The Inquirer, Philadelphia
November 28, 1902

NO SCORE BY EITHER SIDE

PITTSBURG AND ATHLETICS MEET IN ONE OF THE BEST CONTESTS EVER SEEN

GAMMONS AND DAVIDSON

They Play the Star Roles for Their Respective Teams in the Muddy Field.

The football game at the Colesseum [sic] yesterday afternoon between the Pittsburg and Athletics teams for the professional championship was one of the best ever seen in this locality. It was a case of giants meeting giants, with neither side having the advantage. The game ended in a score of 0 to 0. The game did not begin until some time after 3 o'clock. The cause of the delay was the fact that the manager of the Athletics would not allow his men to go upon the field until he had the guarantee of $2,000 in his hands in cool cash. Dave Berry, manager of the Pittsburg team was in a quandary. The first $3,000 taken in was attached for ground rent, and enough cash to satisfy the Athletic management was not in sight. It was then that W. E. Corey, of Homestead, stepped into the track. Mr. Corey was one of the backers of the great Homestead team of 1900 and 1901, and is a true sportsman. He stood good for the guarantee, and Connie Mack, who is at the head of the Athletic team, at once ordered his men to go upon the field. The spectators, numbering between 3,500 and 4,000, had become impatient, and displayed their feeling by stamping vigorously and yelling loudly. When the Athletic players tumbled upon the field they were greeted with a tremendous salvo. Very little time was lost and the game was soon in full swing.

The backs of the Athletics were extremely active. Davidson, Cure and Steinberg often cut through the Pittsburg line for gains. But when the ball came too near Pittsburg's goal, which was the case in the second half, the Stars checked the advance of the Athletics effectively. In fact, the tackling on both sides was good, everyone taking a hand in the business.

The Athletics four times tried for goals from the field and each time it proved a failure. Each attempt was made from a place kick. Cure using his foot which had previously been carefully cleaned of all mud. The last time he tried it the Athletics had the ball on Pittsburg's 32-yard line with about 46 seconds to play. The ball hit into a mud puddle on the 5-rad line. Grammons [sic] fell on it but the pigskin shot from under him and Sweet got it. For the first time in the game their goal was threatened. The spectators held their breath in spite of the fact that only a few seconds remained to play. Cure hit the Star line a tremendous whack and took the ball to the 3-yard line. It was an awful clash. Then the referee 's whistle sounded the end of the game. The Lord only knows what would have happened had there been even a half a minute more to play. The muddy conditions of the ground marred an otherwise splendid contest. But the result satisfied the spectators that the teams are evenly matched. Not a better contest was ever played in Pittsburg. It will no doubt gratify the spectators to learn that the teams will meet again tomorrow to have it out. The Athletics claim the professional championship, having won two games and lost only one. They insist that the result of the game tomorrow will not effect their standing should it go against them. But the contest will decide the better eleven. It is probable that no more evenly matched football teams ever went on the gridiron. Line-up: