FOOTBALL

Vermont 6—Dartmouth 3

Trying to take the Vermont game in the early season stride, without the expenditure of so much power as to leave the team weakened for the objective contests of the schedule, Dartmouth failed by the margin of one field goal and Vermont scored a victory over the Hanover team for the first time in the history of football relations between the two institutions. Two Dartmouth coaches, Tom Keady and Norm Crisp brought from Burlington a powerful and well drilled football machine worthy of rank with the elevens of Penn. State, Colgate, and West Virginia as one of the best seen in action in Hanover in recent years. Johnson, Beck, Gooch, and Driscoll composed as formidable a backfield as Dartmouth has been called upon to face on a Hanover gridiron within a period of ten years, as powerful, in fact, as any with the exception of the Cornell quartet, which Dartmouth has met throughout the season. The Vermonters also exhibited unexpected defensive strength and succeeded several times in holding the Green team in check when a touchdown seemed imminent.

Both teams lost scoring opportunities in the first half of the game. A fumble gave Vermont the ball on Dartmouth's 30 yard line near the close of the first period. But here Moore intercepted a Vermont pass and Harris punted out of danger. Shortly afterwards a fumble by Beck, the Vermont star gave Dartmouth the ball on Vermont's 35 yard line, but from here Neidlinger's attempt at a goal from placement was un- successful. The half was drawing to its close when a series of Vermont rushes placed the ball on Dartmouth's 20 yard mark and Driscoll drop-kicked a pretty goal.

Neidlinger knotted the score for Dartmouth early in the third period, kicking a goal from a difficult angle on the 39 yard line. Two more attempted field goals failed in this period, Gooch being unsuccessful from Dartmouth's 35 yard line and Foster missing from the Vermont 38 yard mark. A few minutes following Foster's try, a Dartmouth fumble was recovered by Vermont on the Green 35 yard line. From this point Vermont carried the ball to within 27 yards of the Dartmouth goal and here Gooch added the third successful kick of the game. A fast and furious Dartmouth rally was then staged but missed by inches. Mills, who had replaced Smith at quarterback received a Vermont kick and carried it from his 47 yard line for a distance of 25 yards. On the next play he received a pass from Calder and ran the ball to within six feet of the Vermont goal. Here a line buck fell but one foot short of a touchdown. Dartmouth then suffered a peculiar penalty of two yards. Another line buck carried the ball a foot, the distance which a moment before would have scored. Before another play could be started the whistle ended the second home contest which Dartmouth has lost since 1904.

The statistics of the game show it to have been as even a contest as could be imagined. Dartmouth earned six first downs to Vermont's five and the Green's line rushes averaged 2.6 yards to Vermont's 2.4. The average length of punts varied but three yards and the average length of kickoffs by but 1.7 yards. Each team completed three of seven passes attempted and each gained exactly the same distance by the overhead game. Each team intercepted a pass. Only in two cases do the figures favor either team perceptibly. Dartmouth averaged 21 yards to Vermont's 10 on running back kickoffs. Vermont fumbled but once as against three fumbles charged to Dartmouth. All fumbles were recovered by opponents.

The playing features of the game were the line charging of Beck and the defensive play of Johnson, Vermont backfield stars, and the sensational play by Mills who throughout the closing minutes of the game called the signals for Dartmouth. Mills' only previous appearance for Dartmouth had been for a short period during the Middlebury game.

Harvard 12—Dartmouth 3

A packed stadium seating 52,000 spectators, witnessed the resumption Oct. 28, after a ten year interval, of football relations between Harvard and Dartmouth. The contest was without question one of the most evenly waged of the many games in the history of Harvard-Dartmouth football games, and, from a Dartmouth standpoint, in every respect save that of the final score one of the most satisfactory games in recent years. Boston and Cambridge exhibited towards Dartmouth a sort of welcome home spirit which made the "peerade" a most pleasant one, and nowhere was any trace of the confused jealousies and prejudices which for many years unthinking persons attributed to . both institutions.

As the first hard test game on either schedule the stadium game was all that could be desired. Dartmouth, to be sure, had had a severe testing the week preceding when the University of Vermont team proved a tartar. But not until the game with Harvard did the Green team exhibit its full complement of plays and formations. The game throughout was a more or less defensive contest, each team finding the other an even match and each playing for the "break" which would decide the contest. First downs on Dartmouth's 25, 22 and 13 yard lines gave the Crimson team scoring opportunities in the first half of the game, and in the third period the Harvard team had the ball on the Green 12 yard mark, and in the fourth period at the 28 yard line. In every case the Dartmouth defense held and Harvard failed to advance. Though exhibiting thus a splendid defense the Dartmouth team fell short of expectations when on the offense. Seldom was the ball deep in Harvard territory. Late in the first period a fine run by Mills placed the ball on Harvard's 25 yard line but the Green team could gain no further, and Neidlinger missed an attempted goal from placement. Later in the game the ball was at Harvard's 35 yard line but again the Dartmouth team was unable to score. The fourth period saw a revival of the Dartmouth attacking strength and the Green team gained many yards when a smart dash by Mills and another by Calder totalled 45 yards. These runs, however, but made up for ground previously lost, a poor pass from Moore, at center, having forced Dartmouth into a stand upon her own two yard line.

The game opened with a long and intense punting duel between Gehrke, of Harvard, and Harris, of Dartmouth. One exchange gave Harvard the ball on Dartmouth's 45 yard line from which position the Harvard backs gained 15 yards and aided by a penalty for Dartmouth holding placed the Crimson team in excellent position. Here Buell tried but missed a field goal. Later in the period Neidlinger, trying for Dartmouth, also missed. Early in the second period Harris punted short and Buell, signalling for a fair catch, was tackled by too eager Dartmouth forwards, the Green team drawing a 15 yard penalty. The ball was then on Dartmouth's twenty two yard line and Buell finding the Dartmouth defence impregnable again attempted to kick a goal but again missed. Buell gained another opportunity a few minutes later when he again signalled for a fair catch and was again tackled. The ball was then on Dartmouth's 25 yard line and a short pass and a line buck brought it a bit nearer. Again the Dartmouth defense was staunch and this time Buell succeeded, his educated toe responding with a perfect kick from the 25 yard mark. Owen tried a placement kick later in the period but was unsuccessful. On the punt out Harvard got the ball.on Dartmouth's 36 yard line and a pass from Buell to Owen netted 24 yards. Here, on the twelve yard line Harvard was held for downs. Harris' punt after this struggle was again short and Buell made a fair catch on the Dartmouth 32 yard line. On the next play, Owen, standing on the 40 yard line kicked a goal from placement.

The second half of the contest almost duplicated the first half, the game being mainly an exhibition of defensive strength on the part of both teams. Dartmouth scored at the start of the fourth period, Neidlinger booting a beautiful placement kick from the Harvard 48 yard line. The score was then 6 to 3 in Harvard's favor and with Mills opening up and driving the Dartmouth defense furiously the game was anybody's. But Dartmouth hopes were crushed a few minutes later. Standing on his own 35 yard line Harris, of Dartmouth, held the ball for a forward pass, delaying a moment in order to give Mills an opportunity to slip into receiving position. Jenkins, of Harvard was bearing down fast upon him and just as the ball was passed the Harvard end batted it ahead of him into the air, snatched at it and raced down a clear field for a touchdown.

For Dartmouth the play of Neidlinger and the Dartmouth ends, and of Mills at quarterback were the features. The Green wings and tackles were down fast under every punt and Harvard receivers were unable to advance the ball more than a few feet after the catch. Mills, whose rise to Dartmouth football fame has been the most dramatic and spectacular thing in years of Dartmouth football history, played through the entire game at quarterback. It was the first game in which he had ever started and his running back of punts and leadership of the team merited all the glowing praise which sporting writers bestowed up-on him. The entire Dartmouth line ably supported by the backfield men, played a spirited and staunch defensive game against which even the power of Owen was unable to make impression. Buell's remarkable field generalship and the attacking power of Owen were Harvard'-s strongest points. Buell proved himself indisputably the champion play director of a generation.

Dartmouth 10—Boston University 7

Conserving its strength for the season's objective game with Cornell, Dartmouth squeezed out a 10 to 7 victory over the third Dartmouth-coached team played on Memorial Field during the present season. The Boston team coached by Dr. Whalen exhibited a sensational forward passing game provocative of many thrills and the Dartmouth backfield .substitutes whom coach Cannell relied upon for this contest received plenty of practice on pass defense.

Starting the game with an entire second string line-up coach Cannell was soon forced to call upon the regular linesmen to hold the Boston team in check. A number of long forward passes resulted in a touchdown for the visitors after six minutes of play. Thereafter, though constantly threatening, they were held at bay while the Green team, taking advantage of one of numerous opportunities, scored a touchdown and Neidlinger augmented the score by a placement kick of 42 yards.

From a Dartmouth standpoint the game was a disappointing one. The Green team exhibited no offensive power and though given many golden opportunities to score lacked the necessary drive to amass points. Costly fumbles were responsible also for further loss of opportunities to Dartmouth. For Boston University Cochran played a spectacular game, Mills, at quarterback for Dartmouth, continued the speedy and flashy playing and the good generalship which has won him a place in Dartmouth football as one of the best of the Green quarterbacks of recent years.

Cornell 23—Dartmouth 0

Cornell's mighty scoring machine built around the redoubtable captain Kaw, one of the star halfbacks of all time, rushed its way against a bitterly stubborn Dartmouth defense for a 23 to 0 victory before a crowd of 35,000 assembled at the Polo Grounds in New York on Armistice. Day. The Green team contested every inch of the way with the Ithaca juggernaut but was overpowered by a brilliant massing of interference behind which the powerful Cornell backs made long and consistent gains.

Starting quickly after an introductory exchange of punts which ended at Cornell's 45 yard line the Dobie team swept down the field by straight rushes and soon had the ball on Dartmouth's four yard line for a fourth down. Here Ramsey took the ball and plunged over the Green line of defense for the first touchdown. The second touchdown came but a few minutes later when Kaw starting from Dartmouth's 45 yard line broke through the Hanover forwards and charged past the secondary defense for an uninterrupted dash to the Dartmouth goal. Hanson who had missed the try for point after the first touchdown scored on this second attempt and brought the score to 13.

Throughout the next two periods both teams contested fiercely the territory between the two goal posts. Kaw, Ramsey, and Pfann, carried the ball for Cornell on many smashes through the center of the Dartmouth line and off tackle. Neidlinger, Moore, and the other members of the Dartmouth line halted the Cornell attack in times of danger. Dartmouth even made several bids for Cornell territory, completing two long passes and upon occasion gaining by a rushing attack from a spread formation. The Ithacans, however, were as sturdily impregnable defensively as they were irresistible on the offense, and only once were the Dartmouth players within striking distance of the Cornell goal line. Here three successive forward passes were batted to the ground by Kaw and the Dartmouth attack was smothered. Four times Neidlinger attempted goals from placement, but on each occasion was unsuccessful. Two kicks from the 54 yard line were straight and true but fell short, though by only a few feet. The other kicks, from the 46 yard line and the 43 yard line respectively, were close but a trifle wide.

In the final period the Cornell attack again swung into effective action. Kaw intercepted a forward pass on Dartmouth's 30 yard line and with Pfann and Ramsey adding territory on each drive placed the Dobie men in position for Cassidy to add another touchdown. Hanson kicked the goal. A few minutes later Hanson added three more points to the Cornell total, kicking a goal from placement on Dartmouth's 35 yard line.

Seldom if ever has a Dartmouth team played a more powerful aggregation than that which represented Cornell this year. The New York State college under coach Dobie boasts, according to Dartmouth reckoning, a team which is by two touchdowns more powerful than the Harvard team played oil October 28, and which, Hanover sport enthusiasts consider worthy of supreme ranking for season honors. With the exception of captain "Bud" Whitney's 1914 team there has been no Dartmouth eleven of recent years which might have defeated the 1922 Cornell team. Defeat by so powerful an opponent left, therefore, little sting in Hanover, especially since the encounter at the Polo Grounds was of the clean and sharp variety which Dartmouth men hold the highest regard.

Dartmouth 28—Columbia 7

Dartmouth's offensive strength was exhibited for the first time this season at the Polo Grounds, Nov. 18, when the Green team, trailing Columbia by a 7 to 6 score at the beginning of the second half, began a powerful assault which shattered Columbia's hopes of victory and scored 22 points at a rate of nearly a point a minute. Columbia's touchdown came as the result of an intercepted pass which Burtt carried down the field for 80 yards. This was Columbia's sole exhibition of scoring power. Only twice during the entire game was the ball within Dartmouth's 30 yard line and almost constantly the Green backs were threatening the Columbia goal.

Dartmouth lost an opportunity to score early in the first period when after carrying the ball to Columbia's nine yard line the Green team was forced to surrender the ball, a fumble, a Columbia tackle which threw Burke for a loss, and a grounded forward pass sending the opportunity glimmering. Shortly afterwards, after a few exchanges of punts and a few scrimmages Calder carried the ball to the Columbia 35 yard line where Burtt, on the next play, intercepted the pass which provided Columbia's score. Dartmouth had previously scored 6 points on a touchdown made by Calder who ran 60 yards through the New York team.

The score remained at 7 to 6 until the third period was about half over. From that time on the Dartmouth backfield swept down the field without difficulty. Leavitt scored two touchdowns and Bjorckman one and Pulleyn was forced to recover a poor pass from the Columbia center for a safety behind the Columbia goal line.

As in the Cornell and Harvard games the play of the Dartmouth line, featuring "Pudge" Neidlinger, one of the best Dartmouth tackles of all time, and the spectacular ability of Mills at quarterback were the bright spots of the Dartmouth part of the game. Mills' running back of punts and his leadership of the team were impressive. He was, in addition, on the receiving end of most of the Dartmouth successful passes, when he was not himself passing, and his attempted drop kick from the 40 yard line was close.

Penn State 13—Freshmen 7

For the first time in two years a Dartmouth freshman team was defeated when, on October 21, preceding the Dartmouth-Vermont game, the Penn state freshmen emerged from a shortened contest with a victorious margin of one touchdown. Buckley and W. Baker, who with Onyx, contributed the feature playing of the day for the Pennsylvanians, were responsible for the touchdowns registered against the freshmen. Dimick scored the Dartmouth touchdown and Tarr added the extra point. The game was ragged throughout, marred by fumbling and frequent costly errors of judgment by both teams. The Dartmouth team showed but few flashes of a spirited offensive, with Kelley and Oberlander, featuring.

Freshmen 20—Springfield 0

Forward passes and consistent line plugging earned the Dartmouth freshmen a 20 to 0 victory over the Springfield Y. M. C. A. College second team, November 4, in a game characterized by much lose playing and fumbling. In the first period Kjerner and Dooel alternated in carrying the ball to the. Springfield 40-yard line from where Dimick made a long gain of 25 yards paving the way for a pass from Dooley to Cannon for the first touchdown. A 25-yard run by Bellaire, who replaced Dooley, added another opportunity for a touchdown in the third and Starret carried the ball across. The third freshman touchdown came as a result of line plunges and a split buck, Fallon making the score. Kjerner added points after touchdown on two of his three attempts.

Freshmen 21—Coburn 0

Playing on a muddy field against the team of Coburn Classical Institute at Waterville, Me., the freshman team gave one of its best performances of the season, and with Dooley contributing brilliant runs to the offensive play, scored three touchdowns while holding their opponents firmly in check. Fallon scored for Dartmouth late in the first period, with Starrett adding the point extra. In the third period Dooley added a touchdown and Starrett again kicked the goal. Jones scored the Dartmouth team's last touchdown taking a forward pass in the end zone from Dimick. Oberlander kicked the goal.

A. and P. Photo Cornell Game: Pfann, of Cornell, following his interference around Dartmouth's right end

In the Stadium: Harris punts out of the clanger zone