New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-03
YES, "BONERs" ARE PART
Or EVERY GAME


scathing criticism for the freak play
which he made New Years Day in
the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Yet in
the stress of hard-fought foot
ball game the play while unusual.
is not without precedent.
The California center picked up a
loose ball. fumbled by Thomson.
Georgia Tech backteld man, and
then to the amazement of thousands
Of persons tanning the Rose Bowl,
proceeded to run - yards to his own
goal line where he was stopped by
Benny Lom, one of his teammates.
Lom's yelling finally took effect and
prevented: Reigels from suffering
the ignominy of actually presenting
Tech with 2 points by crossing. his
own goal.
But the damage was done, how
ever. and on the next play Lom's
kick from behind his own goal was
blocked and recovered by Barr of
California and Tech received the 2
points and with It the margin of vic
tory in the historic clash. The team
from the south won ST.
Just what happened to Riegels
and how he managed to become
twisted about will probably mover be
known. A kick on the heao or 4
hard knock may have 80 confused
the California player that he lost his
bearings and ran in the wrong direc-
ton. But his name will take it's place
beside Zimmerman and Merkle OF
baseball fame and Red" Faber, also
of the diamond pastime.
The precedent in the case Of
Riegels occurred in game, also on
the Pacific coast, between University
of South California and Occidental
College. The former school was on
Occidentars ten yard line when its
fullback fumbled the ball. 1t was
recovered by u. S. c. linesman
who became confused and ran 95
yards toward his own goal where he
<,a lad 1,t- tbny ,y,7a 10, 10
vent a safety. Following the tackle
the ball was fumbled, picked up by
another L. S. c. player and rushed
back toward the Occidental goal.
When this player was tackled he
likewise tumbled the pigsllin and
this time the elusive oval was
snatchcd from the ground by an
Occidental player on Occidental's Is
yard line.
Another run OF G5 yards finally
brought the ball to rest in Occi-
dentals possession on L. S. C's. 20
yard line. The ball during the freak
run and the two ensuing fumbles
covered 240 yards without the play
being finished. At one time OR, an
other it was ill the possession of
three different players. L. S. c. won
the game by a sizeable score and
Occidental failed to score after get
ting to L.. S. C's. 20 yard line on
the freak play.
With the weight Of a game resting
on his shoulders it appears to us
that alumni and the general foot
ball public are too prone to criticize
a college football player for bunders.
1t is safe to say that eight out OF
ten OF the players have not attained
their majority. And when one
realizes that but approximately II
hours of football competition is in
dulged in by college player during
MS cntlrc career II seems InlfdCu-
lous that so few mistakes are made.
The actual competition ngaged in
by a collegiate player is far less
than any other branch of amateur
or professional sport. The average
team plays nine games a year. That
would give a good player but nine
possible hours of playing each sea-
son. With three years in football
toys this would increase TO 81
hours. But under the stress of the
modern game it is indeed rare for
player to play through game after
game without substitution. IT is safe
to assume that the best players COM
pete but about II Or 22 hours dur
ing their careers Less than a day
in actual competition and yet when
a mistake is made they are un-
mercifully panned. 1t is always easy
TO be an arm chair critic or a grand
stand quarterback but under actual
strife of battle the situation is some
what different.