What Happened at St. Louis
by W. H. Harmon (Team Manager for 1904 team)
To write the story of the Olympic Championship is a welcome task,
albeit, a difficult one. The memory of that victory is still fresh
in my mind, but a proper narration demands more space than the
"Spider Web" can afford. So there will be little of ornateness or
polish, simply the bare facts briefly expressed.
Of a successful season and the winning of the Ohio championship,
there is nothing to say,--all of you are familiar with that. The
strenuous pace set for the team by Coach Brown is also a familiar
story to you. So the best I can do is to pass on to the few days
which included the games themselves and the events immediately
proceeding.
Since some arrangements were required before the team arrived in
St. Louis, I went on ahead and completed them Monday, July 11th.
Mr. H.G. Reynolds,--coach of the Chicago Central Y.M.C.A. team, who
had been recommended by Mr. Brown,--was found and engaged to take
charge of the squad during the games. All arrangements with the
National Committee were left in his hands and he proved worthy of
the trust.
During the day I came across the Clark brothers, who had also
preceded the rest of the team, and directed them to
headquarters,--the Epworth Hotel,--to which place I followed them
about seven o'clock in the evening.
The remainder of the squad, in charge of G.A. Vincent, arrived
about eleven P.M., and were met at the station by Messrs. Spencer,
Avery, and myself. Owing to the uncertainties of traffic on St.
Louis street car lines, we came somewhat indirectly to the Hotel
and retired at once.
The next morning we were up early and after breakfast went out to
the Stadium for a light practice. Through Reynolds, a practice game
was secured with the Chicago Centrals. The result of this game,--8
to 6 in favor of Chicago,--went far toward restoring whatever
confidence in themselves the boys may have previously lost.
After luncheon a short ride was taken about the Grounds and then we
assembled at the Physical Culture Building to witness the deciding
game of the A.A.U. Championship series, played between Buffalo
German Y.M.C.A. and the Chicago Centrals. Owing to the condition of
the Stadium, the game was played in the Gymnasium, and this made it
possible to get a good idea of the styles of play used by the
respective teams. The game was won by Buffalo by a small margin,
and was a remarkably fine exhibition throughout.
In the morning came the games, and loss of sleep could not be
thought of. That evening before the morning of the game we sat on
the stone porch in front of the Hotel, with the blazing city spread
out before us, and discussed the coming contest with becoming
modesty. Although the prowess of our opponents was thoroughly
appreciated, little fear as to the final outcome was felt by the
Hiram contingent. We felt that Wheaton College was most to be
feared. They had held the National Championship in 1903 and we knew
them to be very dangerous. L.D.S.U. team was as good as anything in
the West, but somehow we gave them little thought, as they were
practically an unknown quantity.
In the morning we were out at seven and after a light breakfast
went out again to the Stadium. The much discussed question as to
whether the games should be played indoors or out, had already been
decided and the drawing for places was about to take place. The
games were to be played on the field as advertised. This was at
first a disappointment as it was thought that the use of cleated
shoes by the Wheaton boys would give them a decided advantage on
the slippery field. Later events disproved this.
In drawing for places it was found that the games were to be played
as follows:
Wheaton vs. Hiram
L.D.S.U. vs. Wheaton
Hiram vs. L.D.S.U.
The first game was to be played in the morning at ten-thirty, the
second at one-thirty, and the third at three-thirty.
The first game was called about 10:45 a.m. The rains of the night
before had left the clay field in a very slippery condition.
Puddles all about the side lines promised to make it unpleasant if
the ball went out of bounds, but the sun blazing down from an
almost cloudless sky foretold quick removal of this handicap.
Wheaton had the heavier team but when we on the side lines saw the
contrast between the brown clean cut limbs of the Hiram team and
the beefy ones from Illinois, we did not feel greatly depressed.
The weeks of hard training on the Hiram field had put the boys in
fine condition and they looked fit to play the game of their lives,
and they did.
Line and Wilson played forwards; Hurd and Carl Clark, guards; and
Earl Clark, center. The playing from the start was fast and
furious. Wheaton took a short lead and for the first five minutes
it looked as though we were going to have a hard time of it. Not
for an instant, however, did Hiram think of getting discouraged.
Every man played as cooly and methodically as in a practice game on
the Hiram floor. The pace Wheaton had set could not be long
maintained, so her lead was cut down point by point. Their cleated
shoes were a hindrance and they began making wild throws. To make
matters worse they noted each others [sic] mistakes and did not
hesitate to blame whoever was at fault.
Here it was that the real superiority of the Hiram training
asserted itself. Though Hiram made as many misplays as her
opponent, though the boys were frequently called down for fouling,
not a word of blame or censure from the captain or any member of
the team was heard. Instead, were words of encouragement and
soulful exhortations to "play the game." Mistakes that cost points
were accepted with a cheerful resignation that gladdened the hearts
of us who saw. And when the first half ended with the score 15 to
15 we felt serenely confident that we would take the honors in the
second.
The second half was a repetition of the first with the exception
that Hiram had no lead to overcome. At no time was the game
one-sided. Though Hiram was all the time in the lead it was not
beyond the danger point and it was only whirlwind playing that kept
Wheaton from scoring. When the time-keeper blew his whistle at the
end of the second half, Hiram was five points to the good, and the
first game was won. The team and its supporters took it quietly for
undue excitement or hilarity tires one and is not conducive to good
playing. And even in this moment of intoxication we remembered that
there was one more game to follow.
We walked up into the grounds for luncheon, ate it in the shade of
a big cool pavilion and discussed the coming game with L.D.S.U.
dispassionately. There was nothing of over-confidence, simply the
intention to play ball all the time, no matter what came about.
Luncheon over, we strolled back to the Stadium and watched the game
between L.D.S.U. and Wheaton with interest. There was of course a
doubtful element as to the outcome of this game and much depended
on it, for if Wheaton lost it meant possibly that the whole series
would have to be played over again. But the expected happened and
our fears were allayed when Wheaton came out victorious by the
close score of 40 to 35.
Now followed an hour's intermission. During this interval the team
dressed for the next game and the whole squad was photographed by
the official photgrapher. After L.D.S.U. had a sufficient time to
recuperate from the strenuous labors of the first game the second
was called.
This game was marked by the same consistent playing on the part of
Hiram that had been so noticeable in the first game. While not so
exciting as the first--owing to Hiram's getting a lead and
maintaining it--it was marked by many brilliant plays and more
effective team work than the first had shown. The playing
throughout was exceptionally clean, but few fouls being called
during the entire game. No noise was permitted from the side lines
so Hiram sympathizers were perforce content with holding the water
bottle and saying encouraging things in an undertone. Through our
enforced silence we were wild with inward excitement and only the
fear of threatened banishment from the side lines prevented our
giving expression to our feelings in appropriate yells.
Several girl basketball players from the Government Indian school
were present and applauded every good play made by the teams. They
made admiring remarks about the graceful appearance of the Hiram
boys--especially "Let" and "String," whom they thought were from
their own tribe. The Clark boys were "too sweet for anything," they
said, and they could only be prevented from carrying off "Pete,"
"Bennie" and Willie" by the assurance that these were "otherwise
provided for."
When the game was finished and Hiram was declared the winner, our
enthusiasm naturally ran a trifle high. We let out a few playful
whoops and then ran pell-mell into the dressing rooms where we
pummeled each other in perspiring breathlessness. It was a great
meeting. The first spasm over we settled down, made our toilets and
took our ways up into the grounds.
First came supper, then "The Pike," and the allurements of that
place held us until late that night. And when we left there was
more than one weary "Spieler," more than one suffering
concessionaire, who was glad that college crowds didn't strike him
very often. We yelled "Brek-ke-ke-kex," and "Hootin', rootin'"
until we were blue as to the face and hoarse as to the throat, and
then we turned our weary feet bedward, tired, worn out, but
happy.
Thus ends the chronicle, if chronicle it may be called. If it be
rough and lacking in polish, please excuse for an office is a poor
place to cultivate flowerly language and well turned phrases. If it
lacks enthusiasm, remember that the gloss of present achievement
having been removed, there remains only the pure worth of real
attainment and that the historian is permitted to record only bare
facts and may not enthuse for fear that partiality may distort the
truth.
Just a word in conclusion. That the trip was of undoubted benefit
to Hiram itself no one can deny. But the real benefit is to be
derived from the lessons taught us by this victory. The
self-sacrifice and perseverance shown by the team are seldom found
in any school or team. Throughout the course of hard training and
the strenuous season that preceded the games themselves, the spirit
exhibited by the boys cannot be too highly commended. It proved to
me, possibly more than any other one thing in my college career,
what the Hiram training and the Hiram spirit is capable of and
makes me proud of the privilege of having been the manager of "the
best team Hiram ever had."
I take this occasion to publicly extend the thanks of the team and
its manager to those who contributed so much to the success of the
trip, to the students and the alumni who gave moral as well as
financial encouragement, to Coach Brown whose services were
invaluable to us, and to Mr. Vincent who did more work than any one
else in raising funds.
An Olympic championship is not won every year and so the value of
it is all the more enhanced. Let us not belittle the honors the
boys brought home to us, but on the contrary let us not be puffed
up with unseemly pride. Vanity is not conducive to a good team and
Hiram cannot afford to let the standard be lowered. Cherish always
the memory of this triumph but in the futurue strive to attain
companion honors so that our enemies cannot say, "They won one
championship, and it swelled them all up."