Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-15
A DEFENCE OF FOOTBALL

l
Does football iniure the players
shape and carriage? Di. S. S. Curry,
of Boston, makes the novel charge that
it does. DIR. Curry is an authority on
artistic physical development as related
10 expression. DIR. w. L. Savage, phys
ical director of Columbia University,
and DR.. Jay W. Seaver, physical
director of Yale University, do not agree
with DIR. Curry. On the contrary, both
these authorities claim that football
helps in the symmetrical development
of those who play it.
In his impeachment of the game, DR..
Curry says that nearly all the positions |
In which football players stand are |
abnormal, and with the exception of |
running there is hardly an exercise in |
the game which calls for normal action
of the agents Of the body, and that
when he begins to train football
player into normal poise it is almost
impossible to restore him TO a manly
attitude.
The external and superficial muscles
are developed at the expense of internal
and more important muscles, he says.
The games are short, and call for
muscular force rather than vital force,
the fol mer being developed at the ex-
pense of the latter. He AYERS that loot
ball players breathe at the top of their
lungs, and that from working in lahored
movements and leaning in unnatural
attitudes they lose their normal breath
ing. He charges that the game develops
strength rather than dexterity; force,
Lut not ease; that it causes the body
to be mechanically propIed, destroying
its normal balance and the sense OF
stable equilibrium.
"Why, these charges are ridiculous,
said DR.. Savage, when he was asked
for an opinion yesterday. DIR. Savage
probably is as we'll qualified as DIR.
Curry tc give an opinion on the effects
of football In his college days be was
an expert player. Subsequently he was
a football coach and he has given years
of study to physical development ana
the relation of various branches of
athletics thereto.
'sThere is no game in the world"
continued DIR. Savage, that develops
muscles all around like football does.
No muscle is developed at the expense
of another. All are developed co ordi-
nately. The football player is in action
all the time and is not tied to any one
position. Muscular force is not de-
veloped at the expense of vital force,
for the latter is required increasingly
to direct the work of the former The
game increases vital force, and when a
player lacks that force he is overturned.
II do not credit the statement that
football players breathe at the top of
their lungs. When the player goes into
a struggle he invariably takes deep
breath and sets his abdominal muscles
N hard by filling the lower lobes of his
lnuuc hc fo ha ral tipr IF stranuf h
and dexterity, why, it's combination
OF these two, as every one knows, that
makes the successful player.
The player who is not stable is OF
no use in the game. In fact, the re-
tanning Of ones equilibrium is de-
veloped more in football than in any
other sport. There is no game that
creates SO great degree of courage and
power. Instead of preventing it tends
to develop good carriage, because con,
seriousness of power and courage are
natural aids of goods carriage.
disagree with every point raisec
by DIR. Curry. | think football assist:
in the development of those who play
it. 1t strengthens the players in ply
steal endurance, determination, az
gressiveness, fearlessness, dexterity ant
obedience to orders. 1t makes men GU
OF boys. have seen retiring, backward
lads evolved in a single season on tn
football field into determined. self-re
liant, alert young giants | never kney
Of case where the game injured tn
physical development of player"
DR.. Jay w. Seaver, physical diiecto
OF Yale, has made thorough investi
cation of the comparative physica
effects of football, rowing and trac
sports on students. He has measures
several hundred students who have bee
prominent in these sports. DR.. Seave
yesterday made statement in referenc
to the physical development Of footba
Players:
According to the records, footba
players are, more symmetrically dt
veloped than any other class Of att
letes," he said. ''Fcotball tries MOI
muscles and compels an athlete to q
into more positions than any other co
lege sport. There is no fixed positig
Ia football, as there is in rowing fl
example. Football requires nerve an
dash and brain work. 1t is fine exc
cise, and it develops the body MOI
thoroughly than any other slort
know of.
1.-The only internal muscle that foo
ball affects is the diaphragm and foo
ball does more to develop the diaphrag
than any exercise except long distan
running. There is no abnormal develo
ment from football, no STAINING
muscles that have to be worked uu
exercise of the football field. In boa
ing the athlete has to do a good deal
running to develop endurance and g
wind. That is net necessary IN footba
The football player is more perfect
developed man physically than the oal
man, the track athlete, or the baseb;
player.