Football Practice.

The 'varsity practice yesterday was not encouraging judging it from the ordinary standpoint. The playing was slow and lacking in life. There was creditable individual work in many cases, but taking the practice as a whole, it was of the kind to set the man who always sees flaws in preference to good points, harping about the falling off in the standard of playing. Such a person is but a superficial observer. While yesterday's work was by no means the best that has been seen this year, it is not just to criticise it harshly. Advancement is often being made when one least imagines it.

This was probably the case yesterday, when everything was sacrificed to the coaching of the half-backs. Sears '89 and Lee '91 were out for the first time this year. Sears, particularly, took the backs in hand and drilled them in the practice of starting and of interference. The game dragged because of the necessary halts which had to be called to correct the prevailing faults. A team must first inculcate the principles of play before it can exercise them. Hence the practice such as yesterday is inevitable and simply a step in the general progress of the eleven.

It was authoritatively given out yesterday afternoon that Upton would not try for the team this year. Blanchard, substitute tackle in '91, and now in the Law School, made his first appearance on the 'varsity. He will work for the position of right end. Stevenson is somewhat overtrained and has been laid off for a few days. Both he and Newell will probably be in condition for the game with Cornell on Saturday.

In the first half Waters and C. Brewer were hurt and Dunlop and Hoag were substituted. Later Dunlop wrenched his arm and Gonterman went in as half-back. A. Brewer was also injured and gave way to Whittren. The second eleven was handicapped by the loss of Foster, whose threatened attack of bronchitis and removal to the hospital, has temporarily at least, if not permanently, placed the eleven in an unfortunate position for quarterbacks. Mills '95 played the position yesterday and did very well at it. His tackling was strikingly good. The 'varsity will practice on Soldiers Field today.