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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1909)
THE BATTALION Published Weekly by the Students' Association of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas. VOLUME XVII COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, DECEMBER 3, 1909 NUMBER 11 VIRSITV AGAIN DEFEATED IN LAST GAME OF THE SEASON, A. & M. WINS SOUTHWESTERN CHAMPIONSHIP Score 0—0 At End of First Half — In Second, Choc Madethe OnlyTouch- down of the Game Before the largest crowd that has ever gathered together on Clark field of the University of Texas, A. & M. showed her superiority in football by again dealing a goose egg to the said University. Many were the prophe sies predicted before the game, and they all proved false—hut the one which said A. and M. would defeat Varsity, because the I. & G. N. train which carried the corps of cadets to Austin was found to run slow because it would go in ahead of time. "■The mel e was one of the hardest fought in the history of the two schools. Every inch of the ground was contested for and the result of the game was in doubt from beginning to However, a little forward p; ->s to Cnoc pulled off in the second half tel 1 ? - - story of A. and M.’s victory. '‘‘AT The Wind. The day was not the best in the world for a football game, there being slightly too much wind and rather warm weather. For fifty-five minutes A. & M. was playing against the wind, and as a result Varsity gained on punts and kept the ball on A. and M.’s ground most of the time. This gave the wrong im pression to many spectators as they thought Varsity was out playing A. and M. When the teams did change goals, A. and M. went down the field and in five minutes Choc had crossed the line for a touchdown. When any one in the South beats Hamilton or Balenti punting you may put a ques tion mark and begin to investigate. The Winning Score. The first half ended with neither side scoring. Varsity kicked to A. and M. who came down the field in a run. Hamp punted and A. and M. re covered the ball. Balenti got forty yards on an end run placing the ball on Varsity’s ten yard line. Here Hamp pulled off a beautiful forward pass to Choc, who slipped out of the hands of two Varsity tacklers and crossed the line for the only score of the game. Hard Playing. As told by the score the game was a hard one. The two teams were very evenly matched and every inch of ground gained was fought for, and seldom was the necessary ten yards gained. A and M., although lighter than Varsity had the advantage in speed, a fact which gave them the victory. Hamilton’s Run. Every man on A. and M.’s team played star ball. The ends broke up interference and got their man with ease, the line was right there and sev eral times held Varsity when it looked as if the Long Horns would score. Hamilton, however, made the feature run of the game. Near the close of the first half Hamp was given the ball on A. and M.’s twenty yard line, and passing aroand left end stopped only when he had placed the ball be hind Varsity’s goal, making a run for ninety yards for what every one thought a touchdown, including a tack ier. It was found that he had stepped outside and hence Hamp was called back. It was a beautiful run, though, and every man of the Varsity eleven was trying to stop him, but “nay. nay, Pauline” Hamp was too fast for them. Some Stars. The A. and M. stars were numerous as every man played fine ball and all starred. There were not many indi vidual stars but the team work was the feature. Ward played his usual game at end. He broke up interference, and got his man never letting him by. Massingale, Varsity’s fullback coached Ward last year and “Doggy” took delight in dumping him on every occasion. Shippe, at right nd was equally as good, being very fast and a good tack ier. After trying these two men Var sity soon changed her style of play ing. Barnes and Hooker at tackle were towers of strength. They were found in every line buck right where the battle was the thickest. When Var sity started through tackle it general ly stopped at the line. Brown and Hohn, the two guards received rough ! treatment but came out glorying in their victory. Fatty Thompson, at center, was al- w ays in the game. Fatty is fast and a good tackier. The back field, composed of Choc, Hamp, Rugel and Balenti. the one on which the result of the game rests, proved themselves equal to every oc casion. Choc who we all know to be the best quarter in the South played, his usual heady game—always in the right place at the right time. Hamp, our captain, kept up his old running habit and proved himself one of the best halfbacks in the South west. This is Rugel’s first year at full, but he plays it like an old timer—hit ting the line hard and running inter ference is his long suit. Balenti was undoubtedly the fastest man cn the field. It was due to his forty yard run that the ball was taken within striking distance of the goal. For Varsity Massingale played fine ball. He was very fast in returning punts and gave A. and M. much trou ble in stopping his runs. Kirkpatrick also played a good game at quarter. He handled his team in a, very creditable manner. Moore,, Ramsdell, Leonard and Barnes alsc>> deserve mention. The Balloon Ascension. Just after the first half ended the Varsity rooters let go a baloon from their bleachers and thereby sent Var sity up in the ah’. This was put to proof when the second ha’f opened. A. and M. went down the field in a whirl-wind and in five minutes had s ored a touchdov/n. We must give the Varsity rooters some credit for yelling for they really made some noise, but although A. and M. was in the minority the Varsity noise was nothing in comparison with that of the corps of cadets and its loyal supports from al^ over the State. Game in Detail. A. and M. kicked to Varsity 5 yard line, Massingale returning 20 yards. Moore got 5 through tackle but Texas was penalized for off side. Kirkpat rick punts 45 yards with the wind to Choc who returned 10 yards. Hamp and Rugel failed to gain and Hamp punted 40 yards to Massingale who returned only 3 yards. Varsity failed to gain through line and punts. Hamp loses on end run. A. and M. penalized