November 17, 1894 - Sporting Life
PENNSY'S TRIUMPH.
A NOTABLE VICTORY OVER THE PRINCETON TIGER.
Her Standing In the Football World Now Assured - A Remarkable Contest in Which the Champions Were Outplayed From Start to Finish.
1894 University of Pennsylvania Football Team (University of Pennsylvania Archives)
At Trenton, November 10, Pennsylvania University made good her claim to a place with the leaders in the football world by giving Princeton a most thorough and artistic dressing down. The Tigers were never really in the fight, were outplayed from start to finish and won easily by 12 to 0. Thus for the first time in history has either Yale, Princeton or Harvard been whitewashed by an outside college. But Pennsylvania is now no longer an outside college. By dint of praiseworthy hard work and wonderful adhesiveness against big odds she has finally brought herself to a par with the other three.
Pennsylvania won because she had the best team and played the best game. Her rush line averaged seven pounds heavier, her leads were simply great and her generalship was immeasureably superior to that of her opponents. Princeton, on the other hand, seemed to be stale, and there was a woeful lack of snap. The team was also handicapped by the crippling of Morse and Ward. Details of the game follow:
1894 Penna vs Princeton Football Program
HOW THE GAME WAS PLAYED.
A Detailed Account of the Quakers' Victory and the Tigers' Defeat.
The game began at 20 minutes past 2 o'clock, Pennsylvania having the kick off. Princeton had the better goal, the wind being at her back. Fullback George Brooke, of Pennsylvania, drove the ball out of bounds on his first kick, but was more successful the next time, the pigskin going straight toward Princeton’s goal. Garrett Cochran muffed the ball, but picked it up quickly and ran back fifteen yards before he was hauled down. The ball was now on Princeton's thirty yard line. On the next line-up Cochran punted and Brooke made a clean catch. Then Pennsylvania tried Princeton's center, but without avail, and the leather was passed to Winchester Osgood for a try round the Tigers' left end. The thin-haired Quaker was brought to earth by Thomas Trenchard without a gain.
The ball at this time was in Pennsylvania territory. "Penns” next play was a punt by Brooke, but it was not a very effective one, the ball going only as far as the center of the field. Neilson Poe caught it, but was thrown in an instant by the "Penn" ends. Franklin Morse and William Ward could not advance the ball a yard, but Arthur Wheeler plowed six yards through the opposing guard arid center. Here "Penn” got the ball for Princeton's off-side play, and Arthur Knipe took it around Trenchard’s end on a ten yard journey. Knipe made another gain, but shortly after Osgood and Brooke had failed to gain. The "Penn" backs then took turns at ramming Princeton's center, each time for short gains. Princeton's line braced up a bit, so Brooke punted. It was a poor effort and the ball went into touch. A Quaker fell on it, but Referee Bliss gave the ball to Princeton. The latter lost it, but the next minute regained it on their thirty-yard line for "Penn's" offside play.
1894 Princeton Football Team
TEN YARD RUN BY BROOKE.
Cochran's punt was splendidly returned by Brooke, Poe receiving the Quaker's return. The little Princeton quarterback was tackled without gain. Cochran again punted to Brooke, and this time the fiery headed fullback ran with the ball. He succeeded in covering 10 yards, reaching Pennsylvania's 50-yard line, when Knox Taylor stopped him after Trenchard and Langdon Lea had both missed tackles.
"Penn" next tried sending Charles Gelbert with the ball. The end rush's first effort proved to be fairly successful. He gained six yards around Fred Smith. On the next scrimmage Ward broke through and got the ball on a fumble. Then Ward himself fumbled, while trying to skirt Pennsylvania's right end, and Williams fell on the ball. Osgood failed to get around Smith's end and Brooke kicked to Poe, who was tackled by Gelbert on Princeton's 45-yard line. The Princeton backs tried "Penn's" center, but found it firm as a rock, and Cochran was forced to punt. Brooke caught, and eluded Trenchard and fell into Gus Holly's clutch after a short run.
Knipe could make no headway, and Osgood was downed with a loss of three yards by the Princeton rushers, who broke through in good style. An exchange of punts followed, in which Brooke's superiority to Cochran as a kicker was easily manifested. With the ball on Princeton's 30-yard line Cochran's punt was blocked, and "Penn” got the leather. Gelbert carried it five yards around Princeton's left end, and but for the fact that his interferers did not turn in soon enough he would have gone twice as far. Knipe moved the ball up to Princeton's 20-yard line, finding a hole in the Princeton line's center. Brooke tried the same place, but was thrown back without gain.
Short rushes by Knipe and Osgood advanced the ball 5 yards more. With their chances of scoring good at this junction, "Penn" lost the ball for offside play. Cochran kicked to Osgood at Princeton's 50-yard line. Brooke sent the oval sailing back again, and Poe made a bad muff, but saved the ball, after being heavily thrown by Rosengarten. Cochran, concerning whose line hitting ability much had been said previous to the game, couldn't gain an inch against "Penn's" center. His next effort was even worse. His point was blocked, and a Pennsylvanian rubbed the ball on Princeton's 20-yard line. Brooke, Knipe and Osgood discovered weak places in the Tiger line each driving through by two and three yard gains.
Alden Arthur Knipe, 1892-94 UPenn Halfback
PRINCETON'S CLOSE CALL.
Princeton's weak defense at this stage made it look certain that their adversaries would cross the goaline. Rosengarten hammered the line for three yards and Knipe dived through for five more. The ball was now within a yard of Princeton's goal line, but the Tigers rallied bravely, and in three downs the Quakers gained only two feet and six inches, needing half a foot more for the coveted touchdown.
Cochran punted out of danger. Osgood made a mess of the catch, and Lea, who had followed close after the ball, nipped it at the middle of the field. Princeton didn't care to try "Penn's" line, so Cochran punted. The ball went high and short, and Brooke caught. He tried to circle Trenchard' end, but "Doggie" nailed him. Brooke punted to Poe, and the little fellow was thrown in a needlessly rough manner by Charles Wharton. Poe got even by running around Pennsylvania's right end for 20 yards, in which Princeton showed the first signs of well-organized interference. Poe's run landed the ball on "Penn's" 45-yard line.
Cochran punted to Brooke, who was tackled and thrown backward by Trenchard before he could budge from his tracks. Brooke made a fine kick, long and low, to Princeton's 35-yard line, where Morse caught the ball. Bull, who had come charging down the field, threw the Princetonian heavily, iincapacitating him for the moment. In fact, the Quakers had been tackling like fiends all through the game, seldom missing their men. Poe tried. "Penn's" end without gain, and time was called.
Mitch G. Rosengarten and Charles S. Gelbert
THE SECOND HALF
There was but little wind when the second half began. Wheeler kicked off and Brooke kicked back. Ward found “Penn’s” right end passable, but Morse, with aid of interference, went five yards, and looked good for several more, when Williams dived through the Princeton blockers and headed off Morse by a good tackle. Holly circled “Penn’s” right end for 10 yards. Ward failed to get through the line, and Wheeler found an opening for three yards. This was the best playing the Tigers had done, but they couldn’t keep it up. “Penn” got the ball on downs on her 40 yard line. Gelbert made Princeton followers shiver by darting between Holly and Smith for a run of 18 yards. For this run “Penn” dropped her tackles and ends to the rear, the runner thus having the benefit of their interference, as well as that of the backs. This play baffled the Tigers, all except Morse, who got in and stopped Gelbert by a superb tackle, one of the prettiest plays of the day.
Osgood dashed around Princeton’s right end for 10 yards, and the Pennsylvania interference, which this time was something on the tandem order, made an opening for Brooke between Wheeler and Riggs, through which the Quaker fullback traveled five yards. Gelbert went four yards around Princeton’s left end. The Tigers then shook themselves together, holding the “Penn” backs, forcing Brooke to punt. It was a splendid kick, going in to touch at Princeton’s 20 yard line.
Carl S. Williams, 1893-95 UPenn QB
Morse essayed to get around Pennsylvania’s right end, and had done so with a good chance of a run, when he was checked by one of Williams’ fine tackles. Morse tried “Penn’s” center, and then “Penn” was given the ball for Princeton’s holding in the line.
The ball was now on Princeton’s 25 yard line. Knipe tried vainly to find a hole in the opposite line, Wheeler downing him. Pennsylvania’s interference was easily broken up after the next scrimmage, and the Quakers didn’t gain. Princeton got the ball on downs, but soon lost it again on a fumble. Princeton got the ball back again on a punt and Wharton broke through and downed Barnett with a loss of five yards.
PENNSYLVANIA SCORES.
Then came a play that brought unbounded joy to Quakerdom. The ball was passed to Cochran for a punt. The Princeton men made a botch of it. The ball struck the ground and was blocked by Williams, who had broken through in fine style. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and the Pennsylvania quarterback rose to it. Gathering up the leather on the run, he scurried for the goaline. He had but 20 yards to go, and with a clear field carried the ball over. Brooke kicked the goal. The time was 16 minutes of actual play since the beginning of the half.
Punts were exchanged after the next kick off. Ward retired in favor of Rosengarten. The new man made a 10 yard gain through the left side of the Pennsylvania line, which was followed by several more short gains through the enemy’s line. But “Penn” finally got the ball on downs, and Gelbert proceeded to offset Princeton’s advance by taking the ball back between Holly and Smith for a 15 yard gain. He was nicely tackled by Rosengarten. Brooke punted to Poe, who made a bad muff, but saved the ball at Princeton’s 30 yard line. While tackling Poe, Wharton was hurt by one of his fellow players, but stuck to his guns. Barnett rounded “Penn’s” right, and for a 10 yard run, and was downed by the inevitable Wharton, who was playing magnificently.
Langdon Lea, 1892-95 Princeton Tackle
Princeton found the Quaker center a harder nut to crack, and the Philadelphians got the ball on downs on Princeton’s 40 yard line. Lea was hurt in the next scrimmage, Taylor going to his place, and Rhodes succeeding Taylor. The “Penn” backs then set about to tear a few gaps in the opposing line for short gains. Then Princeton braced up and Williams made a short, diagonal punt, Rosengarten, of Pennsylvania, got the ball, but was stopped by Trenchard’s good tackle.
MISSED A GOAL FROM FIELD
The ball was now on Princeton’s 30 yard line, and Brooke was given the ball for a try for a goal from the field. The quarterback’s pass was high, and Brooke didn’t have much time. The kick was short and wide. Poe got the ball, but was pulled down by Woodruff before he could run. The oval was now on the Tigers 10 yard line. Rosengarten, of Princeton, by fast running and excellent dodging ran 20 yards past the Pennsylvania Rosengarten. He was finally yanked down by Wagonhurst. Barnett went 10 yards past Woodruff, and, after Rosengarten had failed to gain, “Penn” got the ball for Princeton’s offside play at Princeton’s 40 yard line. Osgood carried it 10 yards past Trenchard, and “Penn” worked her interference for good gains through Princeton’s center.
They couldn’t keep it up however, and the Tigers secured the ball on downs. Rosengarten tried "Penn's" right but Wharton got through and swung him around like a top. Cochran punted to "Penn's" 30-yard line, and Brooke grabbed the pigskin. This was one of the very few times the ball was on Pennsylvania ground in this half, and was the nearest it approached "Penn's" goal during the half, except on kick-offs.
Brooke was thrown by Smith without gain. He punted into touch at Princeton's 45-yard line. Barnett and Rosengarten made short gains between John Minds and the other Rosengarten. Williams made a short punt and Poe made another bad miss. The Pennsylvania Rosengarten brushed him aside and squeezed the ball down on Princeton’s 10 yard line. Then Osgood, with the assistance of splendid interference, sprinted around Trenchard’s end and went across for the second touchdown. Brooke kicked an easy goal. Time about 12 minutes.
Thomas "Doggie" Trenchard, 1892-94 Princeton End
A FINE PUNT
Trenchard kicked off. Brooke made a beautiful return of fully sixty yards. Barnett’s effort to circle left end was spoiled by Wharton, with a loss of five yards. Cochran punted to Brooke, who couldn’t run back, coming to grief as a result of Trenchard’s quick tackle. Osgood, however, circled the Princeton’s captain and for fifteen yards. Brooke couldn’t gain through Princeton’s center, but Knipe hit the line for a five yard gain between Holly and Wheeler. Then Brooke punted to Princeton’s fifteen yard line. Poe caught and Cochran kicked back to Brooke at “Penn’s” fifty yard line. “Penn” got five yards for offside play by Smith. Poe caught Brooke’s punt, and on the next lineup Barnett carried the ball ten yards around “Penn’s” left end. Cochran’s punt was caught by Osgood, who rushed the leather back ten yards.
The ball was now at the center of the field, and the game was fast drawing to a close. Brooke punted to Rosengarten at Princeton’s 25 yard line. The ball was immediately kicked back, Pennsylvania getting possession of it on Princeton’s 50 yard line. Just as the teams were forming for the next scrimmage Referee Bliss blew his whistle, the players straighten up, then broke ranks and the game had been won and lost.
1894 University of Pennsylvania Football Team