The San Francisco call., 1899-04-09

cannot play a game that requires entire
disregard of others.
Therefore they cannot play football Not
because of lack of physical strength but
because the feminine point Of view never
loses sight of the humane.
The typical California girl is a splendid
specimen of physical development. The
best type of the well developed California
girl is the college girl.
Professor Magee says so and proves It
by careful and accurate deductions from
measurements The composite California
college girl is superior physically to the
composite Eastern college girl. She Is
taller, stronger and has a better lung ca
pacity than her Eastern sister.
The system of measurements and charts
now employed in the gymnasiums of uni
Yersities shows not only individual devel-
opment but the composite physical devel-
opment of the student body
Comparison, measurement for measure
ment, shows that the composite Califor-
MIA college girl more nearly approaches
the sculptor's ideal than the composite
Eastern college girl.
The individual girls who in all respects
equal the composite girls and in some
points outclass her are the girls belonging
to the basket ball nine They are the girls
who have perfect health and superb phvs-
whose measurements go far to make the
composite California college girl superior
to the Eastern composite college girl.
SO they, above all girls, would be con-
sidered good material for football team
But every girl in the nine says that not
only she would not but she could not pIay
football
To see them play basket ball one would
imagine that their angle of thought could
easily be adjusted to football. Fond
parents watch their tender offshoots go
down in tangled heap of girls. When
the girls and the ball, flying hair and
Hopping boomers get mixed up with the
floor every mother wants to rise in wrath
and shake every other mothers darling
But a basket-balls scrimmage of that
sort is accident, not intention The game
calls for fearlessness of self, surefooted-
ness plenty of wind, a quick eye and an
accurate aim, but not for the demolish-
ment of the human anatomy. Each indi-
vidual takes the legitimate risks of most
athletic sports, and that is all.
The basketball nine were having their
luncheon when the football question was
raised They were all in a glow from the
snappy practice game they had just had
Luncheon with these athletic young la
dies was a very simple affair Sandwiches
and fruit, tapped off with an egg beaten
y
even hint of an unwholesome sweet
To the rat-tat-too of the egg-beaters the
girls declared against football. We're
not afraid Of hurting ourselves, but girls
couldn't go into game that would re-
qure them to disable others. our con-
slant thought would be that we might be
manning some girl for life. Aside from
the physical requirements, it's an impos-
sible game for women
Basket ball is the game for women I"
said the fearless ca0tain Of the nine ITS
an outlet for all the energy you've got,
and it will develop woman's muscles as
they should be developed. You don't need
to thirst. for your opponents life and
limb"
IT'S a nice, ladylike game" said the
girl who had dropped in to watch the nine
sip their egg and milk, while she herself
made frequent inroads on a bag of choco-
lates
IT'S not a ladylike game" said the cap
tain. but it's gentlemanly game'
Then the nine chorused together:
Hit EN- again
With all your might,
Berkeley's playing is out OF sight
Alma. Alma! You're all right.
Fine!
If any one doubts whether the girls can
play basket ball let him consult Satur-
days score. And no one who saw the
game will regret the women are mentally
unfit for football.
For what's the matter with basket ball1
It's all right!