Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1897 — Battle Ground Dead Easy. [ARTICLE]

Battle Ground Dead Easy.

Rensselaer Wins The Foot Ball Game, at 24 to Nixy. And This Was The Way The Battle Was Won. Friday morning’s northbound milk train brought to this place nineteen foot ball players and a few of their supporters. They were floating their colors of gold and red, and came with the expectation of playing our boys a very even game. Rensselaer had made considerable preparation for the game, and as it was the first played by the home boys they eyed their opponents with considerable fear, and worried not a little at the absence of their regular tackles Manley and Shortly after noon the players of both sides appeared on the streets and proceeded to the stock farm where the game was played. The ground had been marked off and the goal posts raised, and Rensselaer’s colors of red and black floated in the breeze from the tops of the poles. The line up was as follows: BATTLE G. POS. RENS. Wood center Lakey G. Hollcraft. r guard Cain F. Hollcraft. 1 guard . Irwin Goodwin.... r tackle... Middleton Cissna 1 tackle Kohler Johnson r end... Wood worth Moore 1 end W right Monnels.... q back Sayler Fultz f back Brinley Mabin r half Collins W right 1 half Myers In the toss of coin Rensselaer won and chose north goal. Fultz

for Battle Ground kicked the ball to Rensselaers ten yard line, and Sayler made a west catch and advanced fifteen yards. In the first and second downs. Rensselaer fumbled the ball and although the line up showed Rensselaer superior in weight, a hard fought game was anticipated and the fumbling of the ball showed badly for the home team. Luckily, however, Rensselaer secured the ball both times and on the third down, Myers went through the opponent’s left tackle for eight yards. Brinley then advanced it 2 yards, Woodworth 5 yards, Myers 8 and again 5. Brinley fumbled the ball but Sayler secured it. Woodworth went around left end for 5 yards, Collins for 3, Brinley through center for 2. Myers around right end for 7, carrying the ball outside the grounds. It was brought in fifteen yards and Brinley advanced it seven yards by holding up and being pushed by other players. Woodworth went forward 4 yards, Myers 4 yards, Collins 3 yards over left end, Brinley through center. The ball was now within three’ yards of Battle Ground s goal and Brinley twice failed to advance it. On the third down the ball was snapped to Myers who went aronnd the right end for the first touch down. It was made in just nine minutes from the time the ball was put in play and showed Battle Ground weak in resistance and proved that Rensselaer’s ends and backs were exceptionally good players, hard live hitters and sure winners. Middleton kicked goal

and the score stood 6 to 0 in Rensselaer’s favor. The second touch down occurred twelve minutes later and was made by Collins. The advancing was made largely by Woodworth, although Wright, Collins, Brinley and Myers asgsted loyally. Battle Ground did not have the ball a single time before the first touch down and only once before the second, and then after working a gain of three yards they lost it on a fumble. Brinley got in some excellent jumping work here, going over clear over the opposing team for three and four good gains. Middleton kicked goal and the score stood in favor of Rensselaer 12 to 0. The next touch down was made by Collins to the right of Battle Ground’s goal and the slank good kick was missed by Middleton. Wright was used more in this touch down and his work was sure and good. Score 16 to 0. In the next kick off the ball was brought back to the center of the ground by Rensselaer when Brinley punted the ball to Battle Ground’s ten yard line, quick as a flash Fultz returned it, and Brinley kicked it back, then Fultz made a long kick, and Wright secured the ball for Rensselaer. This was the only kicking of any consequence in the game and Battle Ground showed themselves to be quite strong in this respect. Time was called with the ball near the center of the field in Rensselaer’s possession. Several Battle Ground players were hurt in this first half and Rensselaer was showing their superiority in all around foot ball playing. In the second half Rensselae r kicked off the ball. Fultz advanced twenty yards, and Hollcraft for 2, Fultz for 2, Hollcraft for 2, W right and Fultz then lost and the ball was forfeited to Rensselaer, who played about as before working two touch downs. The star play of this half was made by Brinley who made a touch down after running thirty-five yards. The final score was 24 to 0 in favor of Rensselaer.