AT THE END OF THE FIRST HALF
Saturday dawned clear and crisp, with a little westerly breeze stirring
the tops of the leafless trees and fluttering the big maroon flag with
the grey B that hung from the staff at the back of the grand stand. That
was not the only flag displayed, for here and there all along the Row
small banners hung from windows, while to add to the patriotic effect
all the red and grey cushions in school were piled against the casements
to lend their colour. There were few recitations that morning and there
might just as well have been none, I fancy. The squad got back from
Oakdale at one-thirty, after an early dinner, and were driven directly
to the gymnasium, pursued by the school at large with vociferous
greetings.
Claflin began to put in an appearance soon after that. Hitherto
Brimfield had travelled to Westplains to meet her rival, and this was
the first time that the Blue had invaded the Maroon-and-Grey fastness.
Hoskins did a rushing business that day, for Claflin had sent nearly her
entire population with the team, and many of the visitors were forced
to walk from the station. There was an insouciant, self-confident air
about the Claflin fellows that impressed Brimfield and irritated her
too. "You'd think," remarked Benson, watching from a window in the gym
the visitors passing toward the field, "that they had the game already
won! A stuck-up lot of dudes, that's what I call them!" But Benson was
not in the best of tempers to-day and possibly his judgment was warped!
The Claflin team arrived in one of Hoskins' barges and took possession
of the meeting-room upstairs to change into their togs. They were a
fine-looking lot of fellows, and they, too, had that same air of
confidence that Benson had found annoying. By a quarter past two the
stage was set. The grand stand was filled to overflowing, the settees
and chairs, which had been brought out to supplement the permanent
seats, were all occupied, and many spectators were standing along the
ropes. Over the stand the big maroon-and-grey banner floated lazily in
the breeze. The field had been newly marked out and the cream-white
lines shone dazzlingly in the sharp sunlight. It was a day for light
wraps and sweaters, but many visitors, arriving in motor cars that were
now parked behind the gymnasium, were clad in furs. It was distinctly a
social occasion, for fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, aunts and
uncles had descended upon the school in numbers and half the fellows
were parading around before the hour set for the game with admiring
relatives or friends, showing their rooms and the dining-hall and the
gymnasium, and looking all the time a bit bored at the fuss and secretly
enjoying it. Harry Westcott was seen with his father and sister in tow,
while Roy Draper was surrounded by an enthusiastic flock of female
relatives.
Overhead a clear blue sky, scarcely so much as flecked with a cloud,
arched radiantly. The breeze was much too light to place a handicap on
either goal, and when, at a quarter after two, the visiting team trotted
across from the gymnasium, ducked under the rope at the end of the grand
stand and started to warm up it was seen that the long punts she sent
away showed scarcely any influence from the wind. Of course Claflin,
banked at the east end of the stand, greeted her warriors royally, and,
of course, Brimfield gave them a hearty cheer, too. But that acclaim was
nothing to the burst of applause that went up when the home team, twenty
strong, led by Andy Miller, romped on. Then Brimfield shouted herself
hoarse and made such a clamour that the cheer which the Claflin leaders
evoked a moment later sounded like a whisper by comparison.
Ten minutes of brisk signal work, punting, catching and goal-kicking
followed, and then, while along the road an occasional screech from a
belated automobile sounded, the teams retired to opposite sides of the
field, the maroon-and-grey megaphones, which had been keeping time to a
song sung by some hundred and thirty youths, died away and the
comparative quiet that precedes the beginning of battle fell over the
field. The officials met on the side line and then, accompanied by
Captain Miller, walked to the centre of the field. From the farther side
a blue-sleeved and blue-stockinged youth advanced to meet them. A coin
spun, glittering, in the air, fell, rolled and was recovered. Heads bent
above it, the group broke up and Andy Miller waved to his players. Then
blankets and sweaters were cast aside and ten maroon-sleeved youths
gathered about their leader. There was a low-voiced conference and the
team scattered over the east end of the field. Brimfield had won the
toss, had given the kick-off to Claflin and Captain Burrage had chosen
the west goal and what slight advantage might come from a breeze at his
back.
Andy Miller and the two coaches had arranged the line-up the evening
before. There had been some indecision as to filling one or two
positions for the start of the game, and the line-up as it was presented
when the whistle blew held several surprises for the school. Here it is,
and the Claflin list as well:
BRIMFIELD. CLAFLIN.
Roberts, l. e. r. e., Chester
Lacey, l. t. r. t., Mears
Fowler, l. g. r. g., Colwell
Innes, c. c., Kenney
Hall, r. g. l. g., Johnson
Williams, r. t. l. t., Bentley
Miller, r. e. l. e., Mumford
Milton, q. b. q. b., Ainsmith
Harris, l. h. b. r. h. b., Burrage
Kendall, r. h. b. l. h. b., Whittemore
Norton, f. b. f. b., Atkinson
"Are you ready, Brimfield? Ready, Claflin?"
The whistle piped, a Claflin linesman stepped forward, swung a long leg
and the battle was on. Williams caught the ball on the thirty-yard line.
On a fake kick play Miller tried Claflin's right tackle and made but two
yards. Norton punted to Claflin's thirty, where Burrage fumbled the
ball and Ainsmith recovered it. Claflin at once punted out of bounds to
Brimfield's forty-five-yard mark. Kendall made three yards around the
enemy's right end and then, on the next play, failed at the line. Milton
tried a forward pass to Miller, but the ball grounded and Norton kicked
to Claflin's twenty-yard line.
Two tries by the Blue netted little and she again punted and the ball
was Brimfield's on her own forty-seven yards. Harris failed to gain
through Claflin's left tackle and Brimfield was penalised fifteen yards
for holding. On a criss-cross against left tackle Harris was tackled for
a loss and Norton then punted to Whittemore and the latter ran the ball
back fifteen yards before he was stopped. On a try through Hall the
Blue's full-back failed to gain. But on a second attempt at the other
side of centre he smashed through for seven yards. A delayed pass by the
Claflin quarter gave his side first down on Brimfield's thirty-five-yard
line. Atkinson again tried Hall and gained less than a yard. Ainsmith
attempted the Brimfield left end and was thrown by Harris for a
five-yard loss. Captain Burrage tried Brimfield's right end and failed.
With one down left and fifteen yards to gain Burrage tried a forward
pass. It was successfully captured, but the distance was short and the
pigskin went to Brimfield on her thirty-eight yards.
Norton punted on first down and Claflin returned it. Kendall misjudged
the ball and it rolled to the Maroon's twelve yards. Milton fell on it
there. Kendall and Norton gained two yards each through centre, and
Norton punted to Brimfield's forty-five yard line, where Burrage made a
fair catch.
The stands grew very quiet while the Claflin quarter-back poised the
ball. Then Burrage stepped forward and sent it speeding away. But the
kick was short and Norton caught the ball on his five-yard line and,
behind excellent interference, ran it back to the thirty-yard line
before he was thrown by Chester. From there Norton punted to the Blue's
thirty and Claflin returned the punt on first down to her adversary's
forty yards. Harris caught it, but was nailed in his tracks by Mumford,
who made a spectacular tackle which won applause from friend and foe
alike. Time was called for an injury to Mumford, but he was soon on his
feet again.
Claflin was penalised for off-side on the next play. Norton went through
right guard for first down and Brimfield shouted joyously. Kendall
failed to gain. Norton made a yard and then dropped back to kick
formation. The play, however, proved to be a forward pass to Roberts.
Roberts was out of position and the pigskin was intercepted by the
Claflin quarter. It was then the Blue's ball on her forty-five yards.
Hall let the runner through for a yard and Claflin pulled off a
successful forward pass to her left end on Brimfield's thirty-nine-yard
line. The Blue's full-back was stopped in an attempt on the opposite
right tackle and a penalty for off-side brought the ball to near the
middle of the field. Claflin then punted to Brimfield's seven yards and
the whistle sounded the end of the first quarter.
The stand cheered while the players traversed the field to line up under
the shadow of the west goal.
Brimfield thrust Norton at the Claflin centre when the play began again
and the big full-back made three yards. Then he dropped behind his
goal-line and punted, the ball going out of bounds at the twenty-four
yards. Claflin cheered loudly as the teams lined up.
Claflin's full-back made a yard through the centre, but lost the
distance when, on the next down, he went against Lacey. Captain Burrage
dropped back to kicking position on the thirty-five-yard line and once
more Brimfield's goal was in danger. The pass was straight and true.
Burrage dropped the ball and swung his foot. But two Brimfield forwards
had broken through and as the ball left the ground Andy Miller blocked
it. There was a mad scramble for the pigskin, Williams at last falling
on it on his twenty-five yards. Norton punted poorly, the ball going
diagonally across the gridiron, and it was Claflin's first down on
Brimfield's twenty-eight yards. Atkinson came through centre for a yard,
and then Burrage once more dropped back for a try at goal. The attempt
looked rather desperate, for the kicker was standing almost on the
forty-yard line, but Brimfield's supporters held their breaths until the
Claflin half-back had swung his long leg. Then a vast shout of relief
went up from where the maroon-and-grey megaphones waved tumultuously,
for Burrage had made a bad mess of the drop-kick and the ball rolled
along the ground and was captured by a Brimfield back.
Still went in for Harris, who had been hurt in the scramble. On the
second down, with seven to go, Norton received the ball at full speed
from Milton, broke through the Claflin line and, pursued by the wild
cheers of the Brimfield spectators, made fifty-five yards through a
broken field, at last landing the ball on Claflin's twenty-yard line.
It looked as though Brimfield's moment of victory was at hand. Time was
taken out for a Claflin injury and eventually Atkinson was replaced by a
substitute. Brimfield made two tries at the enemy's right end and gained
four yards. Williams dropped out of the line and retreated to Claflin's
twenty-five-yard line. The ball was almost opposite the middle of the
cross-bar when it went back to him on the pass from centre, but Innes
had thrown it low and Williams was hurried by the Blue's forwards, who
came crashing through. The ball went three yards wide of the left-hand
upright and Brimfield in the stand groaned.
Claflin put the ball in play on her twenty-five yards and Whittemore
punted to Milton on Brimfield's forty-five. Milton plunged back some
twelve yards before he was brought down. Norton punted on second down to
the Blue's ten yards and the ball was run back ten by the Claflin
quarter. The game then became a punting duel and after three exchanges
Kendall, getting the ball on his own thirty-five-yard line, ran it back
to the opponent's forty, dodging beautifully through a broken field and
throwing off at least a half-dozen tacklers. Brimfield tried Claflin's
left tackle twice and totalled five yards. A penalty, however, set her
back ten yards, and Norton punted again to Claflin's twenty yards.
Gleason was sent in by Coach Robey in place of Lacey. Claflin failed to
gain and Whittemore punted to Still on the Maroon's forty-four yards.
Norton tried the enemy's centre and failed of a gain and then punted out
of bounds at Claflin's fifteen. Claflin sent in a substitute right end
and Coach Robey put Corcoran in for Kendall. Claflin punted to midfield
and Corcoran made one yard through the enemy's centre. An off-side play
by the Blue gave Brimfield five yards and took the ball to the Blue's
forty. Still gained two at left tackle and the half ended with the
pigskin on Claflin's thirty-eight yards, the score 0 to 0.
The teams trotted off, blanket-draped, toward the gymnasium, the
substitutes trailing along behind, and the stand broke into excited
discussion of the game. So far the honours had been fairly even,
although toward the end of the second period the ball had remained in
Claflin territory most of the time. In fact, after Williams' try for
goal, the pigskin had never been nearer to Brimfield's last white mark
than her thirty-five-yard line. Claflin averaged some four and a half
pounds more than the home team, but in spite of that an unbiased critic
would have given Brimfield the honours in the attacking game. Her play
seemed smoother, her men better drilled. Neither team had shown great
ability at line-plunging, although Norton's fine rush of fifty-five
yards and Kendall's run of twenty-five gave Brimfield the benefit of the
ground-gained figures. Each side had good reason to claim the ultimate
victory, and each did so, meanwhile cheering and singing and working the
enthusiasm up to a fine pitch.