Kalamazoo College - Boiling Pot Yearbook (Kalamazoo, MI)

Page 27 text:

CAPTAIX JACOBS HE most disastrous football season in the his- tory of the school characterizes the 1923 grid- iron regime of the Orange and Black. Ten games were played and that number were lost. Kala- mazoo averaged 3 points per game to opponents' aver- age of -1722. In six of the contests Kalamazoo was unable to make a point. In spite of this amazing record of calamity the football season was declared in some quarters a most remarkable series of moral victories. ln defense of the football team and Coach lklaynard Street, entering upon his first campaign with the Baptists, it can be indisputably said that they faced the hardest football schedule ever framed for any Kalamazoo football squad. Added to this, the material was the slimmest ever. Of the expected veterans only Captain Jacobs, Casey Voorhees, Captain-elect Black, Harsch, Fleming, and Sproul answered the football summons. VVith only four K men and a disheartening number of freshmen recruits, Street opened the season at Notre Dame with a team of little more than high school calibre. The Catholicls first, second and third teams 1'3.11 up 74 points in three quarters on Kalamazoo. But in the final period the battered Streetmen braced and held the heavy and fresh lrishmen scoreless. Kalamazoo was unable to make any first downs and Notre Dame was held for downs only three times. The University of Detroit, but slightly less powerful than Notre Dame on the next Saturday walloped Captain Jacobs eleven 73-0. Black, Jacobs, Fleming, and Voorhees were badly crippled in this game. The opening 111. 1. A. A. game showed how woefully weak the college football outfit really was. For the Hrst time in twelve years the Crimson crew was able to triumph 20-7. Skeen made Kalamazoo's touchdown on a line plunge after a pass of 30 yards to Harry Voorhees had been carried to the 5-yard line. The first home game against llorningside, of Sioux City, Iowa, was a replica of the university combats. Outweighed 30 pounds to a man in this and in the succeeding game at llarietta, Ohio, the college was held scoreless while big scores were run up by the opponents. The sixth defeat was at the hands of Ypsilanti at home by a 19 to 3 score. Blackls drop-kick from the 35-yard line accounted for the Kazoo trio of points. In this game the fighting liazoo spirit displayed itself to a marked degree. Hillsdale forced the Kazooks into undisputed possession of the cellar in the NI. 1. A. A. race winning 27-13. Skeen and l1Ierkley made touchdowns while Black made a try-for-point good. Four regulars, Jacobs, Hinckley, H. O. Voorhees, and Garrett we1'e out of the Alma game on account of injuries. In spite of this the eleven made a fair showing against the ll. 1. A. A. Champions holding them 38 to 0. Kalamazods ninth defeat was in many ways more glorious than a victory would have been over a lesser team. Albion came to Kalamazoo doped to win by 50 points. 112

Page 26 text:

...fi 1 l ,L L'o.icu gl. lNI.'xvx.uum Sikei-ii NVQ HI. I. A. SX. championships, in tennis and cross-country, two second places, in baseball and track, third place in baseketball, and sixth place in football is Kalamazods athletic record of the year '23-'2-l. Although this is not as high a record as Kazoo has boasted for the last two years, still it is a record that no college need be ashamed of. Other colleges, that have not been spoiled by such an unparalleled string of championships as Kalamazoo has earned in the past decade, would consider such a 1'ecord for the year good cause for celebration. XVitb the leaving of Coach Ralph Young and the advent of Kazoo's new coach, Klaynard Street, the natural mix-up occurred, which usually accompanies a change in coaches. Young left a line record which he built up by years of experience in college coaching. ll. A. C. realiz- ing his great wo1'th offered him the position of head coach at that institution and he, seeing an opportunity for greater constructive work, accepted. J. llaynard Street, a graduate of Carleton College where he was an all-round athlete, distinguished himself, previous to his coming to Kalamazoo, as coach at Shat- tuck llilitary Academy. This past year was an unfortunate one for the new coach, due to the extremely small number of veterans which returned last Fall. Next year, with a year of experience in college coaching and a large number of returning veterans to work with, he should be able to develop teams of championship calibre. The pros- pects for a championship in basketball look especially bright. 111

Page 28 text:

Back Row-Fortner, Dobson, lildred, Reed, Stone, Kraushaar, Benedict, llulett, llinga, Coach Street. Middle Row-Assistant Coach Vroeg, Sproul, Otto, NVhitney, Carson, Garrett, Nleeker. Vurtis. Front Row-Skeen, llarold Voorhees, Black, Faptain Jacobs, Merkley, Ilarseh, I,aCrone. But Kalamazoo playing a great game threatened to win the game at several stages. Had fate been kind a l-l-l-l tie might have resulted. As it was lXIerkley's touchdown was the only Kazoo score while Albion made three touchdowns. The game with Lombard on 'lihanksgiving Day was an exhibition of super- College football. Lombard outplayed the College in every department and looked the best of any team liazoo met, li0t excepting Notre Dame or Detroit. VVhile the College lost ten straight games it must 1' , , be remembered that the contests included games with Las? 5 the University of Notre Dame and Detroit and the intercollegiate leaders of Iowa, Dhio, Illinois, and Hlichigan. The team showed steady improvement as evidenced by the Hillsdale and Albion games. Con- tinuing steadfastly in the face of certain defeat, fight- ing gamely and consistently, the team deserved and was given steadfast and loyal support by the student body at all times. Captain Ardell Jacobs and Harold Voorhees won their third 'lK s in football. Second Kms were awarded to Bob Black and Darwin lllerkley. First year men are Hinckley, Lafrone, lleeker, Harseh, VVinne, XVhitney, Sproul, Garrett, and Skeen. Rus were given to Benedict, Newland, Dobson, Carson, Stone, Otto, and Curtis. Ifldred received a service sweater. CAI'lAIN'EI.lZCT BLACK 113