Fenstermaker, Trumbull guard, knelt beside him. He was crying ... the
tears making odd little rivulets down his blackened face. "Come on,
Judd ... we'll make a hole for you!"
Judd struggled to his feet. They were all willing to help him. He was
astounded at his own power to keep going. He didn't seem to care what
happened. It didn't seem like it was he at all. He allowed them to
set him on his feet. "You--you fellows make the hole," he said,
"I-I'll go through!"
On the sidelines, under the very goal posts, the great Bob stood ...
his cap was in his hands ... his hair was wet with rain ... his feet
were almost lost to view in a puddle of water ... he was unconscious of
anything but the actions of his brother. A Trumbull fan, recognizing
him, pounded Bob on the back. "I guess you'll have to take a back seat
now, eh Bob? The kid's got it all over you!"
If Judd could have known what his brother was thinking of him then! If
he could only have known that Bob was on the sidelines! But Judd
didn't know a thing except that this was his fight. He wasn't even
playing for the school. He wasn't thinking of any honor. His single
thought was that to have failed in what he set out to do was to fail in
everything.
Bob watched Judd as he swayed upon his feet; his eyes followed him as
he lunged forward and took the ball once more; he lost sight of Judd
for a moment, then saw him come straining through the line with a
tackler hanging to his waist.
The tackler's hand slipped off ... Judd shook himself free ... Bob
wanted to shout, "Look out!" as he saw Drake dive for him ... then he
caught his breath as the kid dodged the fullback but slipped and fell.
Drake turned and threw himself upon Judd as Judd rolled over and
planted the ball over the goal line.
The name "Billings" rang from one end of the field to the other, with
the substitute fullback being lifted to his feet and pummeled by his
team-mates who were crazy with joy ... but Judd was so fatigued that
his attempt at a goal after a touchdown went wide. Two minutes more to
play and the score 14 to 12 in favor of Canton.
It was Trumbull's kickoff, Barley begging Judd to hurry up. Judd swung
his toe against the ball and started to follow his kick dazedly. The
ball, water-soaked and heavy, carried to Canton's five yard line. The
best Canton could do was carry it back ten yards.
Because the game was so nearly over ... the Canton quarterback ordered
a punt. "Mud Scow" Drake, with a self-confident smile on his
dirt-rimmed face, stood with his arms outstretched waiting to send the
ball far down the field ... crushing the last slight hope of victory
from Trumbull. It had been a terrific game ... and Drake was conscious
of his power now as never before.
Barley, realizing that this was the most critical moment in the entire
game, ran along the line exhorting the half dead linesmen to a final
frenzied effort.
"Get in there, fellows, and block that kick! Block that kick!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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