The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-20
THE FoorBALL OUTLOOK.

What the Sport Needs to Give 1t . Per-
msnent Hold in Seattle,
seattle's present position in football Is prob
lematical OF the popularity of the sport and
the willingness OF the people to support it there
can be no doub., but there are other
conditions that just now threaten to be
q serious handicap. Football uatil this
season has been practically unknown here
and has depended for its introduction upon
a single source, the Seattle Athletic Club an
organization still in its infancy. IL the club
are handful OF men who have doneyeomen's
service, but the burden has been too great for
them. So few could not themselves form foot
ball eleven, and their best efforts to organize
and keep together strong team have
met with poor success The fault lies at
the door OF the majority Of ths clubs
members. There are men among them who
have played and could play football but they
have hung back. They might do valuable ser
vice, il they are unwilling to play regularly. by
turning out to line up against the regular team
in order to give it practice, but they have failed
in this respect Many who might lend encour-
agement, if nothing more, by their presence at
the teams practice have been wholly wanting
This state of affairs has put the msn who are
handling the team in sore straits. For q short
space OF time the popular cry for revenge upon
Tacoma worked up plenty OF enthusiasm and .
strong team was gathered that had the benefit
of plenty of good, hard practice But this period
was short-lived. The recruits the Athletic Club
had dropped from the state university was lost
and along with it still other good material, 30
that the team was wrecked In order to fulfill
its date with the University the Club was forced
TO put into the field . azypatch-work team
gathered from here, there and everywhere
Most of the men In it had never played q foot
ball game and had very little training, while
there was a woeful lack of practice for all. Tho
Athletics took the precaution to announce be-
fore the game that it was not the club eleben.
hr,fa Yoln hat n.
the other hand the university men claim that it
was q victory over the Athletic Club: that they
challenged its regular team, and were ready to
play any team that shonld be pitted against
them. The fact remains, too, that the team
that played last Saturday. a. little representa-
tive as it was, was fighting under tie eolors of
the Athletic Club, and Notwithstanding the good
material near 1t hand, was the best, because it
was the only team that could be scfaped to-
gethef. Whichever side OF the controversy is
correct, the Athletic Club should taxa the les
son home and prepare for the future.
The general charge of lack of proper spirit
does not apply 80 much at the state university.
but unfortunately there are other obstacles
there. The Institution is not very strong nu-
mericaliy; college sports have not yet engaged
the popular attention here as they have in the
East; there 10 no other institution of learning
between which and the university strong
rivalry exists, and there is a lack of financial
support Under these Encouraging coalitions
q wonderfully strong team, considering the ex-
perience of most of its men, has been put to-
gether and carefully trained. Negotiations have
been pending for some time with Bishop Scott
Academy, of Portland, for q game, and If it can
be brought about it will mean q great deal for
the future of football in the colleges Of the
Pacific Northwest
As mentioned before, no fault can be found
with the support that the general public will
give football, but the rank that Seattle will
take in the sport depends upon the action of the
Athletic club, whose duty 1t 10 to work for
4 he interests of the game for which it has
stood a. foster father in this ssction.
To attain the end desired the majority of the
members need only to follow the example of the
few who have been devoting their enesgies to
advance the sport. The goal to be aimed at
now Is the defeat Of the Multnomah Athletic
Club, of Portland, which holds the champion
ship of the Pacific Northwest over from
last season. The game 10 set for January and
the time il short, but much can be dosle in
fortnight. Let the university men, who have
already done good work under the athletic
clubs banner. again lend their services
against the common enemy. Every bit of
available talent should be mustered
for the training which, properly carried out.
ought to give Seattle supremacy over Portland.
The cooperation OF all the members of the Ath-
letic Club. with the aid of the friends whom