Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 275, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1912 — MOROCCO VICTORY WAS SUSTAINED [ARTICLE]

MOROCCO VICTORY WAS SUSTAINED

Report From Neighboring Town is to Effect That Oar Objections v Were Not Upheld. The controversy about the last touchdown made by Morocco in the football game here two weeks ago has, according to the Morocco Courier, been decided against Rensselaer, which would have the effect of giving Morocco the' victory by the score of 12 to 6. C. 11. Dean, principal 'of the high school and the faculty manager of athletics, wrote to J. T. Giles, of Marion, of the board of athletics of the state association. His letter follows: Mr. J. T. Giles, Marion, Ind. Dear Sir: We played a game with Morocco last Saturday, which ended with a score 12-6 in favor of Morocco. However, we were very much dissatisfied with the Morocco official. He had to be reminded several times of the rules governing penalties. We wish to protest the last touchdown that they made and have the score declared a tie. Below will be found the grounds for protest: In the third quarter, the head linesman claims that Morocco had the ball in her possession when the quarter ended and it was the third down. When the fourth quarter started, it was Morocco’s ball, but he gave them'two more downs. On the last down they circled left end and across the corner of the goal line but the man kept running in the ten yard zone back of the goal. When near the goal posts he fumbled the ball and the captain of the Rensselaer team fell on it In the meantime, the officials and time keepers came running after the team. When* the Moroeco official came up, he called out that a touch down had been made but seemed surprised that a Rensselaer man was in possession of the ball-. He took the ball and carried It directly out from Where our captain had fallen on it and permitted Morocco to try for goal. In the dispute which followed he claimed to have blown litis whistle when the man crossed the corner of the field, but no_one seems to have heard the whistle. Even grafting that he blew it, why didn’t he allow a Morocco man to kick out from where the ball was first declared dead (corner of the field) thus giving Morocco a chance to kick the goal from where they received it, rather than directly back of the goal where a Rensselaer man had it in his possession? We claim that it was illegal and should not be allowed. With a Rensselaer man'on the ball It would have been a touchback. Very truly, C. R. DEAN. Mr. Dean has quite clearly stated the case, except that at the end of the third quarter the ball lacked 6 yards of the distance Morocco had to go and Morocco had but one remaining down. The referee at the beginning of the fourth period called the down the first instead of the fourth. Rather peculiarly Mr. Giles wrote to Mr. Illingsworth, the principal of the Morocco high school and suggested that he come to Indianapolis at the meeting of the board and personally present the case. This Mr. Illingsworth did. He directly misrepresented the facts in saying that the penalty awarded against Rensselaer gave Morocco the required distance. That is about the only thing Mr. Illingsworth is reported to have said that would have any bearing on the question. He did not dispute that the Morocco man was tackled and lost the ball and that Captain Moore fell upon it. The Courier says that the board voted unanimously to let the score stand.

Two years ago when Morocco protested Rensselaer for having played Kirk, the Rensselaer faculty was not allowed to appear and present their case. In the matter at Issue at this time, Mr. Dean should have been asked to come before the board at the same Time Mr. Illingsworth was there. The action of the board looks very biased and unfair. The Morocco Courier sugegsts that the reason Rensselaer complained was because of humiliation at being beaten by a smaller town and because it harbored hard feelings because Morocco had caused it to be ruled out of the association. Nothing could be further from the case. Rensselaer players were cautioned by Prof. Dean and by Coach Parker before entering The game to beware of any act that was not fair and sportsmanlike. And there was no occasion for the Morocco people to make complaint at any thing that occurred. The Morocco team put up a superior game during the third and fourth periods but the referee was very partial and the two rulings cited by Mr. Dean had the direct effect of giving them a touchdown which by all fairness they did not deserve. > Shepherd dogs are to be among the features of the International Live Stock Exposition which will be held at tbe stockyords in Chicago Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, according to Secretary B. H. Heide, who Thursday received word that several of the biggest sheep raisers In - the west were bringing their trained dogs with their flocks for exhibition purposes. Probably the best trained sheep dogs In the world are owned by the University of Wyoming. These animals have been entered for the show.