Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1907 — A GOOD GAME THANKSGIVING DAY [ARTICLE]

A GOOD GAME THANKSGIVING DAY

Big Crowd Witnesses Brilliant Contest Bewteen Company M and Notre Dame Freshmen. A Company M 0, Notre Dame Freshmen 0. It was a splendid day and an unusually fine football ganie, spiritedly contested and with several brilliant plays and a prospect alwinning. In the matter of the weight there could not have been much difference in the teams, and individually Company M probably had the visitors outclassed, but in the matter of team work the “freshies” had the best of the soldiers.

Following the kick off in the first half by Rensselaer the visitors failed to advance the ball and were rorced to pnnt. The kick was a poor one and the home boys had a very excellence chance, for they secured the ball on their opponents 30 yard line, but they started off with a couple ot fumbles and were then tackled for a. loss and before they coaid recover -the speedy visitors had worked the ball down to the locals 2 yard line. Largely thru the splendid work of Porter, who tackled twice for losses, they were held for downs and then Dobbins punted the ball well down the field.

Things then took a favorable tarn for Rensselaer. Notre Dame was held for two downs and made a poor punt and Rensselaer sent Morgan around left end for about 20 yards. Porter made 6 yardb thru the line and Dobbins got away for about 10, and looked like he was headed for a touch down, but he stepped in a hole and fell, losingthe ball. The ball was now on Notre Dame’s 12 yard line, and in their possession and they were soon forced to punt and again the kick was a very poor one. Rensselaer soon had the ball down to about 17 yardsand Morgan failed in a drop kick. The half ended on Notre Dames’ 30 yard line. During the half several penalties had been issued for offside plays and one against Rensselaer for “twisting in* the line.” This 15 yards loss was the real cause of Rensselaer’s failure to score. In the second half the playing was probably more spectaculor thanjduring the first, and when Fish'from'the center of the field received a forward pass and carried the ball 35 yards it looked like a defeat for the home team. A feature of thia play probably escaped’the eyes of many, and was one of the best plays of the contest Fish had got by Morgan, Dobbins, Brenner and Porter, and the latter took'after him, considerably in the rear. Woodworth had taken advantage of Brenner’s forcing the runner!tothe field boundary and Porter cut across like a shot and caught Fish from the rear just as Woodworth tackled from the front. All three players fell well out of bonds, but the tackling was so accurate that no one was injured.

After the ball-was brought In for 15 yards and. Notre Dame had failed in two attempts to gain, Captain Lenertz, from directly in front of the goal tried a drop kick, but Morgan, Pbrter, Elder and Gwin all got thru the line with arms high in the'air and rhe kicked was blocked. AlthofPorter and Dobbins each’made some good gains following the visitors loss of the ball by a fumble, they could not get past the center of the field, and finally were penalized 15 yards for tripping. Wood worth' and Hopkins both made good by getting the ball when the visitors fumbled, and Woodworth made Iwo rather sensational tackles. The visitors made three or four successive gains thru right tackle and then Morgan stuffed up the gap and held them for downs. Dobbins punted again

and Woodworth and Gwin brought Washburn down without a gain A few more exchanges of the ball and time was called with the sphere in the possession of Rensselaer. .. The crowd was estimated at about 1400, altho the paid admissions were only 742, the receipts being $185.60. The band had eome out in front of a big crowd and people turned out to witness the game just as they always do when the Thanksgiving day weather is agreeable. This game was somewhat of a parrald for the

game the athletics played with Pat O’Dea’s South Benders six years ago, and whicn also ended 0 to 0. That game was played by older and larger players under the old 5 yard rule, but it was largely a punting game and like this one, was also very spectacular. It is probable the stars of that time were no better than Porter, Dobbins and Morgan and it is also probab’e that no three ever equaled these three in speed and general efficiency. Had Dob bins been here a day or two earlier and had that additional time with the team there is little doubt but that we would have won this game. A feature of the game was the playing of. George Michaels at center. He is regarded the best center the high school here ever had and he was certainly a factor in this contest, and was ably supported on each side by Grant and Chestnut. Hopkins and Elder had busy times in the line and played admirably. Woodworth missed a tackle or two in the early part of the game but made some fine playes thruout, his work of retard ing the opposing end on punts being the best ever seen on the local field.

Perry Gwin at the other end also worked well, exhibiting all the dash of his old high school days. He did not look much like the rheumatism invalid he was for al-. most two years. -If he tries he should be able to make the Purdue varsity team another year. Porter rather seemed the best of the back line- He never lost track of the ball and charged the line on the defense with such vigor that he fairly carried the entire opposb cks off their feet. It was to him that the credit of saving the game at least three times must be given. Dobbins direction was the thing that put the boys into shape and he made several fine tackles, and a perfect interference for Morgan’s end runs as well as several good gains himself. Dobbins showed his perfect physical condition and his keen football sense thruout the game. Brenner, at quarterback, had a bad day. He had never played the position before with Mlchael at center, and this caused some fumbles, but he got into the in terferenoe nicely, secured the ball on two or three fumbles and worked all the time.

The clean playing and the fact that no serious inf uries occured during all the season has given football a firmer hold than ever before on public appreciation and there should be no trouble in getting a fine team here next year. The line-up was as follows: Rensselaer Position. N. D. Freshmen Gwin right end Fish Elder,Chesnut right tackle O’Leary Chesnut,Elder right guard Hughes Grant, Michal center Smythe Michal, Grant left guard Hughes Hopkins (Capt) left tackle Hague Wood worth left end Maloney Brenner quarter back "Washburn Morgan right half back Kelley Porter full back Lenertz (Capt) Dobbins left half back Lawton Length of halves, Officials, Parrett and Scanlon, Time keepers, G. K. Hollingsworth, Kennefec, Head lineman, McCarthy.