Evening star., 1926-10-25

At Princeton on Saturday the writer
found that Roper and his assistants
knew but little more about Yale than
they did about Illinois, and this little
more was due merely to the fact that
the newspapers have reported the
games of the Ellis at greater length
than the contests in which the Illini
have engaged.
Will Ignore Tips.
Similar condition obtains, Of course,
at New Haven. There is something
very fine, very inspiring about It.
The complication of the we'll meaning
but none the less pernicuous alumnus
Of one or other Of the two colleges
who writes in tips upon what he has
seen has not been present. at least
at Princeton, so far as the writer
was able to learn.
In any event, assuming such let
ters come, the coaches are in honor
bound not to place the players in pos
session of the facts therein contained
nor to govern their coaching upon
the facts as submitted. AS q matter
of fact unless an alumnus. even one
who has played varsity foot ball, is
a man who has the scouting facuty
and has been trained to the work, his
reports are practically useless.
Scouting Is an exact science. All
the plays used by a rival team are
diagrammed in the minutest detail.
How the players stand and look and
act In certain plays Is noted. Not a
point Is left untouched. A former
player. unused to scouting, might
easily do more harm than good in
any reports he sent In to his college
coach. The truth is that not in
frequently regularly equipped scouts
work out lot of their dope from out
lines hastily sketched In the course
OF a game.
Harvard on Outside.
With Yale and Princeton Joined in
agreement as to scouting, Harvard
remains outside and trained observers
OF both the Tigers and the Ellis are
at Cambridge every Saturday while
Crimson detectives are at Princeton
and New Haven. AS to the efficacy
or Princeton scouting at Harvard It
may be said that none Of the Prince
ton coaching staff seemed greatly sur
pr1sed Saturday night when the re-
suit of the Harvard. Dartmouth game
came in.
To most persons. though, the game
at Cambridge was an upset of jor
outplayed the Hanover team I'm prac-
tically every department of the game
and forges to the front as q very
strong candidate for late season
honors.
me 1ale-BrOWn game was another
upset. In speaking of this contest
on Friday the writer, after picking
the Ellis, said that there was a whis-
per that the Brown elven had a big
surprise in store for Yale. 1t was a
whisper coming from a source which
entitled 1t to respect. But facts as
to Yale and Brown, based on their
play, left no alternative to regarding
that whisper as something merely to
be noted.
Princeton's form against Lehigh
must have been most discouraging to
the supporters of the Tiger. The
Jersey eleven was sent into the field
with an equipment of six plays and
told to get an offense started at what
ever cost. Once or twice it flashed,
but for the most part it did not get
very far. OF course. such backfield
stars as Slagle. Caulkins and Will
liams did not play. That hurt q lot.
Defense Does Well.
The bright side of the picture was
the defense. Lehigh could do nothing
with the rejuvenated Tiger line. This
may mean much. or little according
to Lehigh's strength on Saturday. 1t
may mean much, or little, according
coming along at last. There is ground
for hope, and that is all that may
be said.
Evidently Princeton's coaches know
as little about the eleven as the
rooter who sits in the stadium. If
injured men recover and certain men
upon whom work is being done snap
into form there may yet be a team.
But no one in the Jungle is giving
three cheers these days over Novem-
ber prospects. Princetonians have a
perfect sanction for belief in miracles.
Another miracle Is all that may be
hoped for now.
Michigan pursued her winning