Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-09
DANGERS OF FOOT BALL.
er Camp Suggests n Meeting OF
Soachers to Consider the Problem.

| Sa"p suggests n Meeting OF
ooaehers to Consider the Problem.
Inc unusual number Of serious accidents
oh tne loot ball field this fall has called
.he attention Of pigskin enthusiasts to the
INCREASING roughness Of the game and steps
WIN uouo1iess be taken at an early day by
coachers and other foot ball experts To
remedy the growing evil
waiter Camp, who is regarded as an au-
thor1ty on foot ball has made the first
move In the matten In an article I'm the
Ne" YORK Herald, Sunday, he attributes
the increasing number of accidents to the
mass plays which characterize the games
'nis year. and says that that particular
style Of play is too hard upon the men.and
renders the game more dangerous that leads
all interested to think most seriously of
what Is to be done TO remedy the eyil be-
fore another season.
The public the press and the players"
ne continues ARE all thoroughly in love
WIN loot ball. provided It Is kept as free
rom dangerous accidents as Il has been
Tor the last few years previous to ls93.
Ihose enthusiasts who feel that there is
conspiracy against the sport are blinded
by their intense love OF the game. 80 that
they cannot and Will not see any fault In
IL But IL every one will carefully study
me play that We shall see In both these
maj matches he will be very apt TO con-
ciooe unless all signs fail that the over
oeVeiopment OF mass plays bids fair to
axe the sport too hard upon the line men.
particularly the tackles and ends
When half dozen good, solid fellows get
in mooon ana concentrate their force and
weight running at full speed. against one.
TWO or three men, who are able to get un-
ger out partial Roadway, and who are
oongeo also to look for the man with the
pslu coming behind this mass the SHOCK is
pretty severe. and repeatedly pra cited Min
use UP even the stoutest and pIucliest
mere are many who can stand II through
same barring some unusual chance blow,
put the tendency 70 such plays means thai
they must be practiced for weeks and that
ohe team must meet as well as make them
80 mat II resolves itself into q question OF
meeting such an impact day after day for
months before the fnal contest. No won
GER then, that the men get sore and ten
oers tnat occasionally a wall of despafr goes
Up from the college that the best men are
Ino up ana there are no good men TO take
lneir places. There are two and very like
~. more. ways of legislating that might ef-
feet cure.
In the first place, this mass plavine in
the direct result of the growth OF The in
reference principle. The Rugby Union
RUE, roIes 90 not admit of anything of the
n Arasu, because the interferers are of side,
anu nave. according to that code no right
10 run INTO. interrupt or obstruct an on
ponent until again on sidte-that 10 min
tSaoms me runner and his goal line prac-
tically behind him. 1t was the Rugby
Union rules that the American colleges
originally adopted. and it was not for a dog
Sn or more yearstthat the question of inter-
ference arose. Then IL came very gradual
ly, beginning by merely sending one man
ahead or the runner through the line but
not IN the open field From this grew a
ersdler laxlty about the principle of or
size interference, and almost before the
players knew il the Infringement of the
rune was very common. 1t seemed to the
legislators necessary to make this legal or
insure Its immediate prevention and they
determined upon the former Thus inter
ference has become the great feature of the
present play. Last year this Interference
peean 10 take on more and more Of the
nature OF running mass OF men sent
against special point in the enemy's line
Remedy for the Evil.
The above brief history of the growth
OF interference suggests a remedy-that is,
an immediate return to the old rule that
no man when off side could interfere with.
interrupt or obstruct his opponents This
would be most radical change and while
1t would surely kill the evil would also
eliminate many Of the present brilliant
features of the play.
Another remedy is that Of reducing the
at present too great value of possession of
the ball A side can, and often does, carry
the bail from the center of the field to a
touchdown without the opponents having
a chance TO show anything but their desen-
slNe play. Every captain fears the loss
OF the ball, and the games of this season
nave not diminished that fear in the least
but rather increased it. For this reason
ehe puhtns ana drop kicking. which ought
10 De great feature OF every game have
but tenth part Of the Importance they de-
serve. A rule, therefore, which made the
oaii change hands more freely would I'M
IN
of play.
This could be accomplished by increas-
ing the distance Necessary TO be gained in
uiS Gowns Tor the continued possession
VI tne pail making IL, say, ten yards in
stead OF hve. Then with this might be in
cluoeu another incentive TO longer passes
IN Allowing the possession OF the ball IL
passed twenty or more yards across the
field. Such passes when forced, would be
expensive in the way of losing ground be-
cause upon such a long pass and when
expected by the opponents, IL would be
necessary to send il pretty well back 10
forwards
There are. without question. other meth
OBS OF legislating which would be equally
effective, and a general conference OF those
most interested In the sport would bring
them out Such men Mr.. Stewart and
Mr.. Deland. Mr.. Brooks, Mr.. Moffatt, Mr..
woodruff. and others who have taken an
actlve part this season in the coaching,
have probab bly, all thought much about the
proDlen ana could suggest many ways or
properly restricting the mass play. A meet
Ing of such men would be productive Of
world of good results, particularly il IL took
place very soon. while all the lessons OF
this year are fresh in their minds. Foot
hall is too good a sport to be allowed to
retrograde. but press and public are right
in demanding that a game that draws into
IL the very pick Of our school and college
men shall not be allowed TO become I'M
necessarily dangerous.
Accidents will happen. English foot ball
has gone on and so has our American
game, gathering strength. favor and popu-
larity in spite of the occasional accident.
But we all OF Us want to see these accidents
reduced rather than Increased. and good
legislation among the foot ball enthusiasts
can insure this"
From Life.