The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-20


field sport. The Greeks and Romans
played 1t and the latter took it with
them TO Britain. Building on this basis
the modern game seems to have begun
its development in England about
seventy years ago.
1t may shock some OF the devotees OF
tile sport to know that at first the social
high-fyers did not take kindly to it,
possibly because it was too rough for
them. Thegreat schools, however, took
it up and made it fashionable, SO that
for many years it has been the favorito
English game, in winter taking the
place Of the summer game OF cricket.
Foot ball on the present scientific
basis is comparatively new comor in
this country. In the east tits thorough
Iy naturalized. West OF the Alieghenioa
it has Just about taken out its first
papers. The great universities and col.
leges first revealed the beauty OF the
manly game, the smaller ones followed
suit, the athletic clubs generally got in
the wake, and now all America is hurry
ing to got in thu swim.
Perhaps the drawing power of the
game is to be explained to some extent
by college rivalry, which brings out all
the partisnns OF each to try to Guido the
others in yelling. a better explanation
is that foot ball is really attractive
game, and it may be enjoyed without
being in the least understood. To
catch the fiue points sharpens the ap-
probation OF the play, but anybody can
enjoy tho sight of twenty-five young
athletes contending for success and the
great prize OF the public admiration
eleven lusty young fellows working
with might and main TO accomplish
something and to keep eleven more OF
the same sort from doing the same
thing.
There is fixity OF thought, concen-
tration OF effort, seemingly do-or-die
purpose that commands attention and
excites admiration. There is action,
and intense action, from start to finish {;
and there is the ever present element OF
danger, which attracts on the foot ball
field as it does under the circus tent
when signior Lepanto throws double
somersault from ono trapeze and
catches by his feet on another. You
are interested in the signior because
you are not quite sure whether the
daring man is going to do his act neatly
or break his precious neck.
There is not much nock-breaking in
foot ball-ii there were it would draw
still bctter-and it is not often that u
player is seriously injured. All the
same there ia in some of the great
games entirely too much rough work,
not at all necessary to the sport aud a
menace to its length OF days.
There is an idea that along with foot
ball goes OF necessity a certain uncer-
tain but considerable amount of wine.
bibbing and painting the town red,
which lasts lar into the small hours.
This is side issue evolved in tho main
by the fruitful conditions of tho "toa-
dorloin precinc" OF New York and the
rollicking fellows who go with their
team to do the yelling and arc allowed
more pocket money than lie good for
them.
There can, OF course, be no foot ball
without pretty girls, gay colors and ap-
propriate yells; but knock.down.and.
drag.out play and drunkenness are no
more necessary constituent: clements OF
tho game than are bowie knives and
whisky in a game Of checkers.
Tho ISTELLGEXcER is glad to SEQ its
young friends taking hold OF foot bail
and expects them to show what young
gentlemen can do with pastime which
up to date is decidedly a gentleman'a
sport. We are TO see what some OF our
homo talent can do for Thanksgiving
diversion on the lair grounds. We shall
all be there to SEQ the young athletes
have fun with the pig.skin.