An excited cry directed Judd's attention back to the play of the
moment. The Trumbull line had faltered and the Canton backfield was
through with Drake again carrying the ball. Judd saw Barley brushed
aside as he dove for the runner. Rudolph, the last line of defense,
came dashing in and threw himself at the Canton fullback as he crossed
the goal line. Drake spun around and fell heavily over the goal,
landing solidly upon his tackler. A mighty cheer went up from the
Canton rooters--a cheer which died out in a sudden hush when it was
seen that the tackler did not rise. Trumbull players gathered about
Rudolph. "Water! Water!" A boy near Judd picked up a pail and went
racing out on the field, dabbing a sponge in it as he ran. Judd stared
dumbly at Burton, who said: "That's tough! ... Looks like Rudie's out!"
They carried Rudolph from the field and Blackwell went limping out to
take his place. The Canton team lined up for the try at goal. Rudolph
was regaining his senses and struggling to be in action again. Judd
leaned over toward him. "You're out of it, old man," he said,
soothingly. Judd thought this remark would be a great relief to one
who had received such a jolt as Rudolph. But Rudolph only glared at
him as another cheer told plainly that Canton had kicked goal. Score
seven to nothing ... favor of Canton. Referee's whistle! First
quarter up.
The teams exchanged goals and Canton kicked off to Trumbull. Barley
caught the ball on his fifteen yard line and ran it back seven yards
before a Canton linesman struck him down on a pretty tackle.
Blackwell, taking the ball on the first play, made a limping plunge
around right end for a three yard gain. He was given a resounding
cheer for his gameness. Two more downs and Trumbull was forced to
punt. Blackwell went back and tested his footing in the mud. He
shifted his weight carefully to his left foot and booted the ball, but
his kick lacked the power it ordinarily contained. The punt carried a
scant thirty yards and the Canton halfback who caught it came charging
toward the Trumbull goal to Trumbull's twenty-eight yard line. Several
attempts to tackle this elusive runner were thwarted by the slippery
condition underfoot.
With the ball in Canton's possession again the relentless pound, pound,
pound against Trumbull's line began anew. Despite heroic attempts of
Trumbull linesmen to stop the advance, the heavier Canton line pushed
and shoved and forced its way through, making a path for the seemingly
tireless Drake who had been nicknamed "Mud Scow" by an ingenious Canton
yell leader.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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