
It's guests the foot ball players of
Oklahoma A. and NJ, and ordinarily
the game should be good. but If the
Oklahoma gridiron situation is as
olsorgantzed as the state seems to be
II viii be sad time for the teams
:. with two or three possible excep-
tions, Where big team may have un-
sknowlngly picked on" better
eleven than il expected to face. all
the other games are likely to be little
more than a question OF the number
OF points by which one team will win.
One often hears remarks bv old
FOOT ball players, players of two dec
ades ago, about the good old days of
the yards in three downs and
the big men who held positions on
Teams at that time. Many times has
the impression been given In that
way that the foot bali teams of to-
day are much lighter than those of
nfteen or twenty years ago, and
there seems to be abroad an impress
sion that such actually is true.
AS matter of fact, the foot ball
teams of today are fully as heavy as
those OF f1fteen or twenty years ago.
There are more foot bali players in
the country now weighing more than
1S5 pounds. than there were weighing
more than l75 in 1906. True il is that
today one very seldom sees one of
the great human juggernauts who
tip the scales around $3.50 pounds. for
the simple reason that such PLAYERS
are not worth much to a present-day
foot ball team. The ofense of today
is $50 much broader and more COM
prehensive that five times the physi-
cal skill and dexterity is demanded
of the average lineman than was de-
ma1ded OF him in the days when
backs had only yards to go in three
attempts.
Take one or two contrasts. John
son. at center for Swarthmore in
1907 whom Swarthmore defeated Cor
nell, II memory Is not at fault, was
hailed as one of the great players
of the year and named as the great
1ority of critics. johnson was a
giant, weighing about 260 pounds,
but IL he were to report for a Swarth-
more foot ball team today he prob
any couiQ not make his position.
over at Camp Meade the Sd Army
Corps has a giant of man as a line
man, that lineman sending the scales
up with bump when they are placed
at $50 pounds, but that ltneman has
not yet won a place on the team. and
probably will not, despite years Of
experience in the game.
The foot ball lineman of today has
to do something more than charge
straight ahead and hurl himself
under the opposing mass of forwards
on every play.
Day, who played center for Central
High School last year. is out on the
Johns Hopkins squad with about an
even chance to win the regular berth
at the pivot position. Day has car
ried to the Baltimore school the same
kind of fighting spirit which made
him valuable to the Blue and White.
Georgetown and George Washing
ton will settle down this afternoon
to do four days of hard foot ball
practice in getting ready for their
game Saturday. The Blue and Gray
realizes that the advantage is with
it, but is very anxious TO be ready
for the Marines when they come here