Dover High School - Tiger Yearbook (Dover, NJ)

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Jmit lull “There are some defeats more triumphant than victories.”—Montaigne. THE Dover High School Football season of 1916 opened as proverbial March; like a lion, but after such a prepossessing beginning, a team subsided into the rut of defeat, and assumed much the same propensities as the departing lamb. With a list of candidates numbering about twenty-five, the prospects seemed rosy, but with only three veterans to build a team around, and all the remaining candidates inexperienced, many to the extent of never having held a football, the rosy prospects faded into a drab gray, and the value of the 1916 Football Season can only be estimated by the constructive work it accomplished. It can only be determined by the records of future teams. Do not take the impression, however, that the Dover team did not fight, for even though it was defeated in every game but the first, the largest number of points scored against it was twenty and the total number of points only seventy-six. Then, too, it must be remembered, that for a long time the team was without coaching, that injuries beset it from all sides, and that it was seldom that the Dover team went on the field with every man in his regular position. After our first game, with Roxbury High School, we suddenly arranged for a game with Ridgewood, a much superior team, and one which was placed very high in the 1915 ranking. With hardy determination, we met them, and were it not for two blocked kicks, which afterward led to touch-downs, we would have held them scoreless, and probably would have scored ourselves. Here may be observed the fault which dogged our footsteps throughout the season, the inability to kick accurately and quickly. In this game, the team received its first handicap in the injury of Captain Joe Dick, fullback, who, while he continued playing, was never in the best of form. From that game until the end of the season we encountered a train of defeats, all by small scores, but yet, scores large enough to carry off the honor of the game. During this procession of defeats, the team met with more injuries, the most serious being to Heller, manager and halfback. A sprained ankle and injured hip kept him entirely out of one important game, and held him to a minor position on the line in several others. Cartage, the other halfback, was out of three games with an injured wrist, and at one time the entire backfield, except the quarterback, was on the injured list. At about the middle of the season, we were able to secure for about a half hour each day, the services of Mr. Jadowitz, Mr. Hammond, and Mr. Thornton, and the school owes thanks to these men for the excellent instruction and coaching they gave. On the whole we can say that when the season of 1916 closed, a football team of Dover High School had 27

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Umtrr iijiyh rhool Athlrtir Aaaiuiatum OFFICERS: President—ROBERT B. JENKINS Secretary—BEATRICE SINGER Treasurer—MRS. A. L. CUMMINS FACULTY ADVISORS: 26 MR. EDWARD WILDER MRS. A. L. CUMMINS

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passed into oblivion with a record of one victory and five defeats, and yet a team with wonderful spirit had passed a disastrous season, an inexperienced team, suffering from injuries, had bitten the dust. But as Walt Whitman said to a foiled European revolutionist, “When it cannot be helped, defeat is great.” And now, as the chronicler of the 1916 Dover High School Football Team, I can say, in conclusion, with the poet, William WetmoreStory: “I sing the hymn of the conquered, who fell in the battle of life,— The hymn of the wounded, the beaten, who died overwhelmed in the strife . . . The hymn of the low and the humble, the weary, the broken in heart, Who strove and who failed, acting bravely a silent and desperate part.” TEAM Joseph Dick, Captain Ends—Charles Burchell Claude Hoagland Tackles—George Colvin Theodore Johnson Guards—Russell King Earl Singer Gustav Heller, Manager. Center—Joseph Stark Halfbacks—Gustav Heller Michael Cartage Quarterback—Edward Peterson Fullback—Joseph Dick William Auer Carl Olander George Munson SUBSTITUTES Miller Ayres Harold Shorter Russell Tonking Carl Parker Letter men. SCHEDULE October 19—Roxbury High School .. 0 Dover High School.... . . .. 47 October 28—Ridgewood High School . . 14 Dover High School. . . . . . . . 0 November 4—Newton High School .. 12 Dover High School.... . ... 7 November 7—Dover Cubs . . 6 Dover High School.... .... 6 November 10—Bloomfield High School .. 20 Dover High School. . . . ... . 0 November 14—Newton High School .. 12 Dover High School.... .... 6 November 30—Alumni .. 12 Dover High School. . . . . ... 6 28