Iowa Wesleyan College - Croaker Yearbook (Mount Pleasant, IA)

Page 97 text:

KNOX VS. WESLEYAN When school opened the middle of September several changes had taken place in connection with athletics. Through the additional funds secured by the increase in fees, a coach was on hand to train and mould the athletic teams. Coach Beal issued his first call for candidates almost before the students were settled and foot ball practice started immediately. It was soon discovered that only four old men were back in the harness, making the task of the coach doubly difficult. Fortunately the backfield men were all old stars, with the exception of Thomas, and soon were working together. The green material on the line made up for their lack of skill and training by steady, driving work. One week before the first game Capt. Shipley left for Northwestern, making necessary another change in the backfield. Halden, one of the new men, was placed at quarter, with Thomas calling signals from half. Wesleyan’s first game was with Cornell at Mount Vernon. It was expected that our first opponent would have the stronger team, and there was not a great deal of surprise when the team returned home defeated. The score showed very plainly the ever-fighting spirit of our team. With the count 31 to 0 against them at the end of the first half, the team came back so full of fight in the second half that Cornell was unable to score. The game, however, showed the weak places of the team, and Coach Beal began immediately to remedy them. Thomas was placed at quarter, “Poge” brought back to half and Halden shifted to guard. The line men were given extra hard work and when on the next Saturday Knox appeared on the home gridiron, the varsity team was far stronger than the week before. A victory over no other team on the schedule would have delighted the Wesleyan people as much as over Knox. To win over Knox, the pride of the “Little Five,” always putting out strong, hard-working teams, means much to any college.

Page 96 text:

WM. BREITENSTEIN '‘Dead Sure Bill “Bill” END Bill came in after the season had started, but got into the game and by his hard playing won a place on the Varsity. His previous experience served him well, for he was very efficient with his shoe-string tackles. In the Alumni game he took Stone’s place at full and played a strong game. This is Bill’s last year, so next fall will not find him in a foot ball suit. RUSSELL BARNETT “Flash-light ‘Barney’ ” “Barney” END With no previous experience Barnett soon showed the coach that he was entitled to an end position. He was continually breaking up interference, oftentimes getting the man with the ball. Several times on forward passes “Barney” got away for good gains, making our only touchdown in the Pella game. He will be a valuable man on the 1914 squad. CLARENCE JOHNSON “Some Guard” “Johns” GUARD Johnson is one of the heavy-weights of the team and filled up the hole next to center so that the opposition had great difficulty in getting thru. He was in the game all the time, putting up a hard, steady scrap. Next year with his experience he will make an exceptionally strong line man. EARL MAUCH “End Run ‘Dutch’ ” “Dutch” END Mauch came out this year for the first time, used his feet and head so well that he proved to be one of the fastest men on the squad. Whenever he caught a pass it meant that he had made a long gain. On running down punts he was usually on top of his opponent before the latter could get started. “Dutch” will be back for another year of foot ball.

Page 98 text:

MONMOUTH VS. WESLEYAN w«w» KMWMNMm Shortly after the ball was kicked off to our team, quarter-back Thomas carried the ball over the goal line for the first touchdown. Pogemiller added another point by judicious use of his right toe. Again Wesleyan started for the Knox line, but paused long enough for Duncan to drop-kick the ball between the goal posts for three more points. In the second quarter Grant blocked a kick, picked it up, and made a forty-yard run for a touchdown. This ended the scoring of the first half. Score 17 to 0. The Knox team came back full of fight and determination, entirely living up to their reputation. As much as they worked, however, they were unable to secure but thirteen points during the half, giving our team a well-earned victory. One week after the Knox game Wesleyan invaded Illinois territory in an effort to secure the scalp of Lombard. Duncan scored a touchdown for the Wesleyan team and Pogemiller kicked goal, but Lombard got away with a long forward pass that tied up the score. Luck was in favor of the Lombard team and the “purple and white” men had to return home with a “no victory, no defeat” game. I)es Moines was the scene of the next contest. After a long, hard trip the team had to rush directly from the train to the field, thus giving them but little time to settle down for the game. Wesleyan lost the ball by a fumble on the kick-off, and a few minutes later the Des Moines team had pushed the ball over the line for a touchdown. The second score came in the third quarter when a forward pass was intercepted and carried almost to the goal line. Capt. Stone played a wonderful game, breaking up a great many plays. Thomas and Pogemiller played a strong charging game, while Duncan made his punts count much in our favor. The second home game on the schedule proved to be another especially exciting contest. The game with Monmouth enabled the purple and white team to give the spectators a real exhibition of the Wesleyan spirit.