The Subsitute Quarterback (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900. Excerpt: ... THE SUBSTITUTE QUARTERBACK. COME, boys," said the coach, "wake up, get some life in you. Everybody try hard. Now play." But it was no better this time than it had been twenty times before. We came at it as if we were afraid of each other, stumbling over and running into one another, more like an awkward lot of youngsters than a great eleven. On this trial big Engle and little Harkis had bumped heads, and both felt it, too, even through their long hair. So, as we gathered around the ball again, we all stood up and paused a moment in order to give the left and right half-backs a chance to rearrange their craniums on the inside and ease the pain on the outside. The coach said nothing. It was such a miserable blunder of what we had hoped would develop into a very fine play. Though he was too charitable to pass any harsh criticism upon us, still I thought I could see a line of contemptuous pity around his mouth. There was a heartless laugh from among half a dozen " subs," and a distant shout of derision from the curious younger boys, who had climbed a tree at one side of the field to get a glimpse over the tall fence and so obtrude themselves upon the secret rehearsal of signals. "Line up again," said Mr. Mathews, our coach, in a patient voice, after Engle and Harkis had forgotten their head bumping. "Now be careful. Don't come in behind too quickly, Allen, you make them tangle up there on the line. You see, it's entirely a tackle play with the wedge formation to help them open it up. Wait a minute, Russell; suppose you give Sulden a try at quarter." The sub whose name was called pulled off his sweater and ran quickly in behind the line. "Do you know this sequence?" asked Mr. Mathews. "I think I do; what is it?" replied Sulden, crouching down behind the centre...