Original Document

December 13, 1925

POTTSVILLE STAGES RALLY TO BEAT FOUR HORSEMEN
Berry Kicks Field Goal in Final Minute of Contest to Give Maroons Victory Over Former Stars of Notre Dame University.

By JOHN P. O'DONNELL

Displaying a superb line-cracking ability reminiscent of the days of Ted Coy, Tony Latone, product of the Wilkes-Barre sandlots, aided and abetted by Barney Wentz, former Penn State fullback, led the Pottsville Football team to a thrilling 9-6 victory over the Notre Dame eleven of 1924, before a crowd of 10,000 at Shibe Park yesterday afternoon.

The contest was without doubt the finest professional football game ever staged in this city, and completely confounded the critics, who had asserted that the collegian stars could not cope with their more mature rivals.

In the waning moments of the fourth period, with the collegians from Indiana leading 7-6, the Maroon backfield stars shattered the Hoosier line in a series of brilliant thrusts that carried the ball 60 yards down the field without surcrease [sic]. And, when the advance had been temporarily halted 20 yards from the South Bend goal line, Charles Berry, All-American end at Lafayette, and now a member of Connie Mack's hopefuls, dropped back to the 30-yard line and booted a pretty goal from placement, winning the contest for the Miners. It was a spectacular end to a remarkable contest.

Four Horsemen Are Brilliant.

Throughout the first half the Notre Dame backfield completely outplayed the professional champions, to the great delight of the crowd, which seemed eager to see the eleven which had so completely smashed the attack of the Frankford Yellowjackets baffled by the aerial attack of the visitors.

With Knute Rockne's most famous pupils, the famous "Four Horsemen," in the backfield the South Bend warriors proved that as a team they were well fitted to live up to their reputation, despite the fact that they have been playing together only two weeks. Taking the ball on downs in midfield, shortly after the second period had begun, Stuhldreher, Villanova coach, opened a whirlwind offensive after three line bucks had placed the ball 30 yards from the Maroon goal posts.

Charley Crowley carried the first toss for 15 yards, and then Layden wriggled through the line, shook off three Pottsville tacklers and started for the goal line. The frenzied stands rose with a roar, but some one had been offside, and Layden's brilliant dash availed Notre Dame nothing. The ball was brought back and the team penalized five yards.

But the indomitable spirit of the "Four Horsemen" was not so easily squelched. Miller eeled his way through tackle for seven yards. Stuhldreher tossed a superb pass to Charley Crowley and the Georgia Tech nestor fought off three tacklers and burrowed his way to the nine-yard line. Once again a touchdown seemed certain, but once again Notre Dame was offside, and another five-yard penalty resulted. But Rockne's pupils refused to be daunted. Miller found a hole in the line and squirmed through for a seven yard gain, and an over anxious Pottsville lineman cost the team five yards more. With but two yards to go, Stuhldreher called on Layden, who dove over for the first score of the day. Layden then held the ball and Crowley kicked the goal, giving Notre Dame a 7-0 lead.

Champions in Fighting Mood.

Pottsville, emerging from the dressing room after the intermission, wore the aspect of a solely chastened team. Despite the edict of the National Professional Football League that the Miners would lose their franchise for invading Frankford's territory, if they played the contest, the Maroon coach had insisted on playing.

Now the Miners were facing expulsion from the league, and the loss of their championship emblems. They were faced with a $5000 fine. Their game with the Steam Rollers at Providence R.I. today has been called off, there was the probability of very small gate, and, worst of all, they were facing a probable defeat at the hands of the Four Horsemen.

Perhaps the tongue lashing administered by Dr. Streigel weighed a little on their consciences, but certainly it was a different team that trotted on the grid iron. The players exhibited the gentle demeanor of Hyrcanian tigers during Lent, and Notre Dame, a trifle confident owing to their fine showing in the first half, soon found that they had a bunch of wildcats to contend with.

Doyle took Layden's kick-off and made a beautiful run of 42 yards through the entire Hoosier team, being brought to earth 40 yards from the goal line. failing to gain, a kicking duel ensued, ending with Pottsville holding the ball 45 yards from the white posts.

Tony Latone in three plunges carried the ball 18 yards, and Mahrt, another Rockne product contributed 10 more in two thrusts. With the ball 17 yards from the coveted goal, Ernst tossed an aerial to Latone, which the latter carried across the line for the first Pottsville score. But Berry's kick hit the crossbar of the goal posts and bounce back, and gloom again ascended on the Pottsville stands.

Neither team was in a position to score during the remainder of this period, which was featured by Crowley's pass to Hunsinger for a 25-yard gain, their further advance being interrupted when Mahrt intercepted an aerial in midfield.

Latone's Remarkable Game.

Resuming the offensive, Pottsville threw Tony Latone into the breach. Driving through the right side of the Notre Dame line like a bullet, the Wilkes-Barre boy plunged his way for 28 yards, and when he weakened Ernst kicked out of bounds four yards from the Notre Dame goal.

The strategy was good. A minute later Miller's poor punt gave the pro champions the ball 28 yards from the goal line and the human battering ram was once more called on to function. He responded with a crushing 16 yard plunge, responded again with a four yard rip, and assaulted again for three yards. This put the ball on the Centaurs' five-yard mark as the third period ended.

But, just as a touchdown seemed certain, the South Bend line became adamant. Ernst tossed an aerial over the goal line, but the ball grounded and once again Notre Dame, taking the ball on the 20-yard line, resumed the offensive.

Again the Villanova coach resorted to the air. His first effort, a pass to Collins, resulted in a gain of 15 yards. His second to Collins resulted in a 25-yard gain, but once more the ball was brought back because of rough playing and a 15-yard penalty inflicted. Layden kicked and the Barney [sic] Latone was rushed to the rescue for the last time.
In a spirited advance, in which Wentz and Latone alternated with Mahrt. Occasionally carrying the ball, the peerless Wilkes-Barre line cracker carried the pigskin for a total of 48 yards, one of the most remarkable exhibitions ever seen on a football field.

Ed Hunsinger, assistant coach to Stuhldreher at Villanova the past season, was injured during the final quarter and carried from the field. His left knee was badly twisted.

Hunsinger and Collins gave one of the most brilliant exhibitions of wing playing ever seen in Philadelphia, and Collins made several splendid gains on passes from Stuhldreher. Crowley's punting was beautiful. He not only had plenty of distance, but placed his kicks splendidly.

Four Horsemen.     Positions.         Pottsville.
Collins                    Left end            Berry
Hach                      Left tackle         Hathaway
Welbel                   Left guard          Racius
Mehre                    Centre               H. Stein
Browne                  Right guard       Osborne 
Garvey                  Right tackle       R. Stein
Hunsinger             Right end           Doyle
Stuhldreher           Quarterback       Ernst
Crowley                 Left halfback      Mahrt
Miller                     Right halfback    French
Layden                  Fullback             Wentz

Touchdowns – Crowley [sic], Latone. Point after touchdown - Crowley (placement). Goal from field - Berry (placement). Substitutions:- Pottsville - Beck for R. Stein, Latone for French, Bucher for Doyle; Four Horsemen - Cerney for Miller, Bergman for Crowley, Maher [sic] for Layden, Crowley for Bergman, Miller for Cerney, Regan for Garvey, Hayes for Hunsinger.

Referee - William Hollenbeck, Penn. Umpire - Lieutenant Harmon, Army. Field judge - Kinney, Trinity. Head linesman - Ed Bennis, Penn. Time of periods - 15 minutes.


Credit: The Philadelphia Record, December 13, 1925.