Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-19

The Fall of 1905 was very ulsas-
trous at Princeton. We lost to both
Yale and Dartmouth. After the Yale
came Hildebrand announced he would
he unable to come east another Fall.
He had large ranch in the West
which he. said needed his attention.
had hardly gotten settled in my
study of law at the University OF
Virginia when / received wire from
]. b. Fine. director of Princeton ath-
Ietics, asking me to meet him in
Princeton that Sunday. Much was
my establishment when / reached his
house to have him tell me that he
and the captain-eIect of the team
wanted me to be head coach for the
following season.
I accepted on the spot and we sat
up most of the night talking over our
plans Mr.. Fine said he was afraid
we were bit too conservative in our
foot ball in the East and suggested
I 20 out West Thanksgiving day and
see two of the leading teams of that
section play their final game. agreed
with him that this was a good thing
to do and said ! would look up the
records of the Middle Western teams.
Admires Yost and stage.
It did not take me long to decide
to go to Chicago for the Michigan
Chicago game. / always had had
real admiration for Yost and Stage,
the coaches of the two elevens, While
the wonderful record of the Michigan
team for the past Ave years had been
the talk of the football world. Sta
tistics are a bit drab, but cannot
help repeating them here.
Michigan. had been undefeated in
1901, 1909, 1903 and 1904. During
this period it had won 43 games and
scored total of 1895 points against
a mere 40 points by opponents. the
record of the 1905 team was more
brilliant than the others If possible.
In series of II games to date this
remarkable eleven had run up total
of 495 points against nothing for OPP
ponents. This team was called the
point.a minute team because of the
rapidity with which it had scored
against all corners.
Chicago had a great team too. one
Of the best Stage ever coached. They
had played 10 games and won them
all. Indiana was the only team to
make a score against them. Walter
EckersaH. the incompatible quarter
back. and Hugo Bezdek. now coach at
Penn State College, both were in the
Chicago backfield.
Obtained Letter to Yost.
got a letter of introduction to
Yost and looked him up at his hotel
the night before the game. When /
found him he was surrounded by a
crowd of admirers to whom he was
demonstrating football plays right out
in the lobby of the hotel. He was a
genial fellow whom one could not
help liking, with smile on his face
and a Pittsburgh stogy in his mouth.
On that visit | also met for the
first time the man with whom | have
been associated more closely than
any other in my coaching at Prince
ton and who has heen my greatest
help and support-Keene Fitzpatrick.
He was then training the Michigan
team. He instantly made a big i'm
preston on me and | could tell In a
moment he knew his business from
top to bottom.
Unfortunately a cold rain fell all
the morning Of the game got to my
seat early. Yost offered me a side
line badge, but / refused 1t. There
ts only one place to really see a foot
ball game, and that is in the top of
the stands. Fortunately | had a seat
In the press box. Just before the
game started a man with a mega.
phone came out on the field and shout
ed my name, saying was wanted on
was to receive some bad news from
home. When ! got there. the Chicago
manager came up and asked If | would
have any objection to acting as head
linesman. He stated that the man
selected had wired at the last minute
he would he unable to officiate. Sc
Sost and Stage agreed upon me.
5 Terrific Struggle Staged.
I was not very akxicus to act
wanted to watch the game. This Il
hard for an official to do. But al
there seememd to be no one else avail
able. consented. The game was &
terrific struggle. Neither team cou1C
gain on the other. 1t was apparent
from the very start that a lucky breal
would be the only thing to prevent &
Gle score.
Toward the end of the game Ecker
sail made a long punt over Michigan's
goal line. One of the Michigan back,
tried to run the ball out and wal
thrown for safety. always have
felt this back was a bit hazy on thu
rules or he would have touched i
down for a touchback. He just man
aged to get across the line when ont
of the husky Chicago linesmen threw
him back again and about six Chicag,
players piled on top of the two. This
nnisplay lost Michigan the champion
ahip.
came East with n wholesome re
apect for Western foot ball. Ny tril
convinced me of the importance q
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