Damon Runyon

Chicago Examiner/November 19, 1911

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 18 — Wallowing in puddles of water on every play and smeared with mud from toe cleats to head guards, after the first down, the Tiger and the Bulldog this afternoon splashed through the most sensational game of football that has been fought on historic old Yale Field in many a year—a game that was really ended when Sam White of Princeton, the J, Franklin Baker of football, snapped up a fumbled Yale pass and raced fifty-five yards to a touchdown.

The final score was 6 to 3, Howe of Yale kicking a field goal for the three points credited to the Blue.

There is a district in New Haven that is designated as a “zone of quiet” which has no particular relation to the torrid, temperate or arctic zones, or even the zone of safety, but which is a section hedged off from public manifestations for reasons of common weal. You encounter the signs on the trees en route to the football field.

Tonight the territorial lines of the zone have been extended to include the uttermost limits of the city, and there is a dense and definite silence prevailing in this part of Connecticut. Princeton ha gone, taking all the noise of football—whose other name is also White—with it. New Haven does not like to be defeated, and most especially has she a prejudice against being defeated by Princeton. Hence the manifest calm hereabouts.

As for Princeton, it departed in a series of snake dances and vocal disorder, above which could be distinctly heard the name of S. White of old Nassau.

So passed the big Yale-Princeton game of 1911 with a new chapter of football history and a new football hero.

In the first quarter after the fight had slopped from end to end of the field with little apparent advantage to either side, Sam White—that same White who ran eighty-five yards to a touchdown against Harvard at Princeton a few weeks ago, bringing about the defeat of the Crimson—this identical White grabbed the soggy football from a Yale fumble and went whooping down the field and over the Blue line for a touchdown and the most spectacular play of the frame.

Out of the wet flurry of mud and water bobbed the loud endman of the Orange and Black at a psychological moment to enroll his name forever upon the scroll of Princeton heroes, if he had not already done that with his run against Harvard. Poe, Lee, Trencher, White—they are all in the same category now.

A Yale pass went askew in the middle of the muddy field. The ball bounced away behind the Yale line and then 180 pounds of Princeton bone and sinew came smashing through the Blue barrier. White had seen the miscue and was coming. Howe dived after the ball, but it eluded his grasp and White picked it up and leaped away. A clear field was before him and the big Tiger tore along, throwing a spray of mud in his wake.

Behind him raced Howe, the Yale commander, making amazing time in the rough going and rapidly outfooting the lanky White as the Tiger thundered along. At the Yale 5-yard line Howe made a last despairing try. He left his feet and flung himself upon the flying White. His arms encircled the Tiger’s waist but slid downward. White’s shell of mud made him as slippery as poled elm and besides his terrific momentum carried him forward. Howe managed to pull him down, but White fell forward across the line and the war chant of Princeton swept the field. Pendleton kicked an easy goal.

Howe Prevents Whitewash

In the second period Yale managed to work the ball by a series of spattering plays to within twenty yards of the Tiger goal, and Howe booted it across the Princeton posts in the face of a retarding wind. And yet this field goal must be recorded as a piece of hard luck for Princeton, because an offside play by the Orange and Black gave Yale the ball at a point of vantage for Howe’s try, he having failed once from the same spot.

It was a sloshing battle from start to finish, with the element of luck constantly a factor. Yale went into the final period desperate and fought fiercely to get at least a tie, but could never work within striking distance of the Orange and Black goal. It was a booting contest and the wet ball was almost constantly in the air, which accounted for numerous fumbles.

The Princeton victory brings the Nassau total up to eight wins against Yale’s twenty in the twenty-eight struggles between the two universities.

Thirty-three thousand people saw the great game — or at least that is the capacity of Yale Field and every notch was filled. Of that 33,000 at least 32,999 were wild-eyed football fanatics before the close of the second half. The rooting was about evenly divided and the big Yale contingent never lost hope even in the face of discouragement.

The Yale cheering section held forth in the east stand while the Princeton rooters were grouped on the west section opposite. Lines of spectators were trickling into the stands long after play commenced but by 2:30 every seat was taken and the field was completely circled with moving, throbbing tiers of humanity.

There were men there from all over the United States, old graduates of both institutions, gray-haired men for whom the weather had no terrors, middle-aged men in all walks of life and men of later generations, who had traveled many weary miles to see this meeting.

Yale Is First on Field

The Yale team was the first to show up on the field, headed by Captain Howe. The men were given a rousing ovation. Five minutes later the Princeton eleven rushed on the field. Princeton won the toss and chose the north goal. Francis kicked off for Yale to Vaughn on the 23-yard line. He was downed in his tracks. On a fake kick Pendleton failed to gain Dewitt kicked to midfield. Camp captured the ball and was downed by Dunlap. Paul punted to Spalding who was downed on Princeton’s 13-yard line. Dewitt punted to Yale’s 50-yard line and Howe, after fumbling the ball, fell on it.

Dewitt punted to Howe, who caught the ball on the Tigers’ 50-yard line. Francis then booted the pigskin to Pendleton, who ran it back five yards to his own 15-yard line. Dewitt returned the kick to Camp at midfield, who gained ten yards before being thrown. On a tackle over formation Spalding skirted the left end for five yards. Dunn failed on a plunge to the right side of the line and Yale was forced to kick.

Camp drove the ball to Vaughn, who was immediately downed on his 10-yard line. Dewitt at once kicked to Camp, who was thrown for no gain by White on Princeton’s 33-yard line.

White Scores Touchdown

Dunn plowed through the line for six yards. Ketcham then threw the ball back, and White picked up a Yale fumble and made a sensational fifty-five yard run for the only touchdown. Pendleton kicked goal. Score: Princeton 6, Yale 0.

On the kickoff Francis drove the ball over Princeton’s line for a touch back. Princeton got the ball on her 25-yard line. Dewitt kicked to Howe at midfield. He made a thrilling run before he was thrown. It was Yale’s ball on Princeton’s 25-yard line.

Howe dropped back for a field goal but Phillips blocked his attempt. The ball went under the posts, was brought out and given to the Tigers on their own 25-yard line. On a fake kick play Vaughn went through the line for four yards. Dewitt then punted to Howe on Yale’s 25-yard line, Dunn dropping him in his tracks.

Camp kicked the ball to Dewitt, who was thrown on his 25-yard line. The period ended here. Score: Princeton 6, Yale 0.

In the second period Dewitt kicked out of bounds in midfield, Howe falling on the ball for Yale. Camp returned the kick to Pendleton on the Tigers’ 20-yard line and Pendleton was thrown back for a four-yard loss by Bomeisler. Princeton tried to plow through the line but Yale held solid on the first attempt Dewitt punted to Howe at midfield. He returned to the 40-yard line before being run out of bounds Camp went outside of tackle for a pretty 10-yard gain and the first down.

It was Yale’s hall on Princeton’s 80-yard line. Camp repeated the play for a five-yard gain. Spalding then circled the other end of the line for three yards. Dunn butted the line for no gain and Yale lost the ball on downs. It was Princeton’s ball on the Tigers’ 20-yard line.

Dewitt then kicked to Howe, who caught the bail on Princeton’s 47-yard line. Howe dropped back and punted to Baker who made a fab catch on his own 27-yard line.

Philbin Replaces Dunn

After failing to gain, Princeton sent Dewitt back to punt. Camp fell on his back on the 40-yard line. J Philbin replaced Dunn at full back at this point. Camp kicked to Vaughn, who was downed on his own 35 yard line.

Paul broke through the line and blocked Dewitt’s punt, Spalding recovering the ball on Princeton’s 53-yard line. Howe tried for a field goal, but it was a miserable failure, the ball rolling on the ground. Camp recovered it for Yale without any gain. Camp broke through for three yards. Camp plunged to the Princeton’s 15-yard line. Camp failed on a second attempt of the same kind. A criss-cross play failed and Howe tried for another field goal. It was short and Princeton got the ball on its 10-yard line.

Here Dewitt kicked to Princeton’s 50-yard line. But the sturdy Yale captain ran it back twenty yards before being thrown. Spalding went outside tackle to Princeton’s 25 yard line. Howe tried a field goal from here, but the ball fell short and Yale missed an excellent chance to score.

Princeton was offside, however, and the ball was returned to Yale on Princeton’s 20-yard line. Howe here made another attempt and drove the hall squarely over the Tiger bar. Score: Princeton, 6; Yale, 3.

McCormack replaced Duff at right guard for Princeton. Vaughn kicked off to Howe, who ran the ball back to the 45-yard line. Camp punted to Pendleton, who brought the hall back ten yards to his 40-yard line. Two attempts to break through the line failed and Dewitt was forced to kick. He raised the ball to Philbin, who was downed in his tracks on Yale’s 40-yard line. Here the first half ended. Score: Princeton 6, Yale 3.

Yale Keeps Threatening

Francis kicked off to Vaughn, who ran the ball back five yards to his 25-yard line. After failing to gain through the line, Dewitt dropped back and kicked to mid-field. Spalding made a fair catch. On the first play Spalding skirted the end for three yards. On a fake kick by Camp Philbin circled the end for twenty yards, bringing the ball to Princeton’s 30-yard line. Howe tried for a field goal but the ball rolled along the ground and Hart fell on it for Princeton. Baker went around the end for five yards. Dewitt punted to Howe and White dropped the Yale captain on his 40-yard line. Howe tried a quarterback run and brought the ball to midfield. Camp punted to Vaughn, who was thrown for no gain on his 30-yard line.

Princeton tried another kick formation and Pendleton was thrown after a five-yard gain. Dewitt kicked to midfield and Camp brought the bail five yards nearer the Tigers’ goal. In two plays Camp went outside tackle for seven yards. There was one down to go and three yards to gain. Yale refused to take a chance and Howe punted to Dewitt, who made a fair catch.

Long Run by Spalding

Pendleton made a forward pass which Spalding caught at midfield and ran the ball back thirty-five yards to Princeton’s 2-yard line. It was the most spectacular play of the day. Yale tried to gain but Princeton held and Howe tried for a field goal. He missed it and Pendleton grabbed the hall on his 5-yard line and ran it back twenty yards.

Paul broke through and upset Princeton’s play through center, and Dewitt was forced to kick. He booted the ball to midfield, where Howe fumbled but Spalding recovered it for Yale. Camp then booted to Baker, who was thrown in his tracks on Princeton’s 30-yard line. Princeton was penalized five yards for offside play. Dewitt punted to Spalding, who heeled the catch on Princeton’s 50-yard line.

Yale tried a forward pass and failed. Camp punted to Baker, who brought the ball back five yards to the Tigers’ 3-yard line. The play was called void and Princeton was penalized ten yards for holding. Spalding made a tackle plunge for five yards. Howe failed again for a field goal, Princeton getting the ball on Its 30-yard line.

The period ended with the score: Princeton 6, Yale 3.

The ball was put in play on Princeton’s 20-yard line. On a fake kick Pendleton was thrown for a five-yard loss. Dewitt then kicked to his own 45-yard line. Howe fumbled and White recovered the ball for the Tigers. Dewitt kicked to Howe, who made a fair catch on his 40-yard line. From here Camp punted to Pendleton, who let the ball get away but recovered it five yards back on his 20-yard line.

Camp Makes Long Punts

Duff kicked to his 50-yard line, where Camp made a fair catch. Camp kicked to Vaughn, who was thrown in his tracks on his 10-yard line by Burmeisler. Yale was offside here and the ball was brought back to midfield. Camp kicked over the line for a touchback. The ball was brought back and given to Princeton on its 25-yard line. Vaughn dug through the line for a 5-yard gain. Dewitt dropped back and punted to midfield, where Howe made a fair catch and again took a free kick. Camp booted to Baker, who ran the ball back ten yards before being forced out of bounds on his 30-yard line.

Anderson replaced Spalding at right half for Yale. Dewitt kicked to Howe, who ran the ball back five yards to Princeton’s 45-yard line. Anderson failed to gain outside of tackle and Camp was forced to kick. He punted to Baker, who was downed after a couple of yards’ gain on Princeton’s 20-yard line.

Dewitt then kicked to Howe on Yale’s 35-yard line, the latter bringing the ball back five yards. Camp returned the hoist to Dewitt, who was thrown on Princeton’s 40-yard line with no gain. Vaughn plunged through for four yards. Dewitt kicked to Howe and Dunlap rushed down the field and nailed the Yale captain on his 25-yard line. Camp kicked to Pendleton, who was thrown on his 25-yard line by Avery. Dewitt kicked to Camp, who fumbled on Princeton’s 40-yard line and White recovered the ball for the Tigers. Dewitt kicked to Howe, who made a five-yard run and Camp immediately punted to Princeton’s 37-yard line. Dewitt punted to Howe who fumbled on the 50-yard line, White grabbing the ball for the Tigers. Dewitt punted to Howe who was thrown in his tracks on Yale’s 25-yard line.

Yale gained ten yards on a delayed pass, Howe carrying the ball. Camp booted the ball to Princeton’s 47-yard line, where Vaughn was dropped in his tracks. Dewitt punted to Howe who ran the ball back five yards to his 35-yard line. A forward pass, Anderson to Bomeisler, gained five yards for the Blue. Camp punted to Pendleton, who was dropped on the Tigers’ 45-yard line. Sheldon replaced Avery at left end for Yale. Dewitt went through left tackle for eight yards. Time was called at this point with Princeton the victor without having scored a single first.