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
he could have been 25 yards ahead of the ball and between the runner and
his own goal line."
A story is told of the wonderful dodging ability of Phil King, Princeton
'93. He was known throughout the football world as one of the shiftiest
runners of his day. Through his efficient work, King had fairly won the
game against Yale in '93. The next year the Yale men made up their minds
that the only way to defeat Princeton was to take care of King, and they
were ever on the alert to watch him whenever he got the ball. The whole
Yale team was looking for King throughout this game.
On the kick-off Phil got the ball, and all the Yale forwards began to
shout, "Here he comes, here he comes," and then as he was cleverly
dodging and evading the Yale players, one of the backs, who was waiting
to tackle him low, was heard to say, "There he goes."
Those of the old-timers who study the picture of the flying wedge on the
opposite page will get a glimpse of Phil King about to set in motion
one of the most devilishly ingenious maneuvers in the history of the
game. With all the formidable power behind him, the old reliables of
what the modern analytical coaches are pleased to term the farce plays.
Balliet, Beef Wheeler, Biffy Lea, Gus Holly, Frank Morse, Doggy
Trenchard, Douglas Ward, Knox Taylor, Harry Brown, Jerry McCauley, and
Jim Blake; King, nevertheless, stood out in lonely eminence, ready to
touch the ball down, await the thunder of the joining lines of
interference and pick up the tremendous pace, either at the apex of the
crashing V or cunningly concealed and swept along to meet the terrific
impact with the waiting line of Blue. Great was the crash thereof, and
it was a safe wager that King with the ball would not go unscathed.
[Illustration: LOOK OUT, PRINCETON!]
This kind of football brought to light the old-time indomitable courage
of which the stalwarts of those days love to talk at every gridiron
reunion.
But for the moment let us give Yale the ball and stand the giant
Princeton team upon defense. Let us watch George Adee get the ball from
Phil Stillman and with his wonderful football genius develop a smashing
play enveloped in a locked line of blue, grim with the menace of Orville
Hickok, Jim McCrea, Anse Beard, Fred Murphy, Frank Hinkey and Jack
Greenway.
Onward these mighty Yale forwards ground their way through the
Princeton defense, making a breach through which the mighty Butterworth,
Bronc Armstrong and Brink Thorne might bring victory to Yale.
This was truly a day when giants clashed.
As you look at these pictures do the players of to-day wonder any longer
that the heroes of the olden time are still loyal to the game of their
first love?
If you ever happen to go to China, I am sure one of the first Americans
you will hear about would be Pop Gailey, once a king of football centers
and now a leader in Y. M. C. A. work in China.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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