GUNNAR GRAM, Right Guard.
WILLIAM TALCOTT, Quarter-back.
In choosing the All-Chicago eleven from among the best players in the Cook County High-School Football League, the principal difficulty has been to attempt a consideration of all the players who might be candidates, and to be equally just toward those who played on weak teams, where they could naturally not show their value to such advantage as their fellows on stronger elevens. The task is rendered all the more difficult on account of the many games that were protested and postponed. However, taking all things into consideration, there seems to be little doubt that the eleven men above named would form the best eleven to represent Cook County schools.
For captain of the eleven, Talcott, quarter-back of the Englewood High-School, is the best man. He is as capable of bringing out the greatest results from a team under his command as any one. He is a brainy player, a general who uses good sound sense, and whose forethought is shown in every signal he gives. He has coolness combined with quickness, and is an indefatigable worker.
The best all-round player that has turned up in Chicago this year is Clayton Teetzel, the left half-back of the champion Englewood team. He is a man of experience, and knows the game thoroughly. Teetzel is a sprinter, and has made many remarkable runs on the field this year, and these runs have resulted from head-work rather than accident. He is an excellent dodger, runs hard, guards himself well, and bucks the line low. He is a sure tackler, seldom letting a man pass him within reach.
James Henry, of Englewood, deserves the position of right half-back on the All-Chicago team. While Teetzel is a dodger and wriggler, Henry is a steady and sure line-bucker. He cannot run so fast as Teetzel, but for short gains through the line he has no superior in Cook County. He follows his interference well, and tackles hard, and is not liable to injury. Another very fast runner is Trude of Hyde Park H.-S., who ranks as the best of the full-backs. In line-bucking he is as sure of a gain as any man on this team. There has been but little kicking in the games this fall, but Trude has shown himself to be capable of punting with the best of them. He is quick to handle the ball, and knows how to send it down the field.
For left end I should choose Frank Linden, of Hyde Park, as he has done the best work this year in that position. He is one of the fastest men in the school, and always gets off with the ball. He is a hard tackler, and attends strictly to his business. Prentiss of Evanston will take care of left tackle. He was one of the surest men on his team, frequently carrying the ball for good gains. He has the knack of breaking through and nailing his man behind the line. He also possesses unusual power in getting his opponent out of the way or in blocking him on the defence. Gordon Mackay, who played centre for Hyde Park, is the quickest and snappiest man for that position. He gets into the play well, tackles fairly, and rarely lets his man through, although he frequently breaks in himself.
Guy Knickerbocker, of Hyde Park, should go to right tackle. With Linden, Trude, and Mackay he played on the champion Hyde Park team of 1895, and consequently may be ranked as a player of some experience. He is aggressive, he knows how to handle his man and keep him guessing, and he blocks well; he weighs 179 pounds, and by his weight partially overcomes his principal fault of not running low enough.