September 29, 1901
Buffalo Evening News
U. OF B. DEFEATED COLUMBIA TEAM
The Local Varsity Sets Sail for the season of 1901 in a Blaze of Glory

THE SCORE WAS 5 TO 0.
The New Yorkers Really Never Had a Look at Victory—Rice’s Great Kick From the Field

The University of Buffalo football team started operations yesterday for the season of 1901 by defeating Columbia University of New York in the Pan-American Stadium by a score of 5 to 0.

It cannot be said that Columbia had all her best men on hand, but the same may be said of Buffalo, and there is no question that neither team was in condition to go a long, hard route.

As the team lined up, however, there was very little advantage to be claimed either in weight or football experience, and the victory was fairly earned.  It would be highly interesting to get the same elevens, or rather the teams of the U. of B. and Columbia, together again before the season is out.  Neither side would present the same line-up, and all hands would be hardened down to work.  It will be remembered that Columbia had no easy task last year to overcome the Bisonic herd, and from present appearances, the 1901 team of Buffalo will put up the strongest game in the history of the university.

It is true that Columbia had not the services of Capt. Berrien or of Weekes, the celebrated hurdler, but it may also be noted that Simpson of Buffalo, who is a tower of strength, was not in the game on account of injuries.

MORLEY ON HAND

Morley, who was captain of Columbia last year, put in an appearance, and he is Berrien’s equal in every way, and all the other Columbia candidates who were prevented from making the Buffalo trip were new men, so yesterday’s game was a pretty fair relative test of the two teams and no one will say that the Blue and White of Buffalo did not earn what it got.

Under Turk Gordon’s coaching the interference loomed up in promising shape and there was apparent the nucleus of a team which ought to make a record for Buffalo.

Dr. Al Unbehaun was back at center, and his opponent never got any the better for him.

Mason, at fullback, was the sensational man on the Buffalo team.  He was so eager that his previousness several times penalized the Pan-Am team, but in dash and spirit and knowledge of the game he more than made up the losses he occasioned.

De Cue was another old hand who added to the glory of the occasion, while Capt. Haase, Mills, Sly and Lakin completed the list of this year’s team.

For Columbia, Morley, Van Hoevenberg, Wolff and Fischer, played against Buffalo last year

FUMBLES FREQUENT

The game had its rough edges and fumbles were frequent on both sides, but it proved a good try-out, and has raised the enthusiasm of the U. of B. boys to a height it never before attained.

The game was witnessed by the largest crowds that ever saw a football game in Buffalo, the Stadium being filled to the number of nearly 10,000 people.

There was the usual airy persiflage between the coaches and captains, the dispute being principally over the time of the halves.  Gordon, for Buffalo, wanted 20-minute halves, or 20 and 15 minutes.  Referee Wright said that both halves would have to be of the same duration, so 15 minutes was finally agreed upon.

Coach Sanford was on deck.  He was on the upper deck, the lower deck, in the hold and on the field.  If he only could have been referee, umpire, both timbers, linesman and water boy, Columbia might have prevented a score.

When it was all over, however, Sanford acknowledged that the victory had been fairly won and was a credit to the U. of B. team.

Columbia won the toss and Rice kicked off for Buffalo to Columbia’s five-yard line.  Holman brought the pigskin back 30 yards before he was downed, and in the next line-up got five yards more, but the following scrimmage saw the ball in Buffalo’s possession on a fumble.  Haase and De Cue made steady gains through Columbia’s line and ends until Mason fumbled on Columbia’s five-yard line and a Columbia man fell on the ball.

BUFFALO PENALIZED

Buffalo was penalized five yards for offside play, and then on Columbia’s 25-yard line got the bail on a fumble.  Two plunges failed to make the required distance, and Rice was signaled to make a place kick for the goal.  The line held and he sent over a beauty of a drive right between the posts, and Buffalo had scored against Columbia.

The Blue and White contingent of Buffalo went into spasms of joy, while the Blue and White men of Columbia did some hard and silent thinking.

In the 30 seconds of play left Columbia tried a fake kick, but Mason stopped the play most effectually, and at the close of the half the ball was in Columbia’s territory.

The second half saw both sides tiring, but Buffalo holding out the stronger.  At no time was the Bisonic goal in danger, and the war was carried to the enemy’s territory almost all the time.  The U. of B. boys gained a good deal of ground on timely punts, and were --le to hold the Columbia line safely at all times.  With 30 seconds of play the ball was punted to Columbia’s 22-yard line and just as it was being punted back the whistle ending the game was blown.

The following dispatch, received last night, shows why some of Columbia’s players failed to appear:

COLUMBIA MEN DISQUALIFIED

NEW YORK, Sept. 28 – Disqualification from further playing in football was visited on six members of the Columbia eleven today because of failure to comply with the university faculty committee’s requirements.  Low standing in studies and neglect to register properly were the causes that prompted the faculty’s action.

The six debarred men are Chauncey L. Berrein, the captain; Harold H. Weekes, the half back and B.H. Boyesen, R.R. Henriquez and R.G. Strange, all new men.  Weekes was the man who scored Columbia’s winning points against Yale and Princeton in the last two years.  The disbarment will continue until the six players satisfy the conditions and register properly.

 

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