Such an association of schools cannot fail to benefit track and field sports. It will simplify the schedule of events, and officially recognize those that are distinctly athletic; it will raise the standard of performance; it will bring the best material of American schools together; and it will establish definite figures in records, which up to this time have, in many cases, been subject to doubt. The question as to when and where the first field meeting should be held is just now a matter of secondary importance, but one that the prospective delegates to the convention will do well to keep in mind. The questions to consider at present are the best methods for organizing the association, and the best means of putting it upon a firm basis. It should be remembered that no business enterprise can be run on any but a business basis; and whereas the proposed association will not in its foremost features be a business enterprise, there will be many business transactions in connection with its management that must be attended to in a businesslike manner.
Above all things, the association should be kept free from politics. Politics is enough to ruin the best-regulated enterprise. The offices should not be looked upon as spoils, and divided among the several component associations. Elect those men to the offices who are the best qualified to carry out the work and to fulfil the duties entrusted to them. In almost every school, or association of schools, there is one man who is recognized as a "worker," one man whose interest in whatever he undertakes is such that it helps him to perform his duties better than others could. Such a man—such men, indeed, are needed to take charge of and conduct the affairs of the National Association. If such men are put into office, the organization cannot fail to be prosperous, and to reflect credit upon all the institutions that are members of it.
The Thanksgiving day game between Berkeley and St. Paul's, the first of a series of annual contests, should attract a large crowd. Both teams are in prime condition, and good football may be expected. Berkeley will undoubtedly win, and St. Paul's will score if her men get the ball in the first half. On the other hand, if St. Paul's kicks off, and the ball goes into Berkeley's hands, the New-Yorkers will have things all their own way should they score in the first ten minutes of play. St. Paul's is weak in defensive work, and her men seem to lose heart if scored against early in the game. I can not quite account for this in a team that has had such good training, but it is a characteristic particularly noticeable this year. Their offensive play is good, and the men put up a fast and strong game in both halves—when they don't lose heart. The centre and guards are weak, but the other positions are pretty well taken care of.
Platt. Baker. Linn. Starr. Glenny. Starr. Brown. Hare. White.
Hall. Loraine. Goldsborough. Cluet. Gardiner. Symons.
ST. PAUL'S, GARDEN CITY, FOOTBALL TEAM.
Captain Starr is a veteran player, although new to the position of full-back; he is a fair runner, a good punter, and better at plunging through the centre than at circling the ends. Blackstone and Goldsborough are good running half-backs, not afraid of the crowd, and the latter is particularly clever at following his interference. Baker, at quarter, passes well, is a good general, and tackles hard. Both the end men follow the ball well, and Weller is the strongest defensive player on the team, but is liable to get pocketed by the interference. Gardiner, at tackle, is another strong man in the line, and is a ground-gainer when given the ball. Symons, the other tackle, is a new man, but is learning rapidly, and is one of the best tacklers of the eleven. Cluet blocks poorly at centre, but breaks through well; his guards, Glenny and Brown, are somewhat slow, and do not hold their men. They will have their hands full with Lefferts and Hayden.
The Berkeley team that is to line up against these players is the best eleven the New York school ever put into the field. The end players are particularly good. Young got his experience at Lawrenceville, and won a reputation on the '94 team there. He is quick, rarely misses his man, and on kicks gets away very fast. He blocks well, and strikes interference hard and low. Hasbrouck, the left end, is powerfully built and stocky. He is seldom put out of a play, tackles his man hard and sure. Captain Bayne plays next to him at tackle, and the two work well together. Bayne played on the champion team of 1893. He weighs 192 pounds, and is very strong. He is good at bucking the line, striking it low, with head well down, and is sure for a good gain every time he is sent with the ball. Yale will have a valuable acquisition in him. E. Irwin-Martin, the right tackle, is an aggressive, hard-working player, six feet tall. The strongest feature of his play is a trick he has of twisting when running with the ball, and then breaking away from his tacklers. He tackles hard, but has a bad fault of getting his own head under his opponent, instead of giving his man the full force of a hard fall.
BERKELEY SCHOOL VS. SCRUB—SHOWING THE SYSTEM OF LINE UP.
Berkeley's three centre men have been constantly improving this season, and are now in condition. Rand, the centre, weighs only 165 pounds, but he has held his end up in every game played. His great faults are lack of aggressiveness and slowness. During the last week, however, he has taken a brace that has made a marked improvement in his play. He is very steady in putting the ball in play, breaks through well, and tackles hard. His strongest feature is in following the ball and getting into every play. Lefferts and Hayden give promise of developing into first-class guards. Both are comparatively green men at football, but their willingness to learn and determination to succeed have already made them most valuable in the play of the team. Lefferts plays left guard. He is strong and a fast runner. His great fault earlier in the season was his inability to block centre plays. This he has overcome to a great extent, and now stands firm. He runs fairly well with the ball, and on the defensive goes in with dash and aggressiveness. Hayden, the right guard, is a powerful player, and weighs 162 pounds. Like Lefferts, his great weakness has been in stopping centre plays, but now he is showing marked improvement. He can always be counted on for a good gain when given the ball. At interfering he also does good work, and puts a man out of the play when he goes against him.