New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-06
FOOTBALL.

The progress OF the college football season
toward Its elimination makes a large demand
on newspaper space-a demand which. it is In
tcrestinc TO observe, is as readily granted by
newspapers DESTROYS Of having the game abol
ished rs by others. This fact tesifes to
prevalent belief on The part Of editors that their
readers are keenly interested in the game, and
however falbe they may be in their Judgment
of some matters. there is little risk in saying
that they are right on this point. The enor-
nous attendance which every contest between
prominent teams attracts Is sufficient proof that
football has obtained firm grip on popular IN
terest That the source of It's fascination is
wholly creditable 10 those who enrich the treas
uries OF the college athletic associations Is less
certain. Only small minority of the spec
tatOrs who throng TO witness game or football
are capable Of approaching its fine points. Nhat
the multitude see and enjoy is fierce ond fear
less encounter of opposing forces. Nhe'her
their enjoyment Is refined or the reverse may
be a dcbatable question, but there seems to be
no way Of escaping the conviction that 1t IS
natural.
Many serious and several fatal accidents Oh
the football field this year have led TO a re-
newal Of the movement for the prohibition OF
the game, and IN two or three colleges 1t has
recently been abandoned or forbidden. But the
strongest argument against the game Is not the
fact that Il occasionally results in the death or
a player A similar Indictment can be brought
with greater force against most forms OF sport
and recreation, and especially against hunting
swimming and horseback riding. The chief OBJ
lection to football, now that the important re-
20 etrict cOllpPp college
grounds has been virtually accomplished, Is the
exceedingly large percentage OF serious injuries
which il causes, az the game Is ut present
played. If everybody who mounted Morse
had TO consider not merely the remote chance
of being killed or disabled, but the strong prob
ability Of being thrown and badly hurt. that nd
mirable means OF pleasure and exercise would
deserve TO be far less popular than 1t IS. But
the fact Is that football player enters every
game with n reasonable expectation OF being
more or less completely crippled in the course
Of II. Football news largely consists Of descrp-
lions of accidents and reports upon the condi-
ton and prospects Of players who have Deen
laid up for repairs whether or not they VIII
he able to play in the next big game and, If
So how long they Will last. Perhaps the most
convincing commentary on the dangerous prob
abilities Of the sport is the elaborate provision
of surgical attendance for the injured.
These hazards are not nseparable from the
game of football. but they do appear TO be IN
separable from the present method OF playing
IT, The contact Of individuals and the hard
ackling Of n runner do little or no harm, but
the mass plays. in which weight and momentum
arc the controlling factor are bound 10 produce
bad casualtics-not infrequenty but ne rule
4 more open style has been earnestly ndvO-
Gated by many OF the most experienced and
expert players Of other years. and general
modification OF that sort was nj one time sup
posed to be under way; but there is little evil
donCe OF II this season. AMI the tendency seems
10 10 rather in the other direction. Such n
change however. will have 10 come sooner or
later Il football IS to retain lis place among
college sports.