Public Ledger, Philadelphia
November 29, 1926

Downey's Field Goal Gives Bears 3-0 Victory and Title In Eastern Gridiron League

Twenty Yard Drop-Kick in Final Minutes of Game Beats All-Lancaster and Decides Championship in Favor of Bethlehem

Bethlehem, Pa., Nov. 28. -- Two beautiful passes paved the way to victory and the title for Bethlehem in the Eastern Professional Football League here today, when the Bears downed All-Lancaster by the score of 3 to 0.

Held on the 3-yard line for three downs, a 5-yard penalty against Bethlehem put the ball in a better position for Manager Downey, leading drop-goal kicker in the league, who put the oval over the crossbar from a difficult angle. Three plays after the game ended, with the Bears winning one of the hardest fought games on the home gridiron this season.

Early in the game the bears were handicapped by the loss of there stars. In the first period Carl Beck, former West Virginia fullback, was forced to retire. He was followed shortly afterward by Joe Cannon and Mike Gaffney, both regular ends, who received leg injuries.

Charlie Eastman, former Harvard lineman, starred for the Bears. The big tackle, who later in the game played at end, was in every play, and his interception of a Lancaster forward on his own 22-yard line started the drive which brought victory to the Bears.

Neither team was able to make headway, either with straight football or with the pass. Bethlehem penetrated deeper into Lancaster's zone, but just as often when the loss of the ball on downs threatened, attempts at field goals failed.

Manager Downey kicked twice, once from his own 45-yard line and again from the 32-yard line, both efforts counting for naught. Storsky's placements for Lancaster from the 52-yard [sic] line and again from the 40-yard line were off the line.

Storsky's placement try from Bethlehem's 42-yard line came shortly after the start of the final period and was run back by Gooch to his own 40-yard line. Douglas, Downey and Gooch hit the line and made a first down, but a fumble was recovered by Lancaster.

The period waning, Lancaster opened with its screen pass, the first being good for 10 yards.

Another pass Eastman intercepted on his own 22-yard line, and this was followed by one of the prettiest plays of the game. It was a lateral on the forward, executed by Downey to Eastman to Gooch, which was good for 48 yards. Gooch being brought down by Rae McGraw, former Penn star, on Lancaster's 30-yard line. Another pass followed, Downey to Douglas, the latter carrying the ball to Lancaster's 3-yard line.

Three line thrusts failed, and when penalized on the third, less than a yard from the Lancaster goal line, Manager Downey, whose record is eight out of eleven tries at field goals this season, drop-kicked one one from his own 20-yard line for the three point victory.

The line-up: