Public Ledger, Philadelphia
December 7, 1902

FINAL GAME WON BY THE ATHLETICS

Defeated Phillies for Local Football Championship

WAS DECIDING CONTEST

Victory by Score of 17 to 6 Was Unexpectedly Easy

PHILLIES" LUCKY TOUCHDOWN

Was Made by Kennedy After Wood Had Fumbled One of Roller's Kicks

The final football game of the season between the two local professional elevens was played yesterday afternoon at Broad and Huntingdon streets and resulted in a rather easy victory for the Athletics. The score was 17 to 6. It was the third contest between the Athletics and Phillies, each team having won a game in the series previous to yesterday's engagement. The American League eleven's victory, therefore, entitles that aggregation to the local championship palm.

There were few distinguishing features connected with the game. The Athletics showed a strength in offense and defense that not only took their opponents entirely unawares, but proved a great surprise to the followers of captain Wallace's eleven. They presented by far the strongest eleven they have played this year. The Philadelphia management having dispensed with the services of wood, the ex-state end, he was found in the Athletics' line-up when the game started. His addition greatly strengthened the eleven in a position that has been admittedly weak all season. Wood's playing at end allowed Captain Wallace to move Baeder back of the line, where he, Davidson and Cure composed a backfield that played havoc with the Philadelphia line in the second half.

Athletics Earned Their Victory

The Athletics earned their victory by hard, straight football, and there was not a spectator who witnessed the contest but that considered the stronger eleven had won. Two of the three touchdowns were made by splendid exhibitions of line plunging on the part of Kindgen, McFarland, Davidson and Cure, the two former breaking the Phillies' line from the guards back formation. Davidson and Cure bucked the centre on straight plays, delayed passes, double passes, and just went outside tackle for substantial gains. All the Athletics' good work was done in the second half, both of the touchdowns made on line plays resulting in this half. In the first half Davidson made the first score by getting through the right wing of the Phillies, just outside tackle, and running thirty yards for a touchdown.

Neither side showed any decided advantage in the first half, despite the fact that the Athletics scored a touchdown. The play was principally in the territory of the Athletics. Although the Phillies forced the fight in the first half, they did not get nearer the opponent's goal line than the twenty-five yard mark. The Athletics won the toss and elected to defend the south goal. In the first scrimmage after kick-off Roller gained nearly twenty yards, and the manner in which the big full-back went through the Athletics' line led many to believe that the Phillies would win rather easily. The three succeeding assaults against the Athletics, however, failed to gain. The Athletics then secured the ball, but found the opponent's line impregnable and Cure kicked to the Phillies' fifteen-yard line. After two unsuccessful attempts to gain Roller punted to the Athletics in midfield. Cure made a sensational gain around Gelbert for about twenty yards, and on the next scrimmage Davidson went outside of right tackle for a touchdown.

Ball in Athletic Territory

While the ball was mostly in the Athletics' territory the remainder of the first half, The Phillies could not summon sufficient offensive strength to carry it over for a touchdown. There was little of interested connected with the first half after Davidson made his touchdown.

The Athletics showed superior offensive strength at the beginning of the second half. Several consistent gains were made, but they could not get the ball nearer their opponents' goal than the thirty-yard line, once losing it on a fumble and again on holding. Finally, after the game had been in progress nearly ten minutes, the Athletics secured the leather on the Phillies' forty-five yard line on downs. From this point Wallace's men carried the ball straight down the field, without a falter or fumble, for a touchdown. Kindgen and McFarland were used in the guards back formation for big gains, while Davidson and Cure advanced the ball on delayed and double passes. Finally, big Kindgen was forced over the line for the second touchdown. Davidson kicked an easy goal.

Kennedy Made a Touchdown

Following the kick-off, the ball changed hands several times, when Roller kicked to wood on the latter's thirty-five yard line. Wood fumbled the punt, and Kennedy, following the ball closely, picked it up and was soon sprinting toward the Athletics' goal. Hewitt made a desperate attempt to overtake the Philadelphia captain, and threw himself headlong at Kennedy, but did not succeed in bringing him down, and in consequence he ran the remaining distance for a touchdown. Roller kicked the goal. This proved the Phillies' only score.

In a few minutes after Kennedy had made the touchdown for the Phillies the Athletics were advancing the ball steadily up the field again, and seemed certain to make another touchdown. On the Phillies' thirty-yard line, however, they lost it on a fumble.

The Phillies could not gain, and were forced to kick. Wallace's team obtained the leather in about midfield, and was soon advancing it toward their opponents' goal line at a faster rate of speed than at any time during the game. Davidson made fifteen yards and Cure the same. Kindgen gained ten more, and finally after several short plunges into the line Davidson scored a touchdown by breaking through the line on a delayed pass. He also kicked an easy goal.

The field was in a miserable condition and the cold weather made it uncomfortable for the spectators, but the latter remained until the last scrimmage. While all of the Athletics played a good game, Davidson, Kindgen, McFarland and Hewitt excelled, the work of Davidson probably being the feature of the contest. Roller, Kennedy, Bachman, Gelbert and Randolph played well for the Phillies.

The line-up: