The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-03


Truxtun Hare readily falling from
Red and Blue will come rapidly '
pirate of this hero and that.
In New Haven, Yale will raise its
voice for Frank Hinkey, the silent
captain. Or Heffelfinger, the guard
whose prowess was so great ard
whose infinite variety was so strong,
that he could play through a whole
game, and rafting fine one at
that, although nearing fifty years Of
age. Or perhaps Ted Coy, militant
Christian. whose name is still one to
conjure with among those who idolize
the Blue.
Swing Westward In your quest
and you win find the name of While
Heston emblazoned to the world as
Michigan's best bet for footballs
greatest warrior. Or perhaps Neil
Snow, mayhap Germany Schultz,
the man who is said to have made
the center the biggest toad in the
football puddle.
Visit Chicago and the Maroon
win yodel the name of Walter
EckeFBaH rs the greatest of all
gIadiatOrs, or perhaps Herschber-
ger, who Is known to possess the
signal honor of being the first
Western player ever to be selected
for an AIl-Alnerica team.
Columbia win tell you OF Weeks
and Morley, West Point will sing Of
q Neutrality-suspicious. you win find
college and pioneer football institu-
ton ready TO show a favorfte son
for the nomination OF the best on
the gridiron in all these years.
personally we would award the
palm and the laurel to Hare, Of the
University OF Pennsylvania. No
man, other than Hinkey, ever saw
himself four straight years on the
An-America except Hare. This,
however, while a wonderful record,
might leave the reader dubious as
TO its excellence as a basis to choose
the former Red and Blue giant as
the greatest gladiator who ever
donned the moleskins.
All right, let's give him the once
over. Two things measure a mans
greatness-his work on the offense
and the defense. In the first in.
stance he must carry the ball to be-
come real factor, In the second
he must show splendid ability to
keep his territory free from alien
gains.
Hare did both, and in the days
when he was one of the kings of
the gridiron, the famed guards
back" was at the height of it's
power and popularity. That meant
that Truxtun Hare crashed through
the line, carrying the ball much
as Undertaking back does today.
At this form of attack he was mas
terly and massive. Few ranked
higher as ground gamers in his day.
YaIe's claim to HeffeIfinger's
greatness was that he crashed
through ahead of his back and
swept all opposition before him.
It was also claimed for this Yale
hero that ON the defense nobody
gained through him. Well, Hef-
felfinger never blazed the way
for bigger gains than did Hare,
and the Penn star carried the bali
r rs well Few gains were ever
made through that part Of the
line that the Red and Blue stall
wart protested, and he ranked
every whit as good as Heff on
the defense.
Ted Coy's ability to gain ground
O a back makes him a paramount
figure in Yale. But it is doubtful
If the great Coy ever gained more
territory than did Hare, and while
Ted's defensive work in the back
field was majestic, Hare stood out,
too, as a wonderful defensive player.
Frank Hinkey is, perhaps" the
best end who was ever on a grid
iron. Scarcely weighing more than
156 pounds in the days when beef
and Drawn were the main factors
In the creation Of every college
eleven. Hinkey brought down the
giants time and again. In two
years he never saw one inch gained
around his end. Whenever any Of
the boys wanted a little stuff. why
Frank could be always found ready
to oblige.
But Hinkey's work was large de-
fensive. He also worked on the
interference in wide end runs, so
popular in those days. Hinkey's
great forte on defense was to smash
through the interference and nail
the runner before the latter could
get beyond the line of scrimmage.
But there wac nothing in the Of
Tense and defense that Hinkey did
where Hare didn't fill the same
role, perhaps not in so spectacular
manner, but certainly in as eff
fective a fashion.
Eckersall's might rested in his
talented toe, his field goals-those
from placement and long snaky
punts being features Of every game
that he played with Chicago. Eckie
could also carry the ball in tremen-
dous fashion.
But Hare did the punting for
his eIeVens. Laugh off that one
He did IL exceIIenfIy, too, his long
spiraIs going booming along, while
he could place the oval I'm great
style. He kicked goals from
placement or the field in such
manner as to be the man natu-
rally for that work.
. Eckersoll, being a quarterback.
was also field general He gave
the signals and ran the Maroon
team. Well, the name OF the chap
who called the signals and ran the
plays on Penn was T. Truxton Hare.
Give that a ha-ha. He was the
fleId general. So there YOU have
the reason why we pick Hare as
: The greatest of all football players.
Where, in the roster of the grid.
IRON players from the first time that
Princeton met Yale, until last week.
ends assortment of football In the
North. South. East and West, can