Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-01-11
THE CHILDREN.
Some Pleasant Stories for the
Amusement of our Ju-
uenile Readers.
BOTH INTERESTING AND IN
STRUCTIVE.
The Game of Football, is it Dangerous
or Not?-A Funny Story About
the Bishops Nephew.
Is Football Dangerous?

some parents are greatly troubled
about their boys playing football. Mr..
Alexander johnson, who isgood author
ity, shows in the following that there is
not much to fear:
"The game is as safe as any outdoor
game can we'll be, provided it is played
with the careful preparation and train
ing which are the rule i'll the larger
colleges; it is dangerous and unfit
game when men undertake to play it
without any such preparation and train
ing. In the. season of last year, two
fatal accidents are reported; both oc-
Cured in colleges which were attempt
ng to play the game as it is played by
he leading teams, without any of the
preparations which they find an essen
tial. The writer, who has been in the
habit of attending the regular games Of
the college with which he is connected,
has felt under obligations to be equally
consistent in attending the daily prac-
tice games Of the men, in order to watch
the preliminary training; and he must
confess to great respect for the good
sense and good management of the I'M
der-graduates who have the matter in
charge. The University team is Sc
lected Professionally; it is pitted daily
against second, or scrub team of
somewhat larger numbers; both teams
are kept under careful training and SUI
peryision; the playing is made short and
gentle as possible at first, until the men
begin to become hard; the playing is
then gradually heightened and made
more severe, as the men become able to
endure it., and, by the time the season
comes to its last game, the players are
able to endure with impunity treatment
which would be dangerous to men who
are Soft OR out of condition. After
the first few weeks are over, and serious
playing has begun, the men who have
not yet played are not encouraged, or,
in extreme cases, even allowed. to play
in the Scrub team; the managers think
it inadvisable to run any risks. The
players are not only brought to point
of physical condition which makes it q
pleasure to watch them; they are
taught how to fall, when fall is ;nev-
liable, in such way SIS to retain con-
troll Of the ball without hazarding bro
ken bone CT dislocation. When the
closing games come ca, the player can
take what seems to the spectator a
frightful fall, not only without bruise,
but SO skillfully that it is regularly nee
essary for his opponent to hold him
down lest he rebound and take to his
heels again. The preliminary practice
games can hardly be more severe else
where than at Princeton; and yet the
writer has never seen a serious accident
occur there. An accident may occur,
of course: and will give no warning of
its coming, but its coming has been put
as far as possible ont of the range of
probability. But if men in other col
leges wish to play foot ball, as should
be the case, they must not ignore the
systematic course of preparation, take
the final playing Of well-trained team
as a model, and attempt to initiate it.
1t is from ouch folly that the recurring
accidents in football come. With good
physical condition in the players, the
requisite training. and suitable grounds,
the game is not only one Of the best of
outdoor sports, but one Of the safest. >"
Century.