BERKELEY SCHOOL (N. Y.) FOOTBALL TEAM.
The weakest spot in the line is probably centre, which is looked after by Dix, a player who has had no experience until this year, but is doing remarkably well for a novice. With coaching and practice he will develop into a strong player. Cook, at right tackle, is good at breaking through, but is not a capable tackler. His line-work is good; he runs fairly well with the ball, but he runs too high. Hixon, the captain, has played on the Hotchkiss team, alternately at guard and centre, ever since he entered school; his strongest point is in making holes, and a play put through him by his backs is practically sure of a gain. He runs powerfully, but too high. He is a conscientious commander, and has good control of his men.
Following close upon the defeat by Hotchkiss, Hartford was beaten a week ago Saturday by New Britain, 42-6. The Hartford men started out well, and scored their first touch-down in the first few minutes of play; but when New Britain kicked off, Hartford, instead of rushing down the field, returned the kick, which gave New Britain the opportunity of scoring within a very few moments. The New Britain men then scored again, and as soon as they were ahead Hartford seemed to lose all spirit.
Hartford's offensive work was pretty nearly as good as New Britain's, but on the defense they seemed to be absolutely powerless. The best work of the defeated eleven was done by Gillette and Sturtevant. For New Britain, Brinley and Flannery were giants. Of course much of Hartford's weakness was due to the crippled condition of the whole team, the loss of Bush and Morris. Strong, who was injured in the Hotchkiss game, tried to play against New Britain, but his condition did not allow of very good work. This is undoubtedly an unfortunate year for Hartford in football.
The other games played on the same day were by Hillhouse against Meriden, which resulted in a victory of 54-15 for the latter; Bridgeport defeated Waterbury, 12-8. Connecticut Literary Institute forfeited to Norwich Free Academy.
One of the most interesting school football games ever played in Cleveland was undoubtedly that between the University School and the South High-School on October 25. The score was 4-0. This touch-down was made by Roby, University School, after a run of thirty-five yards; he got started through a big hole in the South High line, and there was no stopping him until he had scored the only points made that afternoon.
The teams were evenly matched, although the South High men were much heavier than their opponents. The University players made up for this inequality by opposing skill to brawn. At the University School there are eight football elevens which practise daily, and from these very good material is to be had for the first team. At South High, on the other hand, there is a scarcity of players for a scrub team, but the men are all heavier than the University players. The feature of the play was the excellent punting of Perkins. Most of the gains, however, were made through South High line, and a few by good plays around the end.
The Academic Athletic League of San Francisco held its autumn field-day a few weeks ago with the usual success, seven records being broken. The figures that went in the 120-yard hurdle, which Hoffman, O.H.-S., reduced from 17-4/5 to 17-1/5 sec. Woolsey, B.H.-S., won the 220-yard dash in 23-2/5 sec., which is one second better than the former record. Spencer, B.H.-S., reduced the 220-yard hurdles from 29½ sec. to 28½ sec. Pitchford, B.H.-S., ran the 880-yard race in 2 min. 7-1/5 sec. Hoffman, O.H.-S., cleared 5 ft. 6-5/8 in. in the high jump. Smith of Hoitt's School broke the 12-pound hammer-throw record by sending the weight 133 ft. 9 in., which beats by 4 ft. 1 in. the National I.S. record made by Ingalls of the Hartford High-School.
Hoffman's work at this field-day was of the first order; he won the three events in which he entered, and in these broke two of the League records. Following is a table of the points made by schools: