Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-02
FOOTBALL PLAYER DIES.
The student Injured I'm the Atlanta
Game succumbs.


An Atlanta special OF sunday was as
follows: The modern game of football
has claimed another victim, Richard
Won Cannon, who died at 3:45 o'clock
this morning of conclusion OF the brain,
induced by injuries received In yesterday
afternoons game between the teams OF the
University Of Virginia and the University
Of Georgia, on which latter team he was
full-back.
Cannon was but is years old, mem
Der OF a prominent family at Rome,
Ca, and one of the best and most popu-
lar students at the Georgia University.
The accident occurred In the second half.
while the game was at It's most exciting
point The scrimmage was one Of the
most desperate OF the game. and when
Cannon tackled and was thrown TO the
ground there was fearful collision OF
all the players. The men tumbled on
top OF each other, and many were buried
under the weight Of the heavy men, who
leapcd and tripped on top Of the first
men TO fall.
When the whistle sounded the players
quickly arose, and all save young Gam
mon resumed their places. Georgia's
full-bacl remained outstretched on the
field. and he failed to move when the
men got up of him.
Friends quickly ran to his assistance
and asked him IL he was hurt He
could only humble unintelligible words,
and the spongers and watermen quickly
began work. Every restorative at hand
was applied. but it was of no use.
Cannon lay motionless, stunned, bleed
ing, and slowly losing consciousness.
The Grady Hospital ambulance was
summoned, and Cannon taken there,
where he remained unconscious until his
death occurred, at 3:45 A. M. 1t is not
known If an inquest will be held, but 1t
is improbable that any OF the players
will be held responsible.
The present season is the second in
which Cannon has been member of
university football team. He was one
of the strong men of the team last year,
and during the season he made many
brilliant marks on the field.s He was also
a member of the baseball team lie
played third base, and was one OF the
finest men in that position among the
southern universities, He has been
leader in athletics in the university, and
he was a strong and well-developed man.
He was known as one Of the reliable
men of the team, and could always be
counted on to do his part in whatever
was undertaken.
The Georgia team has cancelled its
engagements, and Chancellor Boggs de-
olares it will abandon that form OF
sport.
KNFLb OF GAME IN GEORGIA.
ATLANTA, GA, November 1.-(Special)
The knell of the modern game of foot
ball in this State has been sounded. Fol-
lowing the tragic death of 1S-Year-old
Richard Cannon from injuries sustained
in the game of Saturday storm of public
sentiment has swept over the entire State
demanding the immediate and absolute
abolition of the brutal sport. There is an
anti-foot- ball ordinance now before the
Georgia House of Representatives. and
one of like character was introduced into
the Senate this morning They both
make the playing of the game mis-
demeanor, the penalty for which is
heavy fine or Imprisonment for one year.
Nearly all of the legislators expressed
themselves as firmly opposed to the ex-
istence of the game, and declared they
would vote for the measures now before
them. A very few were in favor or
simply eliminating the more savage ana
dangerous portions of the game, but they
will cut no figure in the final roundup.
GEORGIA TEAM DIsBANDS.
The University of Georgia team, 81
which Cannon was member. this morn
ing disbanded, and that institution will
have to prohibit the game, unless 1t
wants to forfeit financial aid from the
state. The legislators have so expressed
themselves, and will voluntarily adopt
prohibitive measures.
Gammon's classmates this morning
passed resolutions of coincidence with his
family. and expressed their abhorrence
of the game.