The herald., 1894-10-30

and neither time nor money are being
spared in order that strong teams may
be formed and glory won on the field.
1t seem rather strange that football
OF all games, should have, almost from
its inception, provoked unfavorable
criticism. In the Baeilikon Doren, that
diIletanti effort of James I. of England,
the games 10 described ss follows:
From this court | debar all rough
and violent exercise. as the football,
meeter for laming than making able the
users thereof"
From thoee days until the present
there have not been wanting those who
have failed to see anything in the game
but danger to life and limb. The long
list of casualties in England during the
last season is adduced as proof OF the as
sertions made, but no mention is made
of the fact that throughout Great
Britain tens OF thousands OF men
and boys play at kicking q ball
with only the most superficial rules TO
guide them. Small wonder that rough
play should be developed when the ami.
mating principle too often is: IF you
can't kick the ball, kick the player"
Some idea may be gained of the number
OF football players proper, as distin-
guished from the lower and more ignor-
ant clase alluded to, when it is stated
that over 81 900, 900 was paid out last
season to association playore alone. The
percentage of accidents then to skilled
players on the football field, is no greater
than in any other form of sport, and we
know, on the authority of the faculty OF
tho several colleges, that no instance of
permanent injury to player has &C.
Cured in all the long series of contests
waged during ten years between Prince
ton, Harvard, Yale, Cornell and Penn
sylvania.
About 80 years ago the game OF foot
ball was reduced to scientific principles
at Rugby school. Previously it had been
played in primitive fashion by mob OF
boys and men. The oides were reduced
from 40 or 30 to 90 and later to 15 play
ers. which now constitutes team under
Rugby rules. The oval shsped bail was
also adopted, as it is easier to carry, and
when kicked properly can be sent far
greater distance than the round ball.
Yale was the fret college in this coun-
try to take up the game, although q
crude form had been in vogue es far
back 40 1910. In 1874 the Rugby game
was introduced, being fret played at
Harvard college. Almost Immediately
changes were introduced and modes OF
play altered with the result that the
game known aa Intercollegiate has been
developed, and although merely de.
velopment OF the Rugby game is dis.
tinguished from it by several marked
features.
1t was thought Is players was too
manv for thoroughly scientific game,
and IL men were made to constitute o
team. The rush-line play was adopted
and system of downs" introduced in
1854, and within the last two seasons
there has been evolved series OF mo.
mentum" plays, all OF which constitute
very radical differences from the Rugby
game. The American game is essen
TALLY one of team work, and
no amount s~-of individual abil-
ity can win against tirst-class
team play. On the other hand 1t i9
contended, and apparently with some
show OF reason, that the English game
10 more free from danger and is much
more enjoyable. because more readily
understood by the spectators.
The California Rugby Football union,
in common with all Rugby unions.
whether in England or the colonies. is
opposed to professionalism in every
form. While intercollegiate teams OFT
times prevail upon professionals TO take
a college course, they paying all ex'
penees, that the team NAV have the
benefit OF professional service, this eva
ZION OF the written as we'll as unwrltten
definition OF what constitutes an am v
teur is scarcely to be commended.