Football days : $b memories of the game and of the men behind the ballEdwards, William H. (William Hanford)
General
Football days : $b memories of the game and of the men behind the ball
Edwards, William H. (William Hanford)
Football
"Only those who played football in the old days and have carefully
followed it since appreciate the difference in the two types of game. I
frequently wonder if the old type of game did not develop more in a man
than the modern. As a freshman I was playing halfback on the second
Varsity one afternoon when a sudden blow knocked me unconscious while
the play was at one end of the field. When I regained consciousness the
play was at the other end of the field, not a soul was near me or
thinking of me. I had hardly got within ear-shot of the scrimmage when I
heard Lewis, one of the Varsity coaches, call out, 'Come on, get in
here, they can't kill fellows like you.' I went into the scrimmage and
played the rest of the afternoon. It was a simple incident, but I
learned two lessons of life from it: first, you can expect mighty little
sympathy when you are down; second, you are not out if you will only go
back and stick to it."
Dartmouth holds a unique position in college football. There are many
men who were responsible for Dartmouth's success, men who have stood by
year after year and worked out the football policy there.
It is my experience that Dartmouth men universally call Ed Hall the
father of Dartmouth football. He has served faithfully on the Rules
Committee as well as an official in the game.
Myron E. Witham, that great player and captain of the Dartmouth team
which was victorious over Harvard the day that Harvard opened the
Stadium, says: "If one goes back to Hanover and visits the trophy room
he will see hanging there the winning football which Dartmouth men glory
over as they recall that wonderful victory over Harvard. Ed Hall is the
man who is often called upon to speak to the men between the halves.
His talks have a telling effect. Hall's name is traditional at our
college."
There are many football enthusiasts who recall that wonderful backfield
that Dartmouth had, McCornack, Eckstrom, McAndrews and Crolius. These
men got away wonderfully fast and hit the line like one man. They played
every game without a substitute for two years.
Fred Crolius, who takes great delight in recalling the old days, has the
following to say about one who coached:
"One man, whose influence more than any other one thing, succeeded in
laying a foundation for Dartmouth's wonderful results, but whose name is
seldom mentioned in that connection is Doctor Wurtenberg, who was
brought up in the early Yale football school. He had the keenest sense
of fundamental football and the greatest intensity of spirit in
transmitting his hard earned knowledge. Four critical years he worked
with us filling every one with his enthusiasm and those four years
Dartmouth football gained such headway that nothing could stop its
growth."
Enough space cannot be given to pay proper tribute to Walter McCornack,
Dartmouth '97.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Football days : $b memories of the game and of the men behind the ball — John Shaqi
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