Aloha - Hoover Library

Training was begun shortly after the assembling cf school, but for the firstfew days the prospects were not encouraging. Several of last year's team, uponwhom we had been counting, did not return, and we were compelled to developnew material. Captain Baker persevered, however, and by the t st of October,the date of our first game, he had succeeded in getting together a very creditableteam. The work had not been of an easy nature, but our victory repaid all theefforts it had cost. The game was played on our own grounds with the DruidOuting Club, of Baltimore. From the beginning the superior playing of our boyswas apparent and the victory soon assured. We noticed with a considerabledegree of satisfaction that our backs, all of them old men, had lost none of theirskill and vigor of the previous season. Both their offensive and defensive playwas exceIIent. The line, too, showed surprising strength and our confidence inthe team was greatly increased. When time was called for the end of the secondhalf we' had scored three touchdowns and one goal.The second game was played on October 8, at Emmitsburg, with the strongMt. St. Mary's College team, and the result, though not a victory, was very pleasingto us. Our opponents were much heavier and had also the advantage of beingon home grounds. vVe were unable to score, although at one time in the secondhalf it seemed as if we would. A bad fumble lost us the opportunity. Up to thispoint the game had been splendidly contested by our boys, but the strain began toteII upon them, and Mt. St. Mary's succeeded in scoring two more touchdownsonetouchdown and goal having been made in the first half.After this we began to speculate upon our chances for winning the intercollegiatechampionship, and a decided interest was aroused in the team, for wewere proud of the showing that had been made. Our prospects became evenbrighter, however, after our magnificent victory over the Maryland AgriculturalCollege team on the following Saturday, October s. We played them on ourgrounds, and the result was six touchdowns and two goals to our account, whilethe other side did not score. There can be no question that our boys played goodball, the backs deserving special mention for the manner in which they skirtedthe ends and bucked the line. But still the first evidences of weakness appearedin this game-s-a weakness which was destined to be a continual source of vexationto us. The trouble lay in our ends; they were too light for the requirementsof their position, and they did not seem to be possessed of that courage andskill of tackling and breaking up interferences so essential to an end. Yet therewas no remedy, for the desired kind of material could not be found, or, if found,"it" could not be persuaded to play.Thus we went to Annapolis, on October 22, to play St. John's. We had feltrather confident of win'ning this game, but the weakness spoken of above becameapparent in the first rushes. The two ends seemed wholly out of place; their180