1897 Nebraska-Kansas football game story

Category: Football

 

Nebraska 10, Kansas 5  |  Nov. 13, 1897

Nebraska State Journal


A BIG JOINT DEBATE
Nebraska aud Kansas Argue Valiantly on the Football Field.
Incidentally a Game Is Played, Resulting in the Defeat of the Visitors.
THE KANSANS WERE OUTPLAYED
Came Confident of Victory and Were
Defeated by a Score of Ten to
Five—Rowdy and Unsatis-
factory Contest.
O, but it made the rooters roar, And paint the blue empyrean red.
To see Nebraska players score While bleeding Kansas fell and bled,
Nebraska seemed to find the goal With ease whenever she essayed, ¦
While Kansas, bless her bleeding soul, Was either rattled or afraid.
Let now the Jayhawka homeward scud Add shed their tears on Kansas ties;
Their tame ss gone, their names are Mud, Collectively and otherwise.
They can compote wltii sturdy fiorco, ‘. Combined with’ Intellect and grh. And win a victory of course Most’any time—well I guess nit.
An exciting game of football was played on the state university campus in. this city yesterday afternoon between teams representing the university of Kansas and. the university of Nebraska, The’Ncbraskans had the best .of the contest from the kick-off until the gome, was called on account o£ darkness. The ofHeial score stands 10 to 5 in their favor. IDa:h side has en-* tered a. protest which may change the figures, but cannot change the general result.
While the ¦teams played It was a flne exhibition of grit and science, but half of the time was spent iti waiting and wrangling, and as li o’clock approached and the game was not yet finished, the great crowd dispersed in an unpleasant state “of -mind: The principal trouble arose over a kick from the Hold which the spectators with great unanimity declared did not make goal, but which was, nevertheless, given to Kansas. The whole gridiron was turned Into a debating society after this decision waa made, and It was Impossible to go on with the game for nearly half an hour. Other delays occurred and darkness stopped’the trouble In the second half.
Judged from a football standpoint It was a model day for the game, cool and cloudy. Prior to it, or from the noon bour’to 2 o’clock, ihe young sports employed ‘their time ‘In dropping into the hotel lobbies and ooverlng the caah oC the ,Jay hawkers, who seemed to have plenty to wager at the rate of 2 .to 1. 3everaIi:h’un’drea”Q’ollars were “posted In this way. At 2 o’clock the stream of gayly decorated humanity began to find Its way to the campus. The dry goods stores aid a good business In furnishing scarlet and cream ribbons for the homo people. The florists were kept busy In bunding out chrysanthemums o£ large and small size, with carnations to make the necessary colors. A small crowd of Kansas enthusiasts with more money and patriotism than good Judgment flaunted the crimson and blue from their canes and the lapels of their coats.
From 2 to 3 o’clock the gates were filled with -the Influx of spectators. They found -their .ways to the scats on.the west side of the grounds or selected places on the east side, where they could stand and watch the playing without having their view obstructed. Long before the hour for the game to* commence all the available space was occupied. Manager Oury eald after ¦the game that 2,500 people paid their way In. This would make a larger number than that witnesses because a number of eompllmentarieB were out jind tho small boy found his way la over the fence or under the canvas.
The Phi Delta Theta boys turned out In a. well decorated coach filled with a load or pretty girls and good looking young men. The Kappa Alpha Theta girls occupied a private box in the center of seats on the west. It Is not often that a. more well dressed crowd turns out to an. entertainment, and the time of the game could have been well spent in studying the variety of costumes. It was a good-natured crowd, filled ¦with anxiety for the welfare of their fa-Earttea and willing to use their Btrong Nebraska lungs In cheering the state boys on to victory. The university quartet sang some songs that caught the crowd, their voices being borne across the field with tho assistance of the east wind and big trumpets. These large horns seemed plentiful and they were used to excellent advantage. PREPARING FOR THE GAME.
Prior to the game there was some dispute over the umpire, Klelnhans of To-peka who came in with the Kansas team. Manager Oury had tried to get the Kansas boys to postpone the game until Monday, as he thought he could get a better crowd. Manager McKIn-ney and Coach Woodruff refused because they claimed it would affect their schedule. Manager Oury then refused to accept Klelnhans as umpire. The visitors were obstinate and Insisted on his being retained, aa his name had been submitted and agreed upon. “When Oury saw the crowd he consented to let Klelnhans officiate. Fred Cornell of Lincoln acted as referee. Coach Woodruff of Kansas and Lieutenant “Wilson of Omaha were linemen. R. H. Townley and J. D. Robblns of Lincoln acted as timekeepers.
LOTS OF WRANGLING.
The game commenced on time, but an hour was consumed in arguing over the decisions .of the umpire during the game. As the first half was about closing,. Kansas attempted to kick goal from the field. The spectators ¦standing at that end of the field insisted that it passed outside of the west goal post. Coach Robinson asked Umpire Kleinhans if the ball went over. The umpire responded that he was not sure. He changed his mind after a short talk with Coach Woodruff and gave Kansas a field goal. The result is that • Nebraska will protest against these five points.
NEBRASKA PLAYS HARD.
If an unprejudiced spectator saw tha game yesterday he must say that contrary .to all expectations and prediction m.idG beforehand, the Nebraskans outplayed the- v’«itors. From the very start ‘the home boys played -with a, vigor and determination tlra-t was surprising. Tne first i g*oal was gained without thu ball ¦\ arylng fifteen feet from the center of the fleid It was made in thirteen minutes (The Nebraska boys went through, the celebrated line of the Kansas boys without the least bit of trouble. End rune were scarce hut Shedd was always good for a gain through the center. Before the tpuchdown was made when Nebraska was ion Kansas-‘ iten yard line, Cowgill and Eochburger got into a ecrap and the Umpire ¦wanted to rule Nebraska’s plucky Jlttlo quarter back ott the field Captain Shedd kicked and then It -was claimed that while Nebraska had ithe ball one oil their players had been guilty of a foul tackle. The umpire gave the bill to Kansas and advanced them ten yards down the field before they would continue the game. The Nebroskans held them on downs, however, and recovered the ball, (after which they drove it over the goal line wtth the assistance of “Williams and Shedd, the latter making the touchdown.
Schwartz made a run of twenty yards and another of ten after this, biingmg th3 ball back to center after the Kick-oft by Kansas. Cowglll punted the ball to the five-yard^llne of the visitors and Kansas eent it back after two downs to tholr ¦forty-yard line. A fake punt by CowgUI sent it hack ten yards and then the Kan-suns settled down to ‘business. They forced >the ball down the field steadily, their celebrated interference helping them materially. The Nebraska, boys broke1 this up gradually, however, and compelled them to. resort to a field kick to reach goal The umpire gave it to them and the score stood 6 to 5 n favor of Nebraska, as Shedd had sent the ball between, the posts after making his touchdown.
The tandem play was used by Kansas several times during the remainder of the half, but ithe Nebraskans met it so effectively that It failed to prove as strong a distance winner as the visitors had anticipated. The Kansas boys played a strong1 hard game, Games, Mosse and Hess -working like Trogans.
TOOK THE FIELD.
-During the rest between the halves the etudonts marched out and took possession of the field. They marched and coun-‘termarched up and down the field keeping lock step and giving the Nebraska yell or singing “There 11 Be a Hot Time” and other songs of like import. The field was cleared with some difficulty by five policemen, but many oE the Jwys sat down Euround the lines instead of retiring to the* seats they had occupied before the half ended.
NEBRASKA SCORES POUR MORE.
It was 5 10 before the second half commenced and owing to the clouds and the shortening days, night had begun work that could not be stopped by tackling Nebraska kicked off and sent the ball past all the players to the ten-yard lino of their opponents. Several trials failed to aid the Jayhawkers and Speakers strong limb was called upon for a punt. Nebraska kept the ball after that and by hard end running and the continuous ceniter drives of Shedd, carried the ball .to the ten-yard line Cowgill punted It over and “Wiggins and Shedd went through thp crowd after It Wiggins fell on it after it had struck the “hands of one of itho Jayhfiwkers. “When he arose Shedd picked up the pigskin and handed It to “Williams thereby losing the right to kick go i… The visitors objected to playing longer if the goal were allowed, claiming that “Wiggins was ofEside when he went after the ball and that the crowd Interfered. As it was too dark to play longer the game was called, Nebraska winning the game 10 -to 5, according to the refetee e decision.
BELLS WERE RINGING.
The game had hardly ended before the red lantern w.i-s ^ent to the tower of the university and iLs rajs informed the city of the victory The university bell and whistles assisted in cart ying the tidings The students were happy and they yeUed and yelled again in retiring from the field because tlie> woie so pleased ove* the victory. Lat>L night they celebrated In their usual enthusiastic style. It was the opinion of thoso best, versed in the gamo that the Nebraska boys had falily outplayed the vMto-is and It was Inch belief thai- Yale must be -woefully weak if the Kansas team can defeat it, as predicted, by Coach Woodruff
ROBBIE IS HAPPT.
tAfter the game Coach RoMiikon and the playeit were seen at the gymnasium. They were all in good condition, Shedd being1 albout the> only sufferer. Ho had sprained hi1* lame side again and was not feeling as well as he might. TIan«en wa.s a little stiff. The othei bi>yv were In Itrat class condition. Coach RoblnbOn said he Was satisfied that Nebraska had won fairly, but that he would protest the live points made by Kansas ‘because lie did not believe the ball passed between the goal posts. Even allowing th it ‘howevpr uc insisted that the g’ame would come to Me-braska. He said that the rules empowered the officials to oall a game on aucounL of darkness and it was not his undei standing-that > il ‘wtould h’ave to be played over -again
‘ Coach Robinson said: “Tlio decisive \tetory for Nebraska demona’tatet. what L have believed from the beginning that, tihe- Nebraska team was the better of tho two despite the many claims made foi Kansas. The game was played almost wholly -within Kansas teriitoiy. Kansas never getting further -in Nebraska territory than our twenty-five yard line. Nebraska gained ten yards to Kansas’ one throughout the game. The Nebraska team proved to be in fully as good condition as Kansas, not a man oC our eleven being: injured. The style of game played by Kansas proved to be very eusy to block. Both teams played clean ball. A protect was made before the game on Kl&lnhan-s acting ^3 umpire and .his work during it fully sustained all of the objections Nebraska had agalm»t h.m Kansas absolutely refused to play unless he acted as an umpire, although ample notice had been given Kansas not to bring him. with them to umpire. The claim made by Kansas that it la no game Is ridiculous and not sustained by any previous ruling Every decision mad« during the game was against Nebraska with possibly one exception. The team, coach and management are confident that conditions being equal Nebraska can beat Kansas 24 ‘to 0. Kansas -was wholly unable to gain ground and was compelled to resort to kicking throughout the whole
gams. The Nebraska line completely outplayed Kansas, the latter failing to make a single gain around our end Their gains were made by straight line bucking and usually on four downs had-to save themselves by punting. Kansas was evidently overconfident and do net seem to
realize that they were- fairly beaten. Instead of acknowledging their defeat they have endeavored io salve their feelings and let their backers clown easy by claim-Ing- It was no gume on tL technicality that cannot stand. Dr. “Wiley O. Woodruff, formerly of the Pennsylvania team, but now coach for Kansas, is particularly prominent in asserting1 this claim”
Manager Oury Explains.
In. order that the people of Lincoln and of the state who have taken so much interest in the football team of the university may understand the cause o£ the trouble in Saturday’s game, the management has this statement to make: The umpire, Mr. Kleinhans of Topeka, K»s . officiated in the game under protest of the Nebraska management. He was notified immediately atter the lowa-Kanais game, October 30, that he would not be acceptable to Nebraska. The manage” oC the Nebraska team notified the general, manager of the league at that time, alba the manager of the Kansas team. At the same time a list of men who would be acceptable Among- thesi* names were tho=e of several prominent football men from. Iowa and Missouri. No word was received from the Kansas manager respecting these men. Later, it has been learned that Mr “Woodruff wired Kleinhans to come regardless of Nebiaska’b protect There were both Iowa and Mis^ouii men on the grounds, but Coach Woodiuft would not accept them and at2 30 Satin da> afternoon uf .cr the crowd had assembled on tho campus he sent word to tho manager of the Nebraska team that he would no. allow his team to leave the ha el until it was agreed that Mr. Klelnhant-should act lib one of the officials. There was nothing left for the management to do but to accept his ternib oi declare the game off. It was too late to do that after the crowd had assembled W H. OURY.
Manager of Nebraska. Team.
Says H*s No Game.
Coach Woodruff of the Kansas football Loam was seen List night after the game which he insisted was no game at all He lefened to the following rule 14, page 12»: ‘The time at the game shall be seventy minutes, each sldo playing thirty five minutes from each goal The game shall be decided by the final score at the end ot even halves.”
* This rule is explicit,” said the doctor, “and there* is> not another woid in iho wholo book about anything bear ing on this controversy. I defy anyone to show it to me.” And then the coach road the book of tules section bv section to the repoiter
‘ I offered to play the game In Omaha tomorrow in* we could get a guaranty thoie, but Manipei Oury refused 1 sn.il! leave this afternoon at 1.10 with the team for home I claim yet that the Kaiisas boys are superloi lo the Nebiaskans and with ilgld officials or under ordinary circumstances ought to defeat tho Nebraska teun by thirty points. ] know this My te im. excels the Nebraska, eleven in evei y way. Youi men a-e soft and took out time at every opportunity. Thib should not have been allowed
‘ In regard to the first touchdown I wl L admit the Nebtaska team played well. They earned that touchdown When, they scored the last touchdown they played hnd. But you must acknowledge that X gave them a man. I would have insisted that Cowglll be removed for slugging hud not Robinson and Oury Insisted that they had no quarter back to put In. his placo. I am sure my team, cant beat the Nebiaskans and IE we play again I will prove it.” ___________
HOW IT WAS PLAYED
Details of the Game Minus tho De-
The struggle In detail follows.
Nebraska won the toss and chose the south goal
Kansas kicked off forty yardd and Cow-glll regained ten yards. Then Nebraska pushed the Kansana steadily down the field and began to show what they could do nffht from the start. The gains were twenty-five yards in nine plays. Shpdd cairied It ten yards’, then five and three yairts and Williams two jards. These steady advances through the Kansas l’ne brought the bull to their thirty-yard line. Shedd burst through the line, sprinted and rolled over on the; Kansas JIfteen-yard line. Williams was good, for four yards around right end, Shedd hit the centre for six more, then two, leaving the ball two yards from, the Jayhawkers’ goal. Here the Kansans claimed that Cowgill fouled, ami the umpire ruled him oft the field, but agjin reinstated him Nebraska had’to lose ten sards, together with the ball, to square th ngs up. The gentlemen from the Kaw lost tho ball on downs Shedd pushed the/balL along for four yards, Williams planted it squarely on the goul line, and Shedd carried it over, mak-
ing the first touchdown in thirteen minutes. Shedd kicked goal. Score 6 to 0.
Then the gume began In earnest. Kansas kicked off for thiity-five yards ami Williams brought the ball back ten. Williams went around right aid Lor nlm yards, then Schwartz made a beautiful run around right end twenty yards, wnero he went out o£ bounds. Then came mom steady gains for Nebraska. Williams gave the ball a, six-yard push Shedd shook the crowd and stopped with a foui-teen-yard gain, Williams put nine niorr yards to his credit, Hay ward added ti\o yards, Shedd two, then William*, madt. four and lost three. Schwartz carried on the g-ood work for six yards, and Cow-gilt made a- trial foi goal from the fiUeen-yard line, but failed. Wiggins picked up tho ball and leTt it two jards from th * Kansas goal Nebraska lost the ball and gave the Kansans a second look at it. Avery gained eight yards In two plaj**, when Voigts took the ball ami failed to gain, being somewhat injured in the attempt Then Speake made- a pretty punt of thirty-ilve yards, and Cowglll carried the ball out of bounds, making an eight-yard gain. Shedd gained five and two yards, when the KiuuMns secured tho ball. They lost one yard in the first play and Hosse gained four yaids Finding they could not break the Nebraska. line Speake made another punt for thii tj -live yjrdb. Then with slow gains tho Nebraskans crossed the line into Kansas territory rfgdin, and Cowglll made a fifteen-yard punt. Then the Kansans began to play. First they gatheiwl In live yards, then In a few plays Poorman and Foster pushed the good thing along for twent>-Ilvo yards. Games made two yards, taking” ithe batL out of bounds. Blochbuq-ei gained four yards, and Hess follow oil ¦with a. fourteen-yard run. After two small gaina, Speake tried a kick for g-oal fioin the field. It was the decision of the umpire that goal wa3 kicked and thlr rul up was the cause of considerable .i-d.^r** comment, and nearly resulted In the Nt1-brj.s»kans refusing to play. The mar tor uas finally compromibed by allow ng- tin* decision to pass to be af torn aids contested. Score 6 to 5.
Nebraska kicked off fifty yards and the Kansans returned the ball fifteen atl’-Speake punted fifteen yaidt. Moss pinched tho ball and added five moie. Ile=s WLinL along ten yards,* and Games ran nearlj the width of the field, ^alnli.g-, however but ten yards A play with no gain emio«l the first half. Score 6 to 5.
The second half wjs very much abbreviated. Nebraska kicked off forty-nine yards. After two plays without gain Speake- punted twenty-five >ard=, and .Benedict regained live WUl’ams gained five yards, Shedd ten, Williams four, and Benedict two. Two pUj s without gain followed -when Cowgill punted from the Kansas Jive-yard lino, and Wiggins fell on the ball behind the line, maklnj-a, touchdown. A dispute in regard to this play lasted for about twenty minute, Kansas claiming that no score was made because the ball wont over tho can\as fence. This score will also be contested Shedd lost the chance to kick goal by picking up the ball and then giving it to another player, who carried It out Si ore 10 to o.
Because of the darkness, the g’.imc was declared at an end.
The two teams lined up in tnK wij Nebr aska. Position–. Kansas.
Melford ……….. .C…….W^ikei
Hansen…………L. G……..Foster
Turner…………R. G. ., . . . Mosst*
Pe-arse………..U T……Bl chbu-j-f
Hay ward……… R T……….A^ery
Wiggins………R. E ………….Oamea
Strlnprer…….. L. K……Voigt-s
Cowgill………..Q . . Kennedy, cu.pt.
Schwartz ar-d
Benedict…..R. H…….Poorm.n
Williams . ….. L II ………..Hess
Shedd, capt . . . F. H……..Sp»j.ks