The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-25
DANCERS OF FOOTBALL.
A Physician Who sees Brutality In the
Game

A Physician who sees Brutality In the
Game
SEATTLE, Dec %, Ise3
To THE Enron: | have witnessed Just
one game of football in my life. and that
bat recently. Ny impression then was
the same as now. i. e., that il is one of the
most brutal amusements in which men
and boys can display their physical pow
ers. The scientific parts of the game were
entirely obscured by the excessive amount
OF brutality. Not personal, vicious bru-
tally, but such AZ is required by the rules
OF the game. such as seen in the priza-
fighting. smuggling matches so bitterly de-
precated by the better element OF society.
am no dyspeptic; / am not soured
individual, who would prohibit physical
exercise; l am in perfect sympathy with
individual sport of q hcalthful, vitalizing
nature, but when IL comes TO slug
ging matches and exhibitions of
brutality. where life. health and
limbs are In constant danger. wish to
draw the line. / believe such is not iegiti-
mate sport. We have no right TO endan-
ger life unless there Is special reason for it.
l have noticed with pleasure that steps
have been taken TO eliminate from the
game some of its worst features I also
note that the police of Pittsburg have pro-
hibited such exhibitions in their city.
This is step in the right direction, as IL
will compel those interested to SO change
the rules that the game may be made less
dangerous. ] am we'll aware of the public
opinion against one who openly attacks
an amusement which has become so pop
uiar, but / wish to be understood il IL not
the game attack but the Objectionable
features of the game. In this. believe,
a vast number of people will uphold me.
Many are perfectly ignorant of the dangers
attached 10 football, or the many fatalities
which have occurred. The one which
comes nearest TO our homes is
the case OF the promising young
man, of our city, who now
sleeps beneath the sod. rs result OF in
juries received on the football field during
recent game. Think you not those who
smourn his untimey death will uphold
those who cry against this evilf The dis
patches bring Us word that the leader of
one of the first elevens of the land is so
broken down that never again can he en-
ter the athletic field. Such things as these
should set men TO thinking.
Nor is this all. Allow me to quots from
some OF the first newspapers and journals
OF America IN feRtFl ~ KRIS KfoNAuk evil.
Harper's Weekly, a journal too we'll known
10 need introduction. says to the college
professors:
There loom up. side by side with the
growth of the game and the increasing in
terest, two evils which threaten not simply
To dampen the enthusiasm. bat to entirely
nut a stop to the sport These evils are
brutal tactics on the part OF the players
and drunkenness on the part of their sup
porters-
some day In the near future when q
player falls never TO get up again, because
his opponent in the heat of the contest has
struck little harder than he intended.
you Will seize the opportunity 10 say, no
more football But the responsible OF
that mans death rests upon you"
The New York Ereaing Post says:
college football is fast becoming ma
tional calamity. As specta-
Gle. the game IS only one degree removed
from the priEeught, and nobody partici-
pates in II or looks on is without finding
his dislike Of prT2eGghts diminished and
his respect for priEenghters Increased.
The New York Herald publishes the fol-
lowing record OF deaths occurring in Eng
land from the effects Of football playing:
During the season of 1901 there were
twenty-three deaths, season Of is9l-2,
TWENTY-FIVE deaths; season Of 1928. so
far, twenty-six deaths. The list OF broken
bones and other severe injuries would be
impossible of computation aud of appa.-
Ing length.
The Medical Meas, one Of the foremost
medical Journals IN the United States.
which has for some time taken bold
stand against this growing evil, says:
The hopelessuess of remeiying the
brutality IS the universally admitted ana
deplorable fact that no human umpire -
physically CAPABLE of seeing the singing
that NAV take place in such terrific jam
bile. and that il IS asking sn itnposssbilty OF
excited and passionate boys tAnd meni -
EXPECT them not to slug when they SiA
thereby via the game and make them
selves heroes"
Col Ernst, superintendent 81 the West
FONT military academy, says:
1t j. doubtful. in my opinion. II the
benefits derived from playing thts game.
whach Al Tree 30 ackuow sc are very
considerable IN some directions. are eoEn-
mensurate a.th she risks st entails 20 lie
and lImb. which. according % statistics.
are much greater than commonly sap
posed.
The ABOVE facts tsnd they are but
small part Of the appalling reeoFdi ought
20 &c enough 10 convince humane persons
that the game IS dangerous and brutal.
There are those Who vii say ~ they
want 10 Tun these risks AMI XII them
selves II i their business" But II Is aot
thsir business 3 .one-3s = the bGstness 81
every one a. protect society. Fathers.
mothers. brothers. sisters and friends are
Affected 1y tie death .; say che society
and business circles tee. the bios. YAK,
above ali. We are tod N the Scriptures
,hSs We are oar bso;asv's keeper. and al
les we euSeavor 90 protect him from ne
evils and DANCES Of life ws are net doing
oar NGo.e daty.
j. i. CaAFxAx, Il. y.