Omaha daily bee., 1898-12-11
GOSSIP FROM TIE CRIDIRON
Alleged Statistics Of Foot Ball Fatalities
Makes Local Followers Laugh.
OMAHA MAN LISTED AMONG THE DEAD
Event Never Chronicled In This Town
Finds Publicity Through the
Medium of nm Eastern Paper
of a Sensational Turn.

Some facetious youth on a New York "yel-
dow" has compiled the usual bulletin OF the
dead and wounded who have been picked
off the field at the conclusion OF the numer-
Gus trays on the gridiron this season. His
roll consists Of Ave dead, twenty-one with
shattered limbs or bones and a numerous
string OF minor sprains and Injuries. There
Is one entry in his list that will make
Omaha foot ballists imagine that the scribe
has evolved his figures from the manipula-
tions of some Chinese cook In the tenderloin
precinct Of Gotham and that the newspaper
foot ball historian needs a new stem for
his pipe. Among his dead Is one w. Howell
OF Omaha, and in connection with his ac-
count Of the dire effects of foot ball he at
.taches q lurid picture of how Howell fell on
his spine in this city on October 2. Verify
one must go away from home to get the
news, for Omahans have not known before
that this city was the scene of such a grid
iron tragedy. However, even II five victims
were the total of the years fatal casualties,
foot ball opponents could hardly preach an
Impressive sermon upon the deadly elements
OF the game when 1t Is conservatively esti-
mated that no less than $4,000 players have
participated in the struggles on the chalk
ribbons this last season. A death percentage
OF 1 in 5000 is far less than that shown by
49, >AsNAo eAN saS
mild-mannered sports.
During the week Just passed a resolution
was introduced at a faculty meeting OF
the Kansas university abolishing the posi-
tion OF foot ball coach and providing that
nc contests shall be played except on the
athletic fields of universities and colleges.
Action on the resolution was deferred aud
1t Is not believed that it will receive adop-
ton. The resolution, If passed, will mean
the adjustment Of foot ball at the Kansas
university for 1t will do away with the train
ing Of eleven and also with the annual
Thanksgiving day contest with Missouri at
Kansas City. The more conservative mem
bers of the faculty, as well as the students,
will try to convince the doubling Thomases
among the professors that with the re-
moval Of Wylie G. Woodruff, formerly Of
Pennsylvania, the local objections to the
sport will be done away with and a repe-
tition of the dissenslons which have been
so frequent during his two years. connec-
ton with the foot ball department will be
extremely improbable.
The big eastern elevens have elected
their captains for next season. The Grim
son has chosen Burden, the right guard
who made such an excellent showing during
the past year. He Is a 1900 man. He
played on his class team In freshman year
and was a sub guard on the varsity as a
sophomore. Captain Hildebrand has been
reelected the leader Of the orange and
black, but has not yet accepted. Fullback
Mcbride Is the blues new leader. He also
is a 1900 man. He played tackle on his
freshman team and full on the varsity the
last two seasons. Captain Outland was re-
elected at Pennsy but declined the position.
Trux Hare, the famous guard, will sue
coed him. At Cornell Reed was elected, but
tnasmuch as he may not return to the uni
versity next season he resigned. Sweet
land will succeed Captain Whiting.
Chicago, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan,
Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue universi-
repetition of the case in which Gordon
Clarke figured this year will not be pos
eible. 1t will be remembered that Clarke
withdrew from the Chicago foot ball eleven
because his athletic record was not strictly
nonprofessional before his entrance into the
Windy City institution of learning. 1t has
been decided that in the, future players
who may have unwittingly violated the
rules governing amateurs before coming to
a college will not be debarred thereby while
In college. Moreover, IL a student enters
from another college, the time spent in
the first institution shall not be counted
against him, provided he is not given an
advanced standing in the second college.