J. B. Porter, of New Britain, is beyond doubt the best among the ends. He is an almost sure tackler, and is down the field every time on a punt. Norman Gillette, of Hartford, has been chosen for the other end, because he breaks up interference well and gets hold of his man nearly every time. J. R. Smith is good, but too often lets his man go after making a tackle.
For quarter-back it is hard to choose between F. R. Sturtevant, of Hartford, and J. E. Meehan, of New Britain. Both play the game for all it is worth. In passing and tackling Sturtevant surpasses Meehan, but Meehan gets into the interference a great deal better than Sturtevant. On the whole, however, taking in the important points of strategy and command of men, Sturtevant may be ranked as the better player.
It is extremely difficult to pick out the half-backs. H. C. Lane, of Meriden, is one of the finest players that ever played in the League. He runs extremely hard and fast, and tackles superbly. The difficulty came in choosing the other half-back. For this position E. A. Strong, of Hartford, and Godfrey Brinley, of New Britain, are the best men. Brinley runs very fast around the end and displays a great deal of "sand," but he has always been assisted with first-class interference. Strong, on the other hand, has as much, if not more, "sand" as Brinley. He runs fast, and knows how to interfere with his hands, and if he had had such good interference as Brinley did, I think his runs would have been as long.
For full-back the choice lies between Peter O'Donnell, of New Britain, and J. D. Lucas, of Norwich. Lucas does not hit the line as hard as O'Donnell, but fully equals him in tackling and punting. O'Donnell has a better knowledge of the game.
For captain of this team R. B. Hixon, of Hotchkiss, should have the honor. The team he was captain of is one of the best teams playing football among the schools this year. He has plenty of experience, and a good control over his men.
The financial side of the Interscholastic football season in Connecticut seems to have been very successful this year, for the statement of receipts and expenditures as made out by the treasurer shows that there is $400 in the treasury. This does not include the total profit from all the games, as the managers of the Association hold back each year $100, for incidental expenses the next season.
The profits of this year—that is, the $400—are to be divided among the eight elevens that made up the membership of the Association, each school to receive $50. I have gone into this detail in order that I might introduce a rather startling quotation from the Meriden Journal. It is to be hoped that this paper does not represent the Connecticut idea of sportsmanship. At any rate, the Meriden Journal avers that the division of the spoils is not quite just. It argues that Meriden and New Britain, having played for the championship at New Haven, deserve to receive more money than the other teams of the League. It cannot understand why Suffield, who was only admitted to the Association this year, and forfeited its scheduled match against Norwich, should have the same amount of cash as any other team.
As a remedy for this state of affairs the Journal suggests that the two elevens which came together for the final championship contest divide fifty per cent. of the net receipts for the season, the elevens in the semi-finals thirty per cent., and the elevens which figured in the opening games only, twenty per cent. If this is not advocating the playing of football for money, and is not thus a direct propaganda of professionalism, I don't know what is. If the editor of the Meriden Journal believes that the schoolboys in his neighborhood are playing football for the prize-money to be divided at the end of the year I am sure he is very much mistaken in his men.
Nevertheless, any such statement as this, especially when given currency in the city of the team that stood second in the League, is exceedingly injurious not only to the reputation of that team and school but to the entire Connecticut Association. Many persons who read this, and who do not know that the Journal is discussing a subject in which its ignorance is made evident by what it says, will believe that interscholastic sport is being carried forward on a money basis.