New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-27
PrFORU FOOTBALL OR STOP IT.

REFORM FOOTBALL OR SIOP II.
Football ought to be either radically reformed
or altogether prohibited by college authorities.
Whatever else was left In doubt at the cnh "i
the Yale-Harvard game in Springfield on Sa'"I-
day. This fact was conclusively Established. II
WAS n brutal contest throughout There ip-
ncors to b. no difference Of opinion on me 'uh-
icrt Those who have been the most uncpIl-
promising advocates Of the sport in past years.
who have been scarcely willing 10 admit 'ha'
il could be improved in any respect ana nave
derdcd the sharp criticisms which they never
thought IL worth while 10 answer seriously
have suddenly undergone an "xtra"rdiharF
change of mind 1t * rather too soon 10 get 4
full verdict from spectators living "S""h'r''
lint their views are beginning to come In ;nd
tbev nerfectjv agree with the unanimous lnhG-
mrnt Of New-York people who were present
II would he hard TO cite another case "i'r'
general sentiment has been 50 swiftly ana com
petcly reversed
This assertion is based upon large N"lum"
OF peculiarly strong cvidencr-npon the 'h'r'N
harmonious testimony Of numerous college sr'"
uatrs Of the younger set. former "n'"hS''S'~'
ul1ycrs in recent games. men VINO IulN '"lilI"
bend the significance OF what they saw ana ill"'
oughlv understand what they are talking ABOUT
and who unite I'm declaring that the SprhsIrid
game WAS an outrageous exhibition. III was
sjuulv revolving" says 4 man whose "ord mas
almost the force II law In athletic affairs al
his own college Il would far rather Fave ioo'
..ball stopped at This point than another game
Xix. that PLAYED" j. the summing mp OF one
80 thc three or four most widely known 81 col
log. coaches And their feeling i SHARED We
veutur. 10 saw not merely by II m1JoiiY. hui
lac all az the Intelligent and dspassionlie "b
orv.rs of SATURDAYS game Til" character 81
,h,, game Is not redeemed In The slightest de-
ro. hv ia. fortunate circumstance that some
-, IN. casualties prove To he less serious tl'"h
..,, ,,nnos.J-th that one ~ them will not r''ult
,r deo,h after all. that reported fracture turns
OUT 10 be dislocatlon. and that VISION VIII pro"
olJv IN. restored To laccratci eye. The asl" cts
and atmosphere 81 the cont -. Win lis I'''
,h.rnall, of Urters and surgical instruments. It's
array Of damaged players and discarded crp
, i,o fraunent di>plnvs ~ fury and briii lliiy
and IFS continual proofs of torture were disgust
ing and dlsgraccful. II IL no wonder mat WON
ON fell Themselves dcmrancd 10y their Attendance
n such a spectacle and that thousands ~ men
recall ,he scene with shame and Indignation II
,hev con correct their own mistake. not ours. by
s,cndinp spare evening among their graz
yates In this city
Readers Of The Tribune are aware iha' we
have never been opponents OF footpiI "l"r''
We have been in agreement hitherto. ~ we no"
arc with graduate Undergraduate and popular
opinion on the subject. We nave peh'''h """
s,u homo tha, the game can be So modified ~
4, T.. tt...D t.tfh
for It's exccllcnccs II lis determines can he re-
moved But ii Is evident that II "'lu'r's
changes far more radical than any when nave
been considered. The new rules supposedly
framed for the purpose OF diminishing nrU'a'''|
and mishaps have broken down compl"''y'
\ot more In the same line but something esi' II
iolv different Is impcratively demanded. we
do not assume the function OF footbai IaW'n1k
ing but there are certain plain facts abon' III"
game which are at least suggestive. us ch'i
fundamental characteristic Is that II II series
81 rbysical encounters. 1t brings natural an
tagonists In u state OF Intense excitement INTO
ncrsonal contact. In lis essence therefore, II
differs totally from rowing and baseball Inc
fact that a boxing match. which In this respect
4 football game closely resembles. always tends
. toward and frequently results in hght II IN
structivc In sct-to with gloves III" o'S'
friends arc likely 10 lose their tcmpcrs and strike
harder than they meant to- If they were ardent
rivals for u prize Of overwhelming importance
in their eyes and surrounded w host ~ III
mu,uous spectators. the thin veneer or rlViiiZa'
tion would not surely save them from becoming
! brItcs.
The disciplinary value Of football on account
Of this its chief feature has been adduccd as m
argument in It's favor. We think another ref
utotiop like that Of Saturday is scarcely ncces-
sary 70 prove that practice does not conform To
/ theory on that point. The question Is whether
a change Of rules can produce an adequate
change of play The most hopeful experiment.
II seems 10 us. would bc in the direction OF new
uonaltics TO send man off the field for slug
ging or some other offence. and replace him with
a substitute who was almost as good AT the ont
set and is probably better at the moment, IL
inadequate to the point Of absurdlty. II Is re-
ward rather than punishment Either the
team should be- compelled to go OH playing with
| one less player for every member disqualified
or should be pcnaIized In points. 1t seems as II
the risk Of heavy forfeiture in one OF these
two ways might restrain the antagonists within
decent limits.
There IL one conspicuous evil In football as II
Is now generally played which IL artificial rather
| than inherent The ideal athletic trimming Is
| that which sends the competitors into n contest
in perfect physical condition: but n game of
! football In which there not several crippled
players at the beginning and several more be-