Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-02-07
Influence Of EoothaII.

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stockinged shanks comes in again, as it
will, young America will have pair of
strong and shapely calves to display.
But counting in even this, do the good
results of football counterbalance the
bad2
Since an English writer said that foot
ball is to Great Britain what bull bait
ing is to Spain, advocates of the favor
lite college game evidently feel that they
are on the defensive. They are bring
ing forward all that can be said in its
favor. Football is so popular, they say,
because in these piping times of peace it
is mimic war, nearest to a real battle of
anything possible to nation at peace
with the world. OF course this argu-
ment implies that war is desirable and
a good thing for mankind. The scien-
tifc strategy of war, such as Napoleon
and Won Moltke applied to their cam
paigns, can be studied and practiced
with the greatest advantage by football
HdO OhC nlAAtls bC GA
element, the exultation of victory, are
present in football as in fighting; also
the very important factor of chance,
enabling all the professional and unpro-
fessional gamblers to bet to their salts
faction.
So far as the application of military
c,ia r., tho ,ff nA+Aa1I 80
cerned, however, probably the favorite
tactics of the Confederate general, N.
b. Forrest, to git the most men thar
fust, is quite sufficient. But if the chief
claim of this game to public favor is
that it is mimic battle and should there
fore be encouraged, what becomes Of
the other and older claim that it is an
admirable means for athletic develop
ment? We used to hear much about
that; we hear little now. We do hear
occasionally of a great game, where
just in the nick of time one champion
knocked another down and set foot
upon his face, thereby disabling him
and winning the game. This scientific
strategy is applauded by respectable cit
liens who would hold up their hands in
horror at the thought of prize fight
1t is to be remembered, too, that men are
killed oftener in football than in prize
fights.
One result of the football mania is
that the refined, quiet youth who shrinks
from athletic games of the nose and shin
breaking type is below par in the gen.
eral estimation, though he have the
brain of a Herbert Spencer. The youth
who has the brute power of kicking and
clawing developed in the highest degree
is the greatest hero. On the smaller fry
of boys that are spectators of modern
champion football game the effect can
not be otherwise than 20 increase the
natural ferocity and cruelty in the cal
low human breast.
Worst of all, however, is the after
clap of great football game. 1t does
not seem that game is necessarily fol-
AO"NN W a SAnhN opAOO Oh eAiO pdAI VI
the players and several hundreds of their
friends, but the truth is that this result
does follow. Around Yale and Prince
ton naturally cluster in the popular mind
the highest Towering of our civilization,
yet the Yale and Princeton students dis
grace even the meanest civilization by
their orgies after the annual Thanksgiv-
ing football game at New York. Drink
ing saloons, gambling resorts and dives
OF the lowest order are thronged by the
high bred young gentlemen. No I'M
whipped mob of hoodluins in the rural
districts ever behaved worse than these
students on their Thanksgiving spree.
If such excuses are a necessary attend
ant of the glorious game of football,
then it were better that the glorious
game should be abolished.