For the good of the team

by Ralph Henry Barbour

Tasker and Lowe were taken out and fresh backs sent in. Cutts, at center, was also replaced. But Walsenburg was not to be denied. A double pass fooled Manning badly, three plunges at the new center yielded gains and once more the enemy was inside the five-yard line. The Cherry-and-Gray cohorts hoarsely pounded out their slogan of “Hold, Manning! Hold, Manning!” but Manning was a played-out team now and there was little glory for the visitor in her final triumph. Two plays took the pigskin across, the second through a hole big enough for a push-cart to pass and Manning tasted the bitterness of defeat.

That game, though it ended in disaster for Manning, was, after all, nothing to hang one’s head over. Against a far-better developed team, the Cherry-and-Gray had fought desperately and often heroically, and this fact, when the first sting of disappointment had worn off, was recognized by the school. In fact, the Bulletin, the school weekly, was quite epic in its editorial the following Thursday, and likened the battle to Thermopylae, and the home team to Greek heroes. It praised Captain Harven highly for his generalship and individual playing, which praise was certainly well deserved, and it spoke in glowing measure of several others: Tasker and Towne and Cutts and Whaley; and even dripped honeyed words on Le Gette. Perhaps the Bulletin overdid it somewhat, but it meant well.

One person who appeared neither depressed or elated over the result of the Walsenburg contest was Coach Haynes. He placed criticism where it was merited and commendation where deserved, and set his face toward the Forest Hill game with no sign of disturbance on it. He seemed quite satisfied and, certainly, voiced no regrets.

But Stuart took that defeat badly. Perhaps without realizing it, he had half believed the optimists who had a week before bravely predicted a clean slate for the season. I don’t think he allowed his hopes to dwell on the possibility of the team getting through without being scored on: that was less a possibility than an impossibility, but he had dared hope for a season of no defeats. He believed, and was justified in believing, that had Coach Haynes given the team even three days of preparation for the Walsenburg contest it might at least have emerged from it with a tied score. He had no sympathy for the coach’s contention that a defeat was sometimes good medicine. At least, he didn’t believe that true of a team of which he was captain. It might be so other years.

Stuart’s dissatisfaction was increased by the reflection that, so far as public opinion was concerned, he had failed to show any superiority over the rival quarterback. Naturally, since the other had played on the winning side, his work appeared more brilliant. Stuart tried to comfort himself with the assurance that, man for man, he had shown a little more than the Walsenburg quarter, but, lacking the confirmation of public opinion, that assurance didn’t make him happy. He laid his failure to win the decision over his rival to Mr. Haynes, thus increasing by just so much more his account against the coach.

Stuart spoke his mind very freely to all save Mr. Haynes. Between him and the coach there existed an armistice, respectful, but no more. Stuart avoided private converse with the other, and at the conferences, held twice, occasionally thrice, a week in the coach’s quarters, he maintained an aloof attitude that, while it had no apparent disturbing effect on Mr. Haynes, created a disquieting atmosphere of which the others were dimly aware. It is doubtful if Stuart realized how evident his antagonism was; doubtful, too, if, had he realized it, he could have disguised it, for his resentment still burned very deeply. Stuart took his grievance to the players and found sympathetic ears. Most of the fellows held that it would not have hurt the progress of the team if the coach had allowed them to take or tie the Walsenburg game, and a few still nursed dissatisfaction as late as the following Monday. Most of them, however, were willing to let bygones be bygones by then, and were inclined to be bored when Stuart reverted to the subject. They liked Stuart, were proud of him as a captain, credited him with the brilliance as a player which he thoroughly deserved, but when it came to a question of leadership they preferred to put their trust in Hop Haynes. Stuart was all right, but—well, he was liable to fly off the handle if any one tried to interfere with his methods or question his opinions, and, after all, a football team needed a steady hand on the lines. That was the general opinion among the fellows, although there remained a handful whose personal allegiance to Stuart would have stood them up in front of a firing squad at sunrise if he had led the way. Among the latter was Jack Brewton. Jack however, was not ignorant of his friend’s shortcomings. Rather, he realized them very thoroughly and put his faith in Stuart in spite of them. While he would have stepped at once to Stuart’s side and had an actual breach between captain and coach transpired, he would have gone with his eyes open, and while he was sympathetic toward his friend’s feelings he did not hesitate to say what he honestly thought, as, on Monday.

“It would have been bully to win that game, Stuart, but Haynes is the Big Boss, you know, and his business is training football teams. He evidently thought it would be better not to put out the effort, and it’s only fair to assume that he was right. The school’s paying him real money for what he’s doing and all we can do is believe that he’s worth his salary; at least until he shows he isn’t. And if we believe that, we’ve got to believe he was right about Saturday’s game. Q. E. D., or words to that effect.”

“Because you pay a coach a salary it doesn’t signify that he’s got all the wisdom of Solomon or Walter Camp,” objected Stuart. “We could have trained a week to meet Walsenburg and still been ready for Forest Hill next Saturday. Forest Hill isn’t dangerous; and even if she were, any of us would rather have lost to her than to Walsenburg. Haynes has got you fellows hypnotized. All he has to do is strike an attitude and look wise and you all say ‘A-ah!’”

Jack threw an arm over Stuart’s shoulders and shook him gently. “Listen, old thing, you’re heading for trouble, and I wish you wouldn’t. Just forget your grouch against Haynes and see how things turn out. If he hands us a victory over Pearsall you’ll be one of the first to forgive and forget. Better do it now and make that victory more certain. Some of the fellows are talking already. They say you don’t care what happens to the team so long as you can make faces at Haynes. Of course that isn’t so. The old crowd understands, but there’s a bunch of new chaps around who are getting gabby. Now, wipe off the slate, Stuart, and start over. We’re all after success for the team. Just let’s think of that and nothing else.”