The Washington critic., 1888-01-14

and incomplete as it is, will serve TO
show the relative strength of the diff
ferent clubs. That growing interest
is manifested i'm the sport is made APP
parent and the prospects for next sea-
son loom brightly.
ARRANGING FOR NEXT SEASON.
A schedule of games will be ar
ranged and probably the clubs will
be organized into two classes-one
composed of the stronger and more
formidable teams, the other Of the
weaker. Nearly all Of the clubs pos
sess suitable practice grounds in the
city and its purlieus. The Emersons
have an excellent field at the Soldiers
Home. The Kendalls, Georgetown
College team, High School, Wallachs,
and Episcopal High School clubs play
on grounds adjacent to their estab-
Athletics use an open space near
Lincoln Park. The Duponts have
marked out grounds on q vacant lot
must be of quite spacious Dimensions,
measuring 800 by 100 feet, and the
dearth of such places in the city has,
no doubt, prevented many persons
from organizing themselves into
clubs.
THE AMERICAN CODE.
The game of football, as played in
this country, differs materially from
the English game. In Great Britain
it is governed by two sets of rules
the English Association and Rugby
codes. Both of these are exceedingly
rough, and consequently accidents in
! that country are frequent to devotees
of the sport. The English Association
rules do not permit the ball to be
handled at all during the progress of
the game. The Rugby Code, however,
allows it, while modification of the
latter is presented in the American
College code, which desires to elimi-
nate some of the Objectionable features
of the Rugby game. The clubs of
Washington and vicinity play what is
termed the American Rugby game,
and this partakes of some Of the
features of both the English Rugby
and American Association codes. Not
one accident occurred throughout the
past season during any of the matches
between Washington clubs, while in
England seven persons were fatally
injured in one week in playing Cp) the
game. Football has never had in this
country that prominence which it
deserves. Many persons are preiu-
diced in regard to it, because they
think it a boys game and too
rough and undignifled for men. 1t
does not, however, partake Of any
thing puerile, but the sport has never
become general in this country, and
consequently Americans, as a rule,
know little regarding its features. But
it will never become as popular as
baseball; national pride and several
other things forbidit.
THE BENEFITS OF THE GAME.
Football calls for great control of
temper, and Mr.. Henry Chadwick says
respecting this: 'For this reason it is
not game for the masses, for unless
bad temper is governed by educa-
tional influences, vulgar rows on the
field are sure to follow" Football en-
thusiasts urge many reasons as to the
superiority of their favorite game over
baseball. Every man is always in
active service during football game,
while few do all the work at base
ball. Football, too, is conducive to
good morals, for person in order to
become a proficient player must give
up all noxious habits, such as smoking
and drinking. 1t has been noticed
among the clubs of this city that the
poorest teams have the most smokers.
This necessary self-denlal has prob
ably been one of the reasons why
the game has not been popular out
side of schools and colleges. Few
men over the age of 25, would care
to give up the use of tobacco, or
stop drinking, for the mere sake of
entering into the sport. They pre-
fer to continue these pleasant
habits and satisfy their propensities
towards athletics by witnessing base
ball games. Football players seldom
take interest in the great national
game, and few baseballists know the
first principles of the English sport
THE TRAINING NECESSARY.
Several of the clubs in the District
oblige their members to undergo q
regular and constant course of train
ing. Two of the best teams, the ANA
teurs and the Duponts, showed the
advantages derived from this by the
excellent work performed by them.
East Washington people have been
astonished many times by the sight of
Captain Burroughs and his white
iacketed Amateurs out for q nocturnal
run. Every smoking member of the
Duponts gave up the use of the weed,
and all assiduously devoted them
selves to gaining the necessary
wind"
SOME GOOD PLAYING.
The past season was not character
lied by anything remarkable among
the clubs of Washington and the
adjoining neighborhood Probably
the best game among the city clubs
was that between the Duponts and
the Amateurs, which resulted in q
tie. During game at Baltimore be-
tween the Johns Hopkins University
team and the Kendalls, brilliant
play that has perhaps never been
equaled in the football field was
made by several members of the lat
ter club, who threw one of their num-
Der into the air in order that he
might stop the ball as il was about to
pass over the goal-post at distance
of fifteen feet from the ground. The
ball was stopped, but the Kendalls
were ultimately defeated by score
Of 80 too.
THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP.
On their own responsibility tie
Duponts and Georgetown College
team announced game for the
"championship of the District to