Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1908 — RENSSELAER PLAYED A BRILLIANT GAME [ARTICLE]

RENSSELAER PLAYED A BRILLIANT GAME

Defeated McKinley High School of Chicago by Score of 21 to 0 Thanksgiving Afternoon.

The Rensselaer high school closed the 1908 football season by defeating McKinley high school of Chicago by the very decisive score of 21 to 0. The playing was the best seen this year in Rensselaer, the local lads being in fine condition and better trained than they had been for any previous game. The game was full of snap and there were several quite brilliant runs that kept the enthusiasm of the Rensselaer bunch running high and caused every one -to wonder what would happen next Except for a short time in the -first half Rensselaer had no difficulty in holding the visitors from the windy city, but luck of the game seemed to be against the local team, for on several occasions the McKinley boys were successful in recovering punts and in getting the advantage as well as the ball whenever fumbles were made. Only three times, however, were they within striking distance of the Rensselaer goal, and on two oL these occasions they failed to make a drop kick, the Rensselaer players getting through the line, and the Rensselaer line holding them for downs the third time. The game was opened by Kirk kicking the ball. A high wind was blowing and- Chicago had chosen to defend the goal to the windward. When the game was started the wind was blowing so hard that it was almost impossible to poise the ball for the kick. Kirk chose to kick the ball low and sent it to the 35 yard line, and McKinley succeeded in bringing it back to near midfield, when they, lost it on downs. They had played hard into the line and looked formidable; When Rensselaer got the ball Myers was sent through tackle for 6 yards, then Kirk made 5 and Myers got over again for 20, Elder then made 6 and Kirk 7, going over for a touchdown. Kirk directed his kick nicely and it would have gone over save for the wind which diverted -its course and blew it back into the field. Score, Rensselaer 5; McKinley 0. The goals were reversed and McKinley kicked the ball to Kirk on the 6 yard line. He got behind a hastily formed Interference and brought the ball back 40 yards before he was downed. Rensselaer tried the line twice without success! and then Duvall was sent out for a forward pass, but failed to get It and McKinley failed to gain and then tried a forward pass, but Duvall returned the compliment and got the ball himself. There was no doubt by this time as to the outcome of the game. The line tightened up whenever Chicago had the ball and the Rensselaer backs were in for more touch downs. The ball was lost several times on onside kicks and forward passes, but Rensselaer came right back and held them each time. Finally when the ball was on Rensselaer’s own 45 yard line, it was given to Elder for a left end run, and Meyers, Kirk, English and Duvall all made fine interference, Which Elder took perfect advantage of, with the result that he made a 65 yard run and planted the ball squarely between the goal posts, and Kirk kicked goal, making the score Rensselaer 21; McKinley 0. This ended the scoring, but Kirk, Meyers, Elder and Duvall again carried the ball down the field and to within a yard of the goal line. Duvall made a long run during this advance and was considerably used up and time was taken out for him. He was not in condition and yet wanted to make a touchdown and was given the ball. He reached the line when he lost the ball and McKinley got it behind their own goal line. This play was termed a touch back and counted nothing, but should really have been a safety with 2 most points for Rensselaer. The game ended soon after with Rensselaer again bringing the ball down the field. It was a fine game

and was greatly appreciated by the large crowd that witnessed it A review of the team would prove interesting. It was practically all new and inexperienced at the first of the year. Kirk and Elder were the only ones who had played football before, 1 and out of this new timber and almost all of the men being slight of build Coach Parker has produced what is generally conceded to be one of the best high school teams Rensselaer has ever had. Probably no line man has been developed that was the equal of Ray Hopkins and probably no back that was the equal of Homer Dobbins, but this team was lighter than the teams of former years and yet it was unusually well balanced, vigorous and fast, and it is probable that no former team ever had four as good men as Kirk, Elder, Duvall and Meyers. The latter two entered the game as novices and have become stars; the first two developed the fine prospects shown in former years until they might either one be worthy a place on the all-state team. In the line Livingston Ross, Don Beam and Simon Thompson were the most conspicuous and held every opponent that they have met and they always were pitted against heavier men than themselves. ‘When the team made its first appearance this year it did not look formidable and many prophesied that it would lose almost all its games, but it comes from the fray with only one defeat and that at the hands of Oakwood, of Lafayette, the acknowledged state champions, and that game was played with Duvall, Kirk and Thompson out of the game most of the time, and English part of the time. It Is not probable that had Oakwood been our opponents on Thanksgiving day they would have been held to a tie blank score. The matter of se’ecting the star of the team would be difficult, Elder doubtless was ths greatest ground gainer and made the most tackles, but Kirk who was team captain directed the plays without a particle of effort to star himself and made many sacrifices for the other backs when a gain looked easy. He probably received better responses from the team that any captain the high schoqj ever had. Duvall was a graceful player, tackled better than any man on the team, was the fleetest of foot and the hardest to tackle, and had he been used at half back all of the season instead of at end the greater part of the time he might have been rated even higher than he is, but he was needed at end and played a star game all season. Meyers got better with experience and kept his feet with players hanging all over him. He was the best man on the team at interferences, but did not get down quite low enough when he carried the ball. There was not a yellow spot on the team and the organization has no competition in claiming the northwestern Indiana championship. Financially the season was a success, the Thanksgiving game paying out a little better than SSO above expenses. The following is the line-up of the Thanksgiving game: McKinley position Rensselaer Keeler left end Brenner, Clark Grabouski left tackle Thompson Champlain .. left guard Ellis, Ross Berzak center Beam Duck right guard Allman Miller Osborne Hinch right tackle Norman Geringer right end Duvall McMillan quarter back English Fuclk right half Elder Watts left half Kirk Trein full back Meyers Time of halves, 20-25. Referee, Parrett; Umpire, Goldberg. Head lineman, Howard Mills. Linemen, Yeoman and Gundy. Touchdowns, Meyeri 2, Kirk and Elder. Goal, Kirk.