The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, November 27, 1896, Page 1

SAN FRANCISCO, FRIDAY MORNIN NOVEMBER 217, 1896, PRICE FIVE CENTS. 'STANFORD'S CARDINAL WAVES IN TRIUMPH O'ER CALIFORNIA'S BLUE AND GOLD AND THE BAND PLAYED ON Glimpses at the Humorous Side of the Great Football Game. N the presence of the greatest multitude of spectators that ever assembled in the - = far West to view an outdoor athletic | -contest Stanford University yesterday de- feated the University of Calitornia at foot- ball. The score was 20 to 0. - '~ Hours before the game was called at 2:45 -o’clock people were blockading the imme- . diate avenues of approach to the grounds, .and those who bad not secured tickets -+ days belore were forced to take their place in’an endless Jine stretching down Market street from the: main entrance to the grounds. The day was perfect for football and for “an unprecedented crowd. The air was crisp, and tnere was hardly a cloud in the clear blue sky. A few scattered, gentle raindrops floated down at the opening of the game irom a solitary feathery clond that passed overhead through the clear blue sky, but that was all. c Not another thinz occurred to mar the perfection of circumstances attending the match, the sixth annual meeting of the two representative educational centers of the great West. Within the inclosure the array of spec- tators was inspiring. Everybody that is anybody in society. in club life, in athletics was there mingled with the more active partisans, the alumni and students of both colleges. Imagine a great amphitheater sur- rounded on its four sides by tnousands upon thousands of wildly enthusiastic men and women rising tier beyond tier . ' from the very edges of a large, level arena, . down upon which the multitude ever rivets an intense but nervous and ex- peciant gaze. There on that field twenty- two men, the best combined brawn and | merve and physical skill and endurance | *. and self-control from nearly three thou- sand youths at two great rival universities . of the same great Biate. . Oneis officially and by State support the University of California; the otuer, : just as much the property and pride of ‘- the commonwesalith, but freely endowed ;. and maintained by the irrevocable public gift ol one of the wealthiest of those hon- ored dead pioneers that did so much to meke the Golden State rich in more than old. Stanford University and the Uni- versity of California, hoth striviug to .perfect the young manhood and youn: vomanhood of the Stafe, and yet both, on ‘ &n occasion of this kind, eager almost to i: " frenzy for the attainment of glory won by & mighty public victory over the other. ‘Toe two elevens face each other down in: the arena. An intense calm seitles upon the sloping hillsides of humanity . that stretch up and back slmost io the * <.surrounding housetops and wall in the so- " called gridiron field, maiked off every five yards by parallel whitewashed lines, by | -which each team’s progress toward the . ‘other’s goal may always be accurately ‘measured. _* An opportunity is seized by the men in | ‘blue"and gold striped jerseys and stock- mgs! As though stirred by an electric "~ gust thousands of people jump to their feet .. with one instantaneous impulse, and like _frenzied maniacs wave arms and hats and blue and gold flags and streamers and rib- .. bons until it seems that a whirlwind has scattered nothing but blue and gold over * all those peopled slopes; and the tumault, ‘the volume of the applause, is terrific, . thunderous, greater than thc noise of * storm-driven waves on a rocky coast. - Suddenly as these thousands are sink- ing back to their seats a mighty roar goes up from every side and swee; s round the . berders of the amphitheater, and like one : man other (housands before silent spring erect and a lashing, tossing storm of cardi- - nal bursts over the multitude. " The impact of the men in the contest is . terrific. Those timid spectaiors not yet »completely lost to other thoughts in a _savage partisan desire for tae supremacy of the team of their cholce cannot look on with- evincing sympvathetic fear at each furious crush of bodies and fall of men. But as the excitement of the game in- creases even these timid ones are carried -+ away by the contagion and lose themselves . in the wild spirit of the great mass of peo- - ple. GOVERNOR BUDD ON THE GAME. In my judgment the California University was outclassed and outplayed. A few brilliant plays were made on their part, but, as a whole, the Stanfords played more in unison than did the California University boys. But then they had the great advantage of superior weights. Their plays were very brilliant, as were also several plays of the Berkelev boys; but, all in all, the Stanfords outclassed our boys, outweighed them and were better trained to work as one, They were entiiled to the points they made. It was a very exciting game, but the teams were not 8o equal as last year, and therefore the contest was not so exciting as that of last year. I anticipated the Stanfords would win, because, for one thing, they were heavier. Then you take young men living torether, as at Stanford, they are oftener together, and they play better. Berkeley students are oftener apart and in the City. Berkeley had some very fine players, though, and made some remarkably fine plays. Idid notsee sufficient of the game points, but these are about my views, to judge of it critically in its different Jaues H. Bupp. are the men that would come to blows, periiaps, over a game of chess. The fault is in them more than in the game. During the long wait before the rival teams were due to appear the immense assemblage was most restless; it came carly to see and hear the vellers, the wildly partisan supporters of the cardinal and of tne blue and gold. All eyes at first were turned upon the two sol.d masses of collegians seated side by side in the yell- ing sections. There on the east side of ihe field were the students irom Berkeley, gorgeous in the profusion of their blue and gold rib- bons and decorzied canes, and irained in the rhythm and cadence of tbeir peculiar yells. Next to them, to the north, were the Palo Alio students, with faces flushea with expectancy and the refleciion ot the flaming Stanford cardinal. Presently there is a demonstration among the Berkelev throng, as they look eagerly toward the Mission-street en- trance. Their college band is aporoaching in uniform. They come in a small pro- cession, two men abreast, and file along before their admirers to a little biock of seats kept vacant for them 1n the center of the solid phalanx of the most enthusiastic wearers of the b.ue and gold. Then the California mascots are iniro- duced upon the field and the band be.ins playing, while all the blue-and-gold dec- orated canes, lified overhead by their owners, mark the time in a rhythmic movement. It is a beautiful sight, and the thousands of other sympathizers a!l round the great field unite as the music ceases in showing their common regard for the old Siate University and for what pertains to it. The mascots amble along, one tugging at a chain attuched to the other’s neck. One is a very small hoy in a miniature California football attire — nose-guard, striped jersey and all; the other, one of the emblems of the Golden State, is a very cute little brown bear, too youag to be ferocious. and too small to be effective, anyway. The antics of California’s mascots have not yet weeried the good-natured multi- tude before another feature of the day ap- pears. The Stanford meén roar their ap- proval as through the main entrance come trooping their college band, playing an Probably no two rival educational or purely atbletic institutions in the world - were ever for so long & time =0 equally .matched as Cali ornia’s two universities. For the five annval foo ball contests preceding this the teams were son arly equal that three times the score of the \name declared them precisely so, and wice Stanford won by a margin too small niicate much superiority. What wonder, then, that thousands of partisan« flock to the support of each in & great speciacular display o; muscle, nerve, skill and self-control; for it dues require eclf-control to play clean, scieni fic foot- bali. Tue men that make football brutal % | inspiriting march as they skirt the grid- iron field and head for the seats reserved for them with tne Stanford rooters. There are over forty men in the band and all’ are attired in bright cardinal gowns reaching to their shoesand in card- 'inul mortarboards, symbol ¢ of student i life. Their appearauce is the sensation so far. It bas eclipsed tue various witty yells, 1he jibes and the enorusea cries of botn sides. Some of the Stanford men suddenly took a very maney looking small dog over into the field. He is ‘much beribboned with biue and gold even to his drooping tail to which is attached a can. The cur runs in a wild-eyed fright-ned way for a moment and then bhalits. The joke on California is not so greata success aiter ail and some Stanford man explains “The poor dog can't feel zay with such colors.” At 2:37 the Stanford team comes tum- bling over the low fence into the field where they are to fight to defend the | championship held for five years by their predecessors. They are ablaze in great cardinal sweaters and look big and strong. In a moment more, and as the Stanford men are running rapidly about in prelim- inary exercise, the California team comes tumbling on the fieid, resplendent in blazing new blue and gold striped sweaters. The throng gives vent with redoumbled energy to its intense enthusiasm. The game begins. It soon becomes evi- dent that Stanford’s is a powerful team. Step by step they go steadily down the field forcing the big California men be- fore them at nearly every attempt. One touchdown is made and presently an- other. The first half ends with Stanford 10 roints to California’s nothing and an impressive silence reigns over a great sea of unsmiling faces. The Stanford line has proved all that its enthusiasts claimed for it and California is beinz outplayed at every point. The players troop on the field after the intermission and then rub down ready for the second half. California hopes for a radical change that will bring a renewal of form as in some previous years. But they are disappointed. Their team battles bravely but against great odds in attempting to even the TJACK RIGE FALLS SPUD MURPHY . THE BERKELEY MASSOT OBTECTS TO A ON THE BALL FOR_ A TOUCH DOVWN STANFORD CAMERA. score. Twice again the Stanford!team scores in its same irresistiole, over- whelming, piledriver mode of attack, and the game enas as no other former mateh has between these two rivals—in an over- whelming victory for one. $ As the whistie sounds the end of play pandemonium breaks loose in the Stan- ford sections. The men swram on the field and, headed by their bind, begin an impromptu triumphal march round inside the low fence. Hundreds join 1n the wildly jubilant throng, with hats in air and canes and arms raised on high, They grab the giant captain of the team—the great, awkward, honesi-look- mg counterpart of *Honest O.d Abe”—and bear him o% their shoulders over to one side of the field, where a large laurel wreath thoughtfully pro- vided by confident admirers is placed over his broad shoulders; and the procession goes on and on, round and round, yelling, cheering: and boosting up and carrying the other players in the cardinal jerseys begrimed with dirt ana soaked with per- spiration after tbe v ylent. struggle of nearly an hotur nu ity i At one end of tleld, heads of ali, has stood during the gam ereat cloth score-board, on which 'the points were recorded as made. Two Stan- ford men detach it and lower it into the field. The California men have nearly all left or are siill crowding out the several exits, but several have lingered to observe what might have been their own conduect had the game gone as they wished. Two, then three, then four of them dash wildly at the great cloth screen and tear in shreds the evidence that they will not see paraded down Market street at the head of the great procession now forming. A wild scuffie and some blows ensue. The California men do not aesist. Like frenzied animals they throw themselves at tha unoffending cloth-coverea frame and succeed in making it unfit for parade. But down Market street the triumphant Stanford students go yelling so that there is no question as to which team won. The scene at the Pieasanton when the victorious Stanford 'leven arrived there after the game was unique. The men hugged each other in their glee, and Cap- tain Fickert was overwhelmed with the embraces and congratulations of his fellow- players and friends. Coach Cross grabbed the big captain in his arms and gave him a hearty embrace, with the remark: *“Well, old man, I told you how it would be. No one couid win against such a captain. I'm proud of you and the whole outfit,” — BY A STANFORD _ ENTHUSIAST. Stanford won from Berkeley yesterday the most dec.ded victory in the history of intercollegiate football on the Pacific Coast. Four touchdowns and two goals is something that has been unknown here- tofore in th Y - 1 high above the MEN WHO ADVANCED THE BALL. Round ends. Times STANFORDS. | Loy Through | Through tackles.| center. Number, punis. Number | Points |fumbies. i scored. Yaras gained. Lo:ton, fullback. Searight, left hu Fisher, right b Murphy. quarter. Carle, right guard Fickert, lef. guard Lice, lefs tacsle. 2 6 Totals...... CALIFORNIAS. Hall. left hulf... Hpmsoms, 1alibac ~herman, right hal Kennedy. qui rie Haskll, quarter. Totals............... 1 two great universities of California and of the whole West. The Stanford team showed the benefit of its outing in the foothills. The men in cardinal sweaters that leaped ncross the fence and jogged out into the field showed power and activity in their movemenis almeost entirely lacking two weeks ago. ‘Too much credit cannet be given to Al Lean, who has trained the Stanford men for the last few weeks. He took & team on which ‘several of the men were orip- pled and one or two others ‘‘stale’ from overtraining, and in an incredibly short time put them in the pink of condition. “Al’s"” work was second only to that of Coach Cross and his assistants. During the absence of the team the Stanford sympathizers could learn noth- ing of the condition of the players except by hearsay, and although some were con- fident enough to expect a score of 20 to 0 in Stanford’s favor, still, relying on the showing of the Berkeley team in previous games of the season, the great majority of the wearers of the cardinal looked for a close game. It isneedless to say, however, that the 1esult was an agreeable disap- pointment. Stanford simply outplayed U. C. at every point, Ransome’s punting was far behind Mur- phy’s, especially in the first half, when it seemed almost impossible for him to place his punts. The Berkeley backs were strong and quick, but were given absolutely no pro- tection by the line. Stanford broke through repeatedly and downed the runner before he could get well started. T e wearers of the blueand gold striped stockings were guilty of a surprising amount of fumbling. Ransome was especially weak in handling Murphy’s punts. In fact all of the U. C. backs, with the possible exceptionof Hall, seemed to find the ball decidedly slippery, while the Palo Alto boys played a game noticeably free from fumbles. Stanford’s game was remarkably clean as far as fouls were concerned, while Berkeley was penalized several times, No one will be able 10 find fault with Stanford’s touchdowns, for they were made by bard, heady playing. The second touchdewn, although it was not won by end running or line bucking, was nevertheless made through the work of Cottonn Bucking Low in Tandem Play Through California’s Center, Where Stanford’s Powerful Lixlémfix Repeatedly Tore Orenings for Their Giant Fullback. i the line men in following the ball and thus showing their ability to carry out the directions that have been driiled into them for months. To Jack Rice belongs the credit of the second tonchdown and it was very well done. “Johnny” played a steady, conscientious game throughout. His showing wasjeven more praiseworthy when it is known now that the game is over that he weighed but 151 pounds, while his opponent was a man who tipped the scales at 185 Captain Fickert did some capital work at interference and in opening up holes in the line. The other center men, Williams and Carle, played very strong games and easily outclassed their opponents. These three cent+t men helped to gain the great- est number of yarasin the game by forcing the opposing center back to enable Cotton to buck. Cotton undoubtedly played the star game of the day. He was given the ball over twenty times for center-bucks and seldom failed to gain his distance. He made two of the four touchdowns. Murphy distinguished himself by his clever generalship, his punting and his running. He made the first touchdown in the second half by a very clever run on the quarter-back take. He kicked two goals out of the three at which he hada chance. Searight showed up especially strong on defensive play. His end-running was also very effective. Fisher was used consider- ably for bucking and made some good gains. Straight and Jeffs were to be relied on in tackling. They broke up the interfer- ence well and got down the field fairly well on punts, They were unable, some- times, 10 nail the catcher of a punt, but this was often due to the fact that Murphy’s punts were exceedingly long. Roy Smith, who took Jeffs’ place in the second half, played perhaps the best end on the field. “‘Chet” Thomas had Berkeley’s strong- est tackle to oppose and msade a most creditable showing. Ransome and Sherman did not play the game they did last year. In fact, their play was of -an inferior order. Hall's work stands out with the greatest promi- nence among the Berkeley men. Simp- n and Craig made some capital plays. B rkeley’s boasted surprises did not ma" terialize to any great extent. - They tried one or two false lays, but with iil success. They relied principally upon end runs, while Stanford did a great deal of buck- ing and sbowed grest power in every siyle of play. The best team won and won handily. Many enthusiastic Stanfordites claimed that the second team could have defeated Berkeley, and these claims are not un- reasonable, for never before has Stan- ford bad a *'scrub’’ eleven that could play as strong football as that of this year. To the men who gave the Varsity so msny hard rubs in practice is due unlimited credit in the brilliant victory that has come to Stanford. Wavrrer M. McIxrosi, Stanford '97. FROM BERKELEY’S STANDPOINT. The whole story. of Berkeley’s defeat could be told in a single short sentence. They wers simply outplayed by the Stan- ford team in a fair, square and hard- fought game. It was evident within five minutes after the kickoff that Berkgley was outclassed, and from the first touch- down the supporters of the blue and gold played an uphill game. The heavy line- driving qualities of the Palo Alto men were too much for our team. They took advantage of this from the very start and made r peated gains through our center, left guard and tackles. They resorted but little to end running and to strategic plays, but whenever a yard or two was needed the ball was passed to Cotton and through our center he would go like a piledriver. It was remarkable in all these plays how few fumbles were made by the Palo Alto men, while the ball was lost by Berkeley time and time again, even under less trying circumstances. One of the prime elements in Stanford’s qualifications for playing good football was the ability of her men to hoid the ball and to get it from Berkeley on fumbles. The game throughout was hard, snappy and sportsmanlike on both sides, and while it was almost entirely devoid of brilliant individual plays, it was character- ized by superior team work, particularly on the part of Stanford, Most of the Palo Alto men having practiced together all season in the pcsitions they held to-day, they were enabled to work together more nearly in unison than was possible 1n the case of the Berkeley men, who have been shifted about from place to place in an endeavor to strike the strongest com- biuation from the material at hand. Not having Lad men of the most desirable build and sirength for the positions of center and left guard, it became necessary for tae coach to. try first one man and then another at these places. Carr, who played center in the Berkeley team, did his first work in that position a week ago. Not having had a desirable left guard, Ludlow was transferrea from tackle to this position, and then back te his old place again, when Walithall, one of last year’s Varsity guards, appeared on the scene only six days ago. With a cen- ter weighing only one hundred and eighty-five pounds, aud having had oniy seven days’ practice at the position, and with a guard who has had only six days’ actnal training this season. what coula we expect but defeat against a center and guards than whom there are perhaps none superior in the State? Without fear of con:radiction, I will say in this connection that the Barkeley team put up one of the grittiest if nor the most gritly game that has been piayed on the Pacific Coast within the last two seasons. They realized soon after the play began that they had strong odds to work against, and instead of merely trying to stave off dire defeat they did their utmost to overithrow the.r opponents. Butall to no purpose. Ii the team did lose tha game, their one redeeming quality was the grit they showe:l. In the first part of the game both of the teams were slow to lineup aftereach pluy, but in the second half a marked improve- ment was noted in this particular. The quarteriacks on both sides dispiayed good judgmentin handling therr men and in u-ing the slow and sieady or the fast plays. In Murphy Btanford has a remarkable man for this position. Up to the time Kennedy broke his nose he was doing very ciever work. Haskell, who succeeded him. worked the men almost too fast, and the result was that the ball was put into play before they were ready for it. Berkeley’s best gains were made around the ends, while Stanford’s ad- vances were made, of course, through the center and by means of the revolving wedge through tackles. Hall, Sherman and Ransome all did distinguished work ‘| atend plays, but they were prevented