At 11.30 Saturday morning, notwithstanding the pouring rain, coaches on coaches of enthusiastic Yale and Princeton men started up Fifth Avenue, New York, for the Polo Grounds. At the grounds about 3,000 water-soaked but excited specrators had gathered to see the great contest. Although Princeton begged to have the game postponed Yale would not listen. At 2 p. m. sharp the two teams lined up with the following players: Yale-Wallace, Gill, Carter, Corbin, Woodrufi, Cross, Pratt; quarter-back, Beecher; halves, Wurtemberg and Graves; full-back, Bull. Princeton-S. Hodge, Church, Cowan, George, Irvine, Speer, Wagenhurst; quarter-back, Hancock; halves, Channing and L. Price; full-back, Ames.
Princeton won the toss and took the ball, playing with their backs to the grand stand. George passed the ball back to Hancock, rushers formed a V, and Princeton gained ten yards. Cowan-great, heavy Cowan- on whom Princeton relies so much, broke through the line and gained five yards by sheer brute force. Then Ames tried and gained nothing. Ames then ran around Pratt's end and made five yards, but on the next down little Beecher squirmed through and got the ball. On a fumble by half-back, Yale lost ten yards and had a down on her fifteen-yard line. Bull kicked a sky-scooper and Pratt and Wallace launched themselves like pile-drivers at Ames. Princeton had the ball down in the middle of the field, and after Ames had made five yards by running around Pratt, Cowan gained nothing and Price lost. Ames kicked and Bull had a down on Yale's tenyard line. Yale kicked back, but Princeton kept the ball in Yale's territory for several minutes. However, on a bad fumble by Princeton and skillful rushing by Yale, the ball was forced into Princeton's territory to stay. The ball changed hands several times. Ames made several very pretty runs, and Princeton was gradually forced back of her ten-yard line. A kick by Ames was well returned by Bull. Cowan stepped back in a half-back's place and literally pushed the Yale team back five yards. On a fumble of Princeton's half-back, Wallace picked up the ball on the ground, and while Corbin blocked Ames off, carried it over the line for a touchdown. But the interference was too palpable, and although the crowd yelled itself hoarse, the ball was given to Princeton on her twenty-five yard line. Yale, however, soon regained the ball, and by strong rushing and a pretty run by Graves, secured the first touchdown. Goal. Time about 35 minutes. The rest of the half, both teams splashed around in the puddles without effecting anything.
Second half.- Corbin passed to Woodruff, who gained fifteen yards. Gill then gained five yards and a kick gave Princeton the ball on the five-yard line. Cowan kept up his good work and gained ten yards in two runs. Ames described a beautiful parabolic curve from one touch line to the other, but failed to advance. All this time the rain had been falling in sheets and fumbling and slipping were frequent. Price. by the way, failed to turn up in second half, and his brother took his place. Yale finally got the ball on Princeton's ten-yard line, and Graves helped it along five yards, passing between Wagenhurst and Speer. After several downs Princeton kicked and Yale returned to Princeton's twenty-five yard line. Graves sailed through a hole right in the middle of Yale's rush line, but Yale finally lost the ball on Princeton's ten-yard line. A horrible fumble cost Princeton seven yards more. Cowan could not push forward enough and Ames missed his kick right behind his own goal. The air was blue with Yale men dropping on the ball, and thus Yale scored her second touchdown. Princeton gained a few yards on her V trick, and at this point Carter was ruled off for foul tackling. Brooks took his place and did very good work. His white jacket was easily distinguished from the mud and water-soaked, others-for about two minutes Yale still forced the fighting and kept the ball on Princeton's ground. Both sides did considerable kicking (the ball I mean), Wallace and Pratt both watching the Princeton halves like cats. Princeton braced up a little at this point. Cowan gained fifteen yards and Wurtemberg made a fair catch on Yales ten-yard line. Woodruff then made the run of the game, gaining twenty-five yards. But when throw he could not rise and Rhodes was called to take his place. During the rest of the game Princeton kept the fighting in Yale's territory, and certainly finished stronger than her rival. Time was called with the ball about the centre of the field, but Princeton was forcing the fighting. Final score, two goals; 12, to nothing.
As a whole the game was well contested. Princeton played a plucky but unsteady game against a certainly superior rival. For Princeton, Cowan did three-quarters of the work; Ames did very well and Hancock's tackling was noticeably good. For Yale, Corbin, Wallace, Pratt, Woodruff, Graves and Bull did distinctly well; and Gill played his usual brilliant game. Mr. W. A. Brooks as referee, and Mr. T. D. Fiske as umpire, gave complete satisfaction. This is no small praise, for no Yale-Princeton game, for years has been played with such an entire absence of "kicking."
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Bowdoin and Dartmouth.