Springfield College - Massasoit Yearbook (Springfield, MA)

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tfljc JWassasott referred to the school football team, and it was not long before a number of our men were ranked among the best players of the school. The class athletics received due attention. It was hardly to be expected that a winning team in football or hockey could be developed in a few weeks, at least when it was to meet men of two years’ training; but ’04’s athletic pol- “1 icy was far-reaching, aiming rather to develop teams which should capture school championships later in its career. The result of athletic enthusiams was very marked — Seifert and Laudenslager began training at once for the ten-mile cross country run, and Ashley and Rea commenced a scientific study as to how to play field hockey without talking. During the junior year the captains of our class teams were Vose, field hockey; Gray, football; Barrier,

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S ' ljr JHassasott 21 a feeling that something should be done, and at the critical moment our hon- orary members, Dr. Seerley and Dr. Ballantine, took the lead. In speaking of the improvements which have transformed T. S. during the past three years, bringing to us the much-needed boathouse, and causing the grass to grow and small trees to spring up mysteriously (the secret is known by Dr. Ballantine); we admit that Armstrong drew the plans for the boathouse, but we remember that Scott, ’04, was first assistant carpenter and that ’04 threw the first shovelful of sand. We never objected to the assistance of the upperclassmen, and yet we were conscious of that spirit within our class which conquered difficulties and even inspired men to noble deeds. 1904 came and the boathouse was a reality, the slopes were graded and the seed sown. We enjoyed the work — enjoyed watching for the storms the Admiral predicted, and enjoyed practicing first-aid on the blisters which responded to the call of the shovel and the hoe. It was on the lot opposite the gymnasium that Rath acquired the habits of digging into a subject which have characterized his study ever since; Cun- ningham learned to shingle; and, perhaps after an unusually hard day’s work, Barrier cultivated his most intimate acquaintance with Morpheus. We do not wish to leave the impression that the influence of 1904 extend- ed no farther than the surroundings of T. S.; it penetrated the very heart ot the student life, and after we had met Roseboro and Metts, had listened to Laudenslager, Craig and Dr. Durgin; and had been charmed by Hamlin’s visions of chickens roosting high; suddenly there arose an agitation for more Literary Societies, that all men might attain unto the virtues then enjoyed by a few. The societies were formed and have grown each year in efficiency and helpfulness. We can not refrain from a word of commendation to the Inter- national Lyceum which was fostered almost entirely by 1904 men. Part III. Athletics Early in the fall of 1901 such notices as the following began to appear in that classic journal, “Nobody’s Business”: “Half of the men that played last Saturday were ’04 men. The sensational plays were made by Gray, Offinger and Elliott.’’ 1 hese notices

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Etyt iflassasoit 23 basketball; Seymour, ice hockey; Elliott, baseball; and Henckel, captain of the track team. We succeeded in carrying off the championship in ice hockey, lacrosse, and baseball. The field hockey was won by the class of 1903 by a score of 1 to o. It was known as the most desperate game played at the school since the introduction of that sport. The baseball and ice hockey games were won with apparent ease, and much surprise was depicted on the faces of 1902 when their fame as ice hockeyists faded before the coming glory of the Orange and the Black. The baseball championship was a simple story of 27 to 8. I he tale was told by Gray and was punctuated bysnake-hkecurveswhich appeared like ? P ? ? ? to our worthy opponents. The track team of the |umor year cap- tured two events in the interclass meet. The other classes thought we were