Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 245, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 October 1920 — CRASH WAY TO TWIN BILL WIN [ARTICLE]

CRASH WAY TO TWIN BILL WIN

HIGH SCHOOL AND INDEPENDENT ELEVENS AERIAL ROUTE TO DOUBLE KILLING. I " Football hungry fans were fed up 'on the great fall pastime in large juicy chunks Saturday and Sunday at Riverside park when the highly touted Blue and White invaders of Logansport were bowled over in a hectic fray by the Maroon and Black of Rensselaer high school Saturday, and Captain Nowels’ men served knockout drops to the husky Hoopeston, Hl., independent eleven Sunday. The high school thriller went to the. locals by a 20 to 6 count after Logansport had attained a 6 to 0 lead which they held until the close of the first half. The Independents administered a 10 to 0 sleeping potion to the Sucker dub in a game featured by the work of Se linemen of both teams, Rensseer’s scores resulting from a long farward pass which Moore tossed to P. Collijp at the beginning of the third quarter, the latter carrying it over' the Hoopeston goal line for the first 1920 marker, and Captain Nowels’ place kick a few minutes later which added three points' to the Rensselaer total and closed the scoring for the day. Both games were snug affairs and in each instance the victors were forced to the open attack route to gain the verdict. Both games were characterized by a brilliant aggressiveness' on the part of the home elevens and a stubborn resistance on the part of the Invaders. Only the old time fight and football instinct kept the 1920' Rensselaer slate untarnished, for the merest slip in either game might have resulted disastrously for the Red and Black pets who found in their teams opponents worthy of utmost consideration. Neither Logansport nor Hoopeston were defeated without a battle and in eliminating th two clubs Rensselaer achieved notable victories.

RenM«la«r, 20; Logansport, 6. In the elimination —of Coach Stonebraker’s Logansport crew Coach Leighly’s Rensselaer high school team disposed of the most dangerous rival on this season’s chart and took a long stride toward the Indiana high school title and thereby established themselves as one of the greatest collections of gridiron representatives ever turned out by the local school. The Cass county aggregation moved on Rensselaer certain of victory and heralded as the coming champions. They were .buoyant, confident and cocksure of victory, and for a' time it appeared as if their confidence and aggressiveness were to carry them through and that the Red and Black was to be trampled in the dust by a team that outweighed them fully fifteen pounds to a man. Gloom settled over the followers of -the locals when the visitors registered a touchdown ip the opening period by virtue of a forward pass which a visting end pulled down and with the ball tucked beneath his arm, scampered through the straggling Rensselaer players for the first score of the day. Rensselaer played through the remainder of the first half apparently a beaten team, the Logansport touchdown looming ever arger with the passing of time, the lalf dosing with Logansport leading 6 to 0. During the intermission the Rensselaer players seemed to suddenly become imbued with a winning spirit and returned to the field at the start of the second half a far different team from the one which battled half-heartedly throughout the opening session. The fireworks started shortly after the whistie blew and in three minutes, through a combination of passes and brilliant dashes on the part of Larsh, Harmon and Collins, the ball was placed behind the Logansport goal line for the tieing score. Larsh

failed at goal. Encouraged .by the success of their open field attack the Rensselaer team suddenly became a collection of fighting demons and within a few moments the visitors were] a demoralised, beaten aggregation. The Rensselaer linemen rocked their big, husky opponents ,to sleep and had them blubbering for relief: Lambert, at tackle, was everywhere Stonebraker was boreed to inject new blood in his liner in a vain endeavor iSfidd *hS mon and Collins tore great, large holes in the line, whileLarshand Thompson skirtedthe victory Wright and TMaSx/wlAwr ansi aauin nrillOn nrtWTl i> am—meTiT £

on the defensive they spilled the Logansport interference and at the same tune pulled down the runner. Their work nas never been surpassed on a local football field by a high school player and brought back. memories of the Ellig-Yeomen combination of 1907. ; After the initial Rensselaer touch-I down the game was over as far as the ultimate outcome was concern- j ed, for as Logansport weakened Rensselaer became stronger and ?' was the matter of only a few minutes until the second touchdown wm registered. Larsh booted the goal and Rensselaer lead 13 to 6. The final touchdown came in the last period and again Larsh booted the S o *!' arm on line for a drop-kick on the fourth down and registered a beautiful kick, which missed the uprights by inches. It was so close that many । of the spectators were under the impression that it was good, but those at a better vantage point agreed with Referee Kirk when he ruled it not good. Just before the whistle blew Rensselaer started another steady march toward the Logansport goal and were within a few yards again of ■ counting when the final whistle blew. Rensselaer, 10; Hoopeston, 0. A powerful ,concerted, versatile attack at the beginning of the third quarter tells the story of the Rens-1 selaer victory over Hoopeston in i the first independent football game played here on an organized basis in years. A forward pass, two! line plunges and another forward pass, executed in rapid, flawless , succession placed the bail behind the Logansport line in two minutes after the kickoff, and spelled victory . for'Tlensselaer. It was P. Collins, playing at right end, to whom the honor of registering the first touchdown of the year goes. Collins bread-winning marker was followed a Short time later by a goal from placement by the trusty toe of Captain Nowels from the thirtyyard mark. The kick was made under extreme difficulties and Captain Nowels must be congratulated

upon the perfect boot he made. The ball was held in an awkward position for a kick and in addition he found three burly Hoopeston linemen charging him as he started to swing his toe against the leather. From the sidelines it appeared as if there were not one chance in a hundred of the kick being successful, but in some way the captain managed to get it off and it sailed squarely between the uprights for a three-point marker, a thing of beauty. The touchdown and field goal represented the Rensselaer margin of victory and for the remainder of the game the teams battled on even terms, Hoopeston threatening toward the close when they started an open field attack which utimately carried them to the Rensselaer five-yard mark with four downs to put the oval . across. Here the old Rensselaer fighting and staying qualities asserted themselves and after three line plunges in which they failed to gain a single inch the Hoopeston right halfback received the ball and tossed it overthe Rensselaer goal line to an eager end, but a Maroon and JWhite arm shot out and pushed the ball to the ground, taking Rensselaer out of danger and assuring them of a shut-out victory. Babcock • immediately booted the ball Tar down the field and the remaining few minutes were given over to a punting duel in which Babcock had the better of the argument. The game ended with the ball in Hoopeston s possession on their own twentyyard mark. . , _ The opening half- found Rensselaer cautious and playing a defensive game in an off ort - tomfool SI Strength Of the Illinoisans. The two periods were devoid of interest and during the greater part of the time the ball was from fifteen to twenty yards past midfield m Rensselaer territory, and to the spectator it looked as if Hoopeston boasted the strronger team. Once a Hoopeston end speared a long forward pass and seemed well on his way to a score when the ball slipped from beneath his arm and the pass went as an incompjeted one. It was the most dangerous moment of the entire afternoon for the home eleven and was the turning point of the game, for thereafter the Suckers relaxed and were not the same smooth running machine. The second half has already been chronicled and no. further space need be given to it - From wing to wing and from stem to stern the Rensselaer line was a thing of strength and the battering tactics assumed by the Hoopeston backfield availed; them nothing, and they were ultimately forced to abandon this mode Of attack and resort to the forward pass route for what gains they made. But at the same time Hoopeston was presenting a forward wall defense which was withstanding the attack of the Rensselaer backs and the game was turned into an open field battle. , . . _ u The work of the giant tackles, Simons and Putts, and the guards, Thompson and Henry, stood out like a rent in the moot useful part of a pair of dress trousers and they absorbed the shocks launched against them with an ease thathas for them the title of The Stonewall Quartette.” Their tackling was hard and fierce and time and again they broke Hoopeston defense and threw the runner for a loss, and their work was greatly appreciated by the large October gathering. The “Goki Dust Twins,”^auland Leland Coffins, playing at the end positions, were remarkable ana Gotch xWXBai need look no further for end men. Toward the dose they placed by Phegley and Mffier. Phegley on the very first play after he had been inserted into the tawup, sidestepped his pad,, smedg* the interference ner to earth with a resounding

smack which won for him a place in the hearts of the local fans and which stamped him as a really great player. Beam was the same deliberate, efficient center of by-gone days and has not lost his knack of recovering fumbles. His defensive work and splendid passing assure him of a regular position. In the backfield Babcock displayed his old time line smashing ability arid in Captain Nowels and Porter has a pair of able running mates. Moore handled the quarterback position in an acceptable manner and was directly responsible for many of the Rensselaer gains . through his able delivery of forward passes. Perhaps the greatest feature of the afternoon’s play was a drop kick from the fifty yard-line by the giant, Putts. Putts was called back from that position for a kick that looked impossible. He showed that he has a powerful toe by booting the ball to within four or five feet of the cross bar. It was straight and true, but lacked about one ounce

of pressure. Those four or five 1 feet were all that kept his name, from being written among the hat of football immortals. ’ • The weather man was kind and a large crowd, .probably seven hundred, witnessed the clash. The grounds were well policed and the playing field kept free from spectators in a very commendable manner. The receipts totalled $304.90 and the expenses about S2OO, so there j is a nice balance left in the treasury, and the success of independent 1 football in Rensselaer is assured. Hugh Kirk went in as referee toward the close and his work won him the praise of the spectators. He is one of most capable football ; officials in this section of the state,-' is full of snap and keeps the game from dragging. His familiarity of the rules wins hftn the respect, of .the players and in the future he will be found officiating. <