Palisadian., 1925-08-28
Local Boys Logical
Opponents for the
Union City Team
BY CARL CARLSON

The recent edict of the Emerson
High School faculty to abolish all
football activities of that school has
caused an unexpected furore in local
scholastic gridiron circles. The lack
of sufficient student support and back
ing from the Board of Education in
addition to the poor showing made
by the Emersonians prompted the Ho-
boken authorities to Danish the fall
sport.
1t naturally follows that the big"
game with Union City High, held an
nually at Fletcher's Field on Thanks
giving morn, will be missing next
pumpkin day. The loss of this at
traction to Hudson county football
new opponent for the Union City
gridders on that day has given rise
| to several articles which were re-
Gently published in the sporting col
umns of Lud's Sport Slants in the
Hudson Dispatch.
When the controversy was origi-
nally started the Sports Slants edi-
tor mentioned the powerful Ridge
field Park combination as a logical
turkey day contender for honors. In
another column it was predicted that
the Cliffside High footballers are des-
tined for the cellar position in the
Northern New Jersey Interscholastic
League this fall. Not very encour-
aging, but then it is remembered that
the same was said of the Cliffside
1925 team at the beginning of last
season, which, incidentally, was one
of the most successful years ever
known to local football squads.
AS result of the mentioning that
Coach Erickson might send his pro-
teges against the Hudson team for
the "big" game of both schools, many
fans have voiced their disapproval
of this move and have substituted
Cliffside for Ridgefield. Although
the majority of the Union City follow
ers are wishing for a resumption of
Emerson football they prefer the To-
Gals to the Scarlet wearers. This pref
erence is not accentuated by the fact
that the Ridgefieldites are somewhat
superior in appearance, but for the
chief reason that friendly athletic re-
lationship should be renewed between
the two schools who were deadly
rivals in earlier days.
These two letters were chosen from
score or more that have been re-
ceived by the Hudson county paper
sporting department in reference to
the issue. They were recently pub
lished in the sporting columns of that |
paper.
Dear Lud-I read with great inter-
est your article on Ridgefield Park
and Union City-as Thanksgiving |
Day rivals. And 1 was very much
surprised to see that you didn't give |
Cliffside Park tumble.
/ believe that Cliffside is a much |
more natural opponent for Union
City than Ridgefeld Park. In the
first place, Cliffside is closer to Union
City than is Ridgefield Park. In the
second place, Cliffside and Union Hill |
have met three times on the gridiron. |
Union Hill won one game by touch
down, but Cliffside smothered the |
Orange and Blue in the other two |
tits, winning one of the games by
% points and one by sc points.
On the face of that how can you
say that Ridgefeld Park is more
natural rival? Or, as you infer, that
Cliffside Park is not strong enough
for Union Hill?
If Cliffside and Union City met ev-
cry Thanksgiving Day morning I'll bet
that the crowds that swarm down
upon Fletcher's Field from both sides
of the hill will make the Emerson
Union Hill crowds look like the gath
ering around a checker game or some
thing.
Don't forget, Lud, that Cliffside pro-
duced such football stars as Rollins,
Corriston, Whalen, Madden, Borrell,
Heck, Fox, Doyle, Macdonald, MAJ
zei and host of others. And if it
wasn't for Heck your much vaunted