SPIRITED FOOTBALL PRACTICE.

The hardest and fiercest practice of the University eleven this season took place yesterday afternoon in a drizzling rain on Soldiers Field. For the first time the team gave indications of the ability and fight expected of it, and against the very strong opposition of the second eleven scored a touchdown and a safety. The play was not always satisfactory and at times remarkably bad, but the dash and drive of the team indicated possibilities of development that have not even been suggested before. Six fumbles in the first half alone, five of which resulted in the loss of the ball, contributed to the smallness of the score. Poor holding of the line and unsteady starting of the backs were among other bad features, but considering the practice as a whole, it was the most encouraging of the season.

There were no long gains. Advances by either side could be made only on very determined efforts by the whole team, in which the work of the runner was only a secondary element. The longest single gain was made by Mills, when he scored his touchdown on a 13-yard plunge through center. In the second half the team again showed its great fault of last year in losing the ball after carrying it almost to the goal line. In this instance, however, it scored a safety by breaking through and taking advantage of a fumbled pass behind the goal. The satisfactory results of the practice were due largely to the excellent playing of the second eleven.

The line-up: FIRST ELEVEN.  SECOND ELEVEN. Le Moyne, Bartels, l.e.  r.e., Burgess, Derby, Sawyer Parkinson, Davy, l.t.  r.t., Lehmann, Carr Bleakie, Brown, l.g.  r.g., Pierce Carrick, Pell, c.  c., Wilder, Sloan Coburn, Wilder, r.g.  l.g., McFadden, Squires Knowlton, Lehmann, r.t.  l.t., Mercer, Meier Montgomery, r.e.  l.e., Clothier, Lane, Blagden Noyes, Leonard, q.b.  q.b., Leonard, Goodhue, Elkins Nesmith, Randall, l.h.b.  r.h.b., Dodge, Hurd Hurley, Schoellkopf, r.h.b.  l.h.b., Cruger, Randall, Snyder, Kent Hanley, Mills, Harrison, f.b.  f.b., Mills, Harrison, Spefry