College stories; Sports stories; Yale University -- Juvenile fiction
"I don't think you made much of a hit with the coach this afternoon,"
admitted that individual. "I heard him say to one of the 'Varsity
men, just as we were getting on the car, that you had some
possibilities, but you were too much afraid of getting hurt."
"He did, did he?" and Frank glared at Coach Howard who was sitting
further up the car pointing out a play diagram to Madden, the quarter
of the first team. "Thought I was a nice old lady! I'll show him
something if this leg ever gets better," and he gritted his teeth in
anticipation of the happy time to come when he could disprove the
coach's suspicions.
Handicapped by his bad ankle, and often in agony with the pain of
it on the field, Frank continued, as the days went by, to fight
an up-hill but losing fight. Turner was daily strengthening his
position at left halfback, and was already looked upon as of possible
'Varsity caliber for the next year. While not very fast, he ran
hard and low, and it took an uncommonly hard tackle to bring him to
the ground. He also had that thing which pleases the coaches, an
unfailing instinct for the ball. Wherever it was, Turner was not far
away.
On the Saturday of that week came the game with Pawling School.
Frank sat on the side-lines with longing in his heart as he saw his
teammates, for the first time in the season, play a game worthy of
them. The first quarterback, Madden, ran his team with speed and
judgment, and when the half was finished had driven the visitors down
the field and scored two touchdowns on them. In the third quarter,
Madden received a hard jolt in the stomach in a scrimmage, and Frank
thrilled as he saw the coach walk down the side-line, looking for a
substitute. He came on, passed Frank and selected a quarter named
Barlow to take Madden's place, and who sat just beyond him. Barlow
shed his sweater as he ran, and with a few words from the coach,
sprang into Madden's place behind the center. Under his guidance
another touchdown was added in the third quarter, and the teams
changed sides for the last period of the game.
Frank gave up hope, as the minutes flew by, for any chance at that
game. Barlow was not doing so well now, but there was little time to
play. The Pawling team had twice succeeded in stopping the Freshmen
near the Pawling goal line, and the substitute quarter had fumbled
a punt which for a moment threatened a touchdown against his team.
Bostwick, the vigilant end, had recovered the ball at midfield, and
saved the situation, but Coach Howard was evidently anxious. He
had made many substitutions to give new men practice, and had thus
weakened the team, while Pawling seemed to gather new strength. Down
the side-line came Howard again. This time he stopped opposite Frank.
"I'm going to send you in, Armstrong, to get a little practice. Hang
onto the ball and keep your head. Steady that line up and look out
for the forward pass. Hurry it up."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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