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T HE Importance of the klcklnc
department of a football, team
has been strikingly illustrated
In many contests in the east
and west this season. With the de
velopment of play under the new rules
—the rules of 1906—kicking in various
branches looms Into tho foreground
with greater prominence than ever.
Good kickers are mads and not born.
There is no such thing as a "born
kicker" in football, Just as there was
nevsr yet a "born pitcher" In baseball.
The great kicker, like tho great pitcher,
obtains his skill by artificial means—
by training, study and nover ceasing
practice. Of course I do not mean to
convey the idea that some men have
not moro natural aptitude for certain
branches pf athletic sports, but natural
aptitude Is not necessarily advanced
skill by any means.
CAPTAIN BURR
OF HARVARD.
rules, but the development of punting
is not rendered any the less necessary
THORP OF CARLISLE.
There is hardly a college In the coun
try that does not envy the Ames Agri
cultural college of Jowa In the posses
sion of E. Lambert, right hslfback.
Lambert’s kicking ability la little short
of phenomenal. In the recent. Contest
against the University of Minnesota he
kicked a goal from the fleld (from
placement) from the forty-elght
line, an almoat Impossible performance.
Princeton sadly; misses the kicking
powers of Harlan this year.
placement. In the recent game agatnat
Lehigh university at Annapolis North-
croft kicked such a field goal from tho
forty-nine yard line,
E. H. Coy, tho phenomenal Tale
fullback. Is eclipsing his work of last
year as a punter and is ths ablest
punter In the country today.
| , Pugilistic Doldrums.
Times have been so dull among tho
neavy men of the* prise ring of lute that
FAMOUS KICKERS OF LEADING
FOOTBALL ELEVENS IN ACTION
Kfcker*, as a Whole, Inferior.
The kickers of the big teams of this
year are, as a whole. Inferior to those
of certain past years In splto of the in-
. creased Importance of this branch of
tho game. Several men now in harness
are undoubtedly stars in some particu
lar phase of kicking, but'in punting for
distance it Is difficult to pick even one
man who classes with various men who
have shofie before.
Head Coach Percy Houghton of Har
vard was in his playing days a sensa
tional punter, and he has been en
deavoring to make the Harvard bri
gade the strongest in the country. But
thus far his material has proved dis
appointing.
A kick for distance in football, ex
cept a kickoff. Is always a runt, add
on this purely defensive measure fre
quently depends the winning or losing
of a game. Therefore its value should
never be underestimated by coaches
and captains. Of course place kicking
and drop kicking may add to a team's
score, while punting of Itaolf cannot
do so owing to the provisions of tho
Wheaton and 8teffen.
Drop kicking this year has able ex-
ponents in Wheaton of Yale and Cap<
tain Walter Steffen of Chicago. When*
ton la considered the best drop kicker
in the east, while Steffen leads in the
west. "Long John" Miller of the Uni
verslty of Indiana is another reliable
drop kicker, but his punts carry far
ther than those of almost any other
man 4n the college World. The Uni
versity of Pennsylvania will probably
depend on "Big Bill" Hollenbach in its
leading contests during the remainder
of the campaign, and Captain Burr of
Harvard is doing considerable punting
for the crimsons. Thorp of Carlisle Is
tile best pigskin booter on tho famous
Indian eleven, succeeding the sensa
tional Mount Pleasant, who headed tjie
kicking department last year.
Other Expert Kickers.
The West Point Military academy
team claims to be close to* the top ,at a
kicking aggregation. The best two r men
in this respect are Dean and Greble.
Dean docs the drop and place kicking,
while Gfcble la the ablest punter, some
of his drives going high and accurately
a distance of from fifty to sixty yards.
Northwestern university has a clever
drop kicker In Klttleman, who ha a per
formed the feat of searing goals from
tho fleld from tho thirty-five yard line.
CAPTAIN WALTER STEFFEN OF
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO.
I Captain NurthcroTt of tho Annapolis
Naval academy tram lias loomed up aa
I a genuine star in kicking goals from
even tho venturesome, debonair upd
busy brain, d Kid McCoy has wandered
once more between tho ropes and into,
the mitt pushing game He picked for
his opponent one Jim Btrwort, a big,
hnmhoine boy who a year ago was
asking Hilly Elmer, the New York
manager, how to put on h pair of
gloves. Elmer put the Stewart boy on
with Jim Harry, and live minutes lator
Elmer and Joe Jeannette carried the.
lad tenderly back to a pillow and
"brought him to."
Just the kind of a boy McCoy would
llko to fight, of course—big and simple
tfnd Ignorant—and easy.
McCoy will next be heard of hunting
« match In the old ladles' homo for a
purse of a half pound of tea and U side
bet of three ounces of peppermint
drops. ' ■ k’ '
Jeffries a Dog Expert.
Most fighting men think Champion
Jim Jeffrlos doesn’t know very much
about anything but the prise ring end
that hla Interests, aside from his farm
and business, center entirely on fight
ing. But that is a big mistake. Jcf-
fflea is ono of tho most expert dog
fanciers In the country. He uTpuld
rather "tnlk dog*’ than any other sub-
Jfefct. With a fow of his cronies he will
•it up hours and discuss the fine points
and merits of tns dog family.
Jeff owns a number of fine dogi on
his farm, near Los Angejcs. Ho likes
gamo fighting doga the best and enjoys
reciting many wonderful tales relating |
to Ills adventures with his pets while
hunting Wild game and animals. The
big fellow would rather follow ths trail
of n bear or a mountain lion with his
favorite doge than attend the grandest
feast In.th<» world.
Jeff does not care about matching his
dons to fight, in the pit, but he expects
them to make good In tho forest
•gainst wild animals. Most of hfs dogs
are of the bull terrier, breed, an^l he
eays they cannot be excelled for all
around purposes.^
American Running Horses 6ell -Well
Abrosd.
Horsemen agree that the average
amounts obtained In England for the
yearlings sent abroad by James R.
Keene and Jnmcs B. Haggln show that
there lp probably a good market In
foreign countries for American year
lings of the right sort. Mr. Keens's lot
was shipped several weeks ago and’
sold at Newmarket for an average of
nearly $1,200. The Haggln yearlings
were shipped more recently. For twen
ty-five head an aggregate of $18,600
wan realised, an average of $740. There
remain nearly sixty head of Mr. Hag-
gin's kit for disposal.
The real test of the availability of
England as a market for American
bred thoroughbreds will come next
year, when tho youngsters sold this
season begin their careers on the Eng
lish turf. If even a small proportion
race creditably or If ono or two should
succeed in gaining great prestige, there
Is certain to be a strong demand for
those that will follow from thla coun
try. Than buying yearling* there J» n<
greater gamble, and ,<ine good perform'
br out of a dosen nondescripts will be
enough to create a desire for morfi
among owners abroad.
New Clast of Racing Yacht.
A new class of ohe design fifteen
footers Is being built for members of
tho Manhasset Bay (N. Y.) Yacht club.
These boats, eight In number, have
been designed by Henry J. Glelow and
art being built At Jacobs' yard at City
Island, N. Y. Their dimensions or
feet 9 Inches over all, 19 feet 6 Inches
on the water line, 6 fret 7 Inches
beam and 4 feet 11H inrhea draft
They will have sails made by Ratsey
of brown Egyptian duck and spread
436 square feot. They are to have two
water tight bulkheads.
ARTHUR ROCKWOOD.
CHAMPION LIGHTWEIGHT BATTLING NELSON IN A MERRY
MOOD ON A "DAY OFF,”
BASEBALL STORM BREWING.
Washington and Chicago American
Placers May Q» "Outlawsd."
There Is liable to bft plenty stirring
In baseball before the big teams line
up, for one another's gore next spring.
It has been an unusually peaceful sum-
mer, but the calm always precedes the
storm. Already one sees fomenting la
the pot little bits of trouble that art
liable to precipitate a atorm before the
end of the year. The aituatlon which
confronts the Washington American
team mny force the issue.
Washington Is In serious difficulty.
This Is shown by the stand of the na
tional commission In tsmporarily black
listing those Senators who played with
out permission against Jimmy Calla
han’s Logan Squares of Chicago. Mem
bers of the Chicago Americans are in
practically the same boat, aa tome of
Fielder Jones’ athletes also tried con
cisions with the outlaws. The com
mission has not yet dealt with the Sox,
but their case will in all probability
come up at the next meeting of ths
board.
Of course the offense of Chicago lg
not as grave as that of the Senators,
aa fewer Sox players took part In the
games, and they /id not leave their
own territory nor play In opposition to
tho world’s series. Should the commis
sion wish to make an example of
Washington, however. It will mean a
bbj shakcup In the American league.
With all the Senators who took part
blacklisted, the promising looking ag
gregation with which Cantillon made
such a strong finish lift fall would be
.shattered. CnntlUon la pretty strong
with the Washington fans, and they
arc liable to Btlck behind the manager.
At any rate, this town has stood
enough In the line of tall coders. It
would not want to be in any way
cheated out of a chance for Improve
ment
Ban Johnson will get Joe Cantlllon’s
scalp If there Is any possibility. Now
comes the breath of scandal that stout
Joe accuses his players of "laying
down" to Detroit In tho concluding se«
rles with Cleveland, but Johnson Is re
ported! to have said that he would make
Cantillon substantiate the charges or
get ont of the league. Ban is Just now
a shooting trip In Wisconsin with
Charlie Comlskey and other magnates,
and the matter is hot likely to be aired
until the anuu&l league meeting in De-
cumber.
ri
Dray Now a Bostonian.
Walter R. Dray, the world’s cham
pion pole vaulter, baa entered the Mas
sachusetts Institute of Technology
and xylil be a resident of Boston two
or three years. While at Yale Dray
was the vaulting marvel of the coun
try, and his vaulting limitations were
only n matter of conjecture. Dray
graduated last spring and Is now study
ing mechanical engineering at Tech.
Shrubb to Raoo Longboat, ’
Alfred Shrubb, professional cham
pion of the world, and Tom Longboat,
the Canadian Indian, bars been
matched for a ten mile race tor the
professional championship of the
world. Ths race will be run Oct. 27
at Madison Square Garden, New
York, and will be for a side bet of
$1,R00 and a percentage of tho gate
rocelpts.
Merit but No Novelty In Season’s Latest Batch of Plays ;
London Critics Praise H. B. Irving and Fannie Ward ===Stage Gossip
[From Our New York Dramatle Corre
spondent]
V ERY little novelty la shown In
the latest batch of new plays,
though merit ds by no means
lacking. Grace Van etuddl-
ford has returned as star In a pleasing
musical comedy by Reginald De Koven ;
and Harry B. Smith at the Broadway j
theater, Edgar Sclwyn has won praise!
In "Pierre of the Plains" at ths Hud-j
•on, James K. Hackett has revived
'"pe Crisis” ot tho Hackett theater,
.. i .’’Louis Mann Is appearing at the
t*tClrcle theater in "Tho Man Who
Stood Still," by Jules Eckert Good-
man.
attention over here. "Fanny and the
Servant Problem," by Jerome K. Je
rome, has scored a rousing Kit at the
‘Aldwych theater, with Fannie Ward In
the lead, and H. B. Irving la credited
with a hit of the same proportions at
the 8haftesbury theater In a rovlvnl of
"The Lyons Mall," in which the late
Sir Henry Irving made one of tho
greatest of hla various successes.
Fannie Ward returned to the stage In
this country two years ago, and H. B.
Irving gave his first performance of
"The Lyons Mali’’ at the Broadway
theater, New York, during hit first
appearance on this side, several years
ago.
London 8uee«sses. 8elwyn and "Plorre.”
Several Occurrences on the London "Pierre of the Plains" Is tho third
•tago have also attracted considerable | vehicle in which Mr. Selwyn has ap
reared In almost as many weeks. His
first two ventures were failures, but in
his present drama he has captured the
capricious favor of all the critics.
"Pierre of the Plains" Is a romantic
drama, In which Mr. Selwyn Is given a
role of the sort popular among the
matinee girlie*, and In addition to
looking handsome he takes part in
much well sustained action.
Mann Uses Laughable Dialect*
Louis Mann’s new vehicle gives the
talented character actor a serio-comic
role in which due care was taken not
to bury his humorous German dialect.
In the serious side of "The Man Who
Stood Still" Mr. Mann preaches the
gospel of despair. He is a 8wlss clock-
maker who can make clocks go, but he
can’t make himself go—that Is, he has
not been a success In life. He sum
med It all up when, broksn hearted,
shamed by his erring daughter, .ho
•aid:
"The only crime in this God forsaken
country Is failure. And I am a failure."
His acting was capital in momei
comedy as well as in those of
emotion.
Excellent Support.
Mr. Mann’s supporting company
uniformly excellent. Robert A. Fischer,
In the guise of an aged Teuton, aroused
genuine merriment of large propor
tions, especially in a pcnuchle game
with the man who stood still. Mme.
Matliilde Cottrclly as a housekeeper,
Geoffrey Stein as a Jew peddler, Edith
Browning as the clockmsker’s daugh
ter and Lillian Slnnott as a "tough
girl" received deservedly warm appre
ciation.
Manager William A. Brady answered
a curtain call with Mr. Mann and sar
castically dared the critics to “roast"
the play. Mr. Brady’s antipathy to the
New York critics is well known. Ife
said that, although Mr. Mann had
•pent three months of study and work
on the production, no one of the public
would know until the papers appeared
whether the play was good or not in
spite of the fact that the play was
really good.
Well, Mr. Brady la absolutely correct
this time, because "Tho Man Who
Stood Still" Is a real success, and
everybody ought to see it
Success of "The Crisis."
Mr. Hackett interrupted his success
ful rup of The Prisoner of .Zcnda" to
JAMES K. HACKETT AS STEPHEN RMCE IN “THE CRISIS.”
The success of this venture will prob
ably cause Mr. Hackett to keep it on
the boards for a lengthy period. Mr.
Hackett appears In the leading role
and pictures the military character
with rare insight, finish .and dramatic
effect
"The Crisis’’ Is the most pleasing re
vival seen In 'several years.
JJtlllo Burke Is In the third month of
her engagement at the Lyceum theater
In the charming .French comedy "Love
Watches" and continues to attract
large audiences. This is true of both
evening and afternoon performances.
The audiences are among the most en
thusiastic that have ever assembled In
a theater in New York. They show in
many ways that they enjoy not only
the comedy Itself, but also the sight of
the beautiful young girl on the stage,
whose every, movement, look and ges
ture Is followed by them with eager
ness.
Tho second set of "Love Watches,"
In which the young couple ara shown
in their honeymoon period, serves as
MARIA LABIA IN THE ROLE OF CARMEN.
Marla Laoia is the new Italian opera singer, a dramatic soprano, whom Oscar Hammerstein has engaged for
his grand opera performances at the Manhattan Opera House, New York, and at the Philadelphia Opera House.
an attractive lesson for young bus-
bunds who ere blsssfd with nvcrafYce
tlonate wives. The scenes are full of
tho moat delicious humor, built upon
marital sweetness, and Miss Burke's
nnturalness and earnestness of action
enhance its amusing value a hundred
fold.
The Devil’s Eccentrlo Costume.
Franz Molnar’s devil rb presented In
"The Dovll" Is an eccentric foreign In
dividual whose whimsicality is shown
not only In his kesn satire and sar
donic humor, but even In his costume,
in?lute ;> runn of the world, he Is
and vain to a degree q»d therefore af
fects oddltiec ot areas aa well as of
speech and manners.
In Budapest, Vienna and other conti
nental < | >11 h I n tb* 1 (iin an i !a n author
prescribed for him quaint garments.
The lapels of his cost were extended to
up* nrllko p--lnt* end fgce<| with bril
liant r/d. He did/not wear a Mephlsto
feather In hln het. but hit hair w.ts
made to our! Into the suggestion of
llttlo horns, and even his ears were
pointed, suggesting the fabled god Pan.
[Ill necktie and gloves were scarlet,
and his spats displayed cardinal but-
tons. Wherever he might sff-rt a *ar
torlal whim without offending good
taste he did so.
Red Buttons on Bhees,
In almost every point the American
managers have followed. The red on
the American devil's coat may not be
eo brilliant aa Molnar prescribed, but a
mysteriously gleaming changeable silk
Is used that gives a glimpse of flame
color at certain angles. When vlowed
direct from the front It la black as the
broadcloth of ths coat. The red tie Is
discarded with the dress suit, but Is
worn with the devil's frolfk suit. Dain
ty cardinal buttons are on his shoos,
and some people declare there la a
gleam of red in the devil's eyes at
tlmas when he whispers his cunning
words into the ears of his victims.
These eccentricities of the devil's
costume are always refined and deli
cate, adding to the Symbolism of the
character and helping to define the one
needed point of difference between the
devil and the other characters In the
play.
There are now no less than nine sep
arate companies playing 'The Devil"
throughout the United State#.
GOSSIP OF THE
stageT
vr - -Jr \5j n* • 0 - to ‘bffcq'fn* 5hpb*rt '*Ur*, In 2 joe* !
• * 9 A* Imusical comedy ljy inxivy and dodders/;
Charles Frohman la preparing a| Now," is playing the Ic-idlrig th- .-ui*b■ftdf ’’
second "Fluffy Ruffles’’ company to go r > . . • w r :• uAy* "J'...■* I:. h t..i* go o:\ t v,tfh.
on the road. , gerla." the original company alter two years
Harry Bulger, who appeared In Elsa Ryan and Lawrence Wheat, of success In New York.*
"Woodland" and "Tho Man From who are new appearing in "Marcelle," 1 Anna Held is soon to be seen In Bad-1
timore in her new production, "Miss
Inmcei.ce Abroad."
A new musical comedy making 1 .a
tour of the , jEftifoweit Is called "Tbft.
American Heiress.”
Mme. Schumann-Heir.k has gone for
a concert tour In Europe, which will
last tho best part of a year. Iler third
son, Hans, Is going to Dresden,to study
for the operatic stngg^ 9 imc>4 &i*<
Wallace Eddingrr has been engaged
lor Charles Klein’s new play. The
Third Degree “ ,
”6ham,” by Elmer Blaney Harris
and Geraldine Bonner. Is to be pro
duced by Henry U. Harris in Decern
bed*.-..; ;»;*/ luViavl ed» OJ timdllfti
Pauline Chao* iucs tnadar a soecese let
Pari* with Charles Frohman’a pro
ductlon of "Pantaloon.”
Edgar Selwyn, who played the lead
log role In "Strongheart" last season,
is now starring in "Pierre of the
Plains,’ founded on SIi Gilbert Par
ker's "Pierre and His People."
’The Lion and the Mouse" Is now
being played In Oermany, France, Italy,
Norway and ths United 8tates. (
“I’M NOT HUMAN,” NELSON.
Lightweight Champion Dsolares Hs
Owns Subnormal Heart.
'They say I’m not a human belif. I
guess they’re right."
It was Battling Nelson who wii
making the guess on the truth of tha
assertion. The assertion that the "Du
rable Dane" isn't a human being waa
made a short time ago by Joe Qans.
The negro also said that there wasn’t a
human being that could knock ont tha
lightweight champion with human
power. Nelson continued:
"I've got a subnormal heart. My
heart beat averages from forty-six to
forty-eight a minute, while the aver-
ago person's heart bents from seventy-
six to seventy-eight a minute. Often
when I get up in the morning my
heart bents as slow as forty.
"I'm cold blooded. When I get tntd
the ring I can stand for nothing Inter
fering with my fighting. There’s noth
ing has effect on me. I keep after say
man till he drops.
"I'TS got a perfect nervous system.
In tho ring or out of It I never get
excited. I never worry; I never fret
Nothing bothers me. I’m cool and
collected all the time. I guess that's
why I'm not a human being.
* "I said I was cold blooded and that
my heart bents forty sometimes, but
I want to say that that heart is as big
as the next fellow’s."
Nelson was asked whether he be
lieved Joe Gans was right when be
(aid no living being will ever knock
tho champion out
"Well, to be honest with you," re
turned Bat, "I can nnswer tbit In one
word. *Na'—that Is, nobody of ray
weight.
"There was only one time when l
was counted out, and I was eut for
seven days then. That was In a bi
cycle factory In Hegewlsch, 111., In
1898. I was helping a blacksmith
when a Teuton drop hammer caught
me on the bead. It was ripped open
In a dozen places. They thought I
was dead. It took about ninety
stitches to sew up the wounds. I was
In the hospital a week. Most of the
time I was unconscious. They had
me packed In Ice.
“They thought I was gone then. My
right ear Is deaf today, and my right
eye Is smaller than the left, and I’ve
got a dozen scarq, over one side of my
fgee and head. That's what I got to
show for the only time I took the
count. If they want to get me again
they’ve got to get a drop hammer or
an ax." ______
I Altixer Htlps ths Nap*.
The Cleveland Americans are not at
nil sorry that they purchased the re
lease of Altizgr, who has proved A
handy man for the Naps.