Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 300, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1910 — QUAKER BACK FIELDERS BEST [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

QUAKER BACK FIELDERS BEST

The four men composing the University of Pennsylvania's back field are regarded this year the finest quartette that the Quakers everdeveloped. Not only that, but all the foot hail critics of the east consider that for speed and versality tney have any other four men in the east outclassed. This quartette is composed of F. L. Ramsdell,' Roy Mercer, Hutchinson Scott and Frank Sommer. Ramsdell is the American intercollegiate and English 100-yard champion sprinter. He has repeatedly run IDO yards in :10, and the 200-yard dash in :21 3-5. Last year Ramsdell was a member of the Quaker "squad, but had nothing but his speed to recommend him. As a consequence, the coaches did not start him in any of the big games. He was regarded as a football failure. This year Ramsdell did not report for the team until the day before the- sealon opened. In some inexplicable manner, Ramsdell has leaped Into the limelight as a full-fledged star, writes Edward Bushnell in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. He seems to be faster than ever in football togs, but, of more value, he has learned the use of the straight &rin and has mastered the principles of defensive football. In every game the Quakers have played to date he has done some wonderful running. Ramsdell has as his running mate a man who Is quite as wonderful as himself. This is Roy Mercer, the Quakers’ all-around athlete. Mercer’s best distance is the quarter mile, which he has run in 50 seconds. He has also been timed in 10 1-5 seconds tor sprinting he has a record of 12 feet and 2 inches In the pole vault, which he made as a schoolboy, and of 23 feet in the broad jump. He never played football until last year, when he entered Pennsylvania, and he played but three games with his freshman’s team. This fall he did not report for the varsity eleven until two games had been played. The coaches had planned to make an end out of him, but the disqualification of Full Back Hutchinson induced the coaches to put Mercer in the back field. They are congratulating themselves now that they did this, otherwise they might never have discovered what a wonderful player Mercer is. Since starting at full back, Mercer has shown groundgaining ability the equal of

Ramsdell, and is even better than the sprinter as a defensive player. The third man who is shining for Pennsylvania is Hutchinson Scott, the quarter back. Last year was the first that Scott ever played college football and then he played, but three games. This year is his first at quarter back. Although handicapped by an injury, he has run the team in all the big games with rare judgment. But his greatest asset is his kicking. The Quakers have turned out some wonderful kickers in past years, but Scott tops the list. He kicks with his left foot and gets the ball away so quickly that he has not had a punt blocked this year. He kicks a low, driving ball, which strikes the ground about twenty-five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Seemingly he is able to place the ball within a few feet of any point desired. Because of his skill, not «more than half of his puntß were captured by the opposing backs. Considering the distance the ball usually rolls before being recovered, and the frequency with which Pennsylvania recovers the punts, Scott has outkicked every opponent he has met by many yards. He is also a good man in handling kicks in the back field and is a good groundgainer on end runs. # Sommer won his position by his wonderful work in the Lafayette game. Until that exhibition it had been the intention of the coaches to give Harrington the place, but on account of a wet field they started Sommer. He proved such a strong ground-gainer on line plunges, as well as end runs, that he has won the place. He broke through the Lafayette line repeatedly and it always required two or three tacklers to bring him down. Once he cut through the Lafayette center for a 30-yard run and a touchdown. Ramsdell stands six feet in height and weighs 180 pounds. Ramsdell’s home is in Texas and he is known as “Tex.” Mercer stands 5 feet 11 inches in height and weighs 175 pounds. Hutchinson Scott stands 5 feeet- 9 Inches in height and weighs 166 pounds. Besides playing football he is one of Mike Murphy’s best hurdlers. Frank Sommers stands- 5 feet 10 inches in height and weighs 175 pounds. This is his fourth year as a member of the Pennsylvania squad.

Excel in Speed and Versatility.