Football -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Juvenile fiction
“Yes, I think that’s so,” agreed Dick. “Where I’ve played, back home,
though, it’s always been the captain that’s run things, Warden.”
“Bad business. A captain shouldn’t butt in on the running of the team
unless it’s absolutely imperative. He has a position to play and he
ought to give his whole mind to playing it. You watch Bob. You’ll
almost never see him question a signal or even suggest a play. You
can’t have two bosses, Bates, and a quarter-back is in position to
see what’s going on and to dope out the answer. Sometimes Bob will
guess what the other fellow is up to and let us know, and he’s usually
right, too, but that’s about all he does except play his position. Off
the field he’s the Big Boss, but on it he’s taking his orders from
the quarter just like the rest of us. I’m doing a lot of talking, but
I’ve got rather strong convictions as to the proper playing of the
quarter-back position, Bates, and I thought I’d hand them on. Even if
you don’t like ’em there’s no harm done.”
“I’m glad you have, Warden,” said Dick earnestly. “I’d never thought
much about the--what you call the psychology of the thing. But I see
that you’re right. And I’ll keep it in mind--if I ever get a chance!”
“Oh, your chance will come before the season’s over. Mr. Driscoll isn’t
keeping you on the squad just to look at. Bates, I’ve seen a whole team
pretty nearly turned upside down between the first game and the last,
seen fellows who supposedly never had a chance come out of the big game
covered with medals. You never can tell! Well, next stop’s ours, I
think. I’m as hungry as a bear. I hope they give us a good feed at the
hotel. Two years ago we nearly starved.”
Phillipsburg didn’t impress Dick very favourably at the first glance
for the sunlight of a gorgeous October day was almost obscured by a
pall of smoke from the many factories along the railway. But later,
when they had left the station behind and were trudging up the hill
toward the centre of the city, the smoke disappeared and Phillipsburg
turned out to be rather attractive. The hotel was one of those
old-fashioned hostelries set close to the street, with a broad verandah
running along the front on which gentlemen of leisure sat tilted back
in their chairs and watched life go by. To the loungers the arrival
of thirty-odd guests in one bunch was a refreshingly momentous event,
doubtless affording them more real excitement than they had experienced
since the last collision or runaway. Quite a number of them abandoned
their ease and comfort and followed the end of the procession into the
lobby to satisfy their curiosity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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