Evening journal., 1902-12-30
MAY ABOLISH MASS PLAYS
FROM THE GRIDIRON IN 100 2

most active of the college authorities
who are working for a revision OF the
code. He has written this letter TO a.
Western educator:
Il believe that the game of football,
when governed by the proper rules and
played with true sportsmanlike spirit,
is an altogether admirable and whole
some game. provided the men and boys
who train for it and play 1t, are kept
under a proper medical supervision to
see that they do not overdo their
strength or neglect the injuries incident
to the fierce collisions Of the play.
1T is a game for which very careful
training is necessary to prevent the
players from going into the harder sort
of match games before they are proper
ly hardened and seasoned fer the work.
There is no sport, therefore, which
needs more careful supervision and
oversight
Il think that just at the present time
the game is clearly in the way to be
discredited, because the rules have been
slowly altered in the direction OF max
ing all the success of the game depend
upon mere weight and mass and
strength. These changes have made
1.-THE game very much less interesting
, to the lookerson not only, but very
much more dangerous to the players;
and in proportion as sheer strength
has been made the basis of the play, the
players have been tempted to do very
brutal things Indeed, am afraid that
in some instances they were instructed
to do brutal things. so as to put their
opponents out of the game. ] look
upon all this merely as phase, though
a very demOralizing phase, in the de-
velopment Of the game.
Il believe that by the pressure of
opinion and authority a change OF
rules and change of spirit can he
brought about, and | believe that the
/ conservative method of ameliCration
will be very much better than any
drastic legislation abolishing a sport
which with proper control. leads to ad-
mirable results in the training OF the
men who engage in it.
DR.. Wilson's. letter contains a broad
hint at what the authorities at certain
universities may do If the rules com
mittee does not take the right sort o
action; that is, they may abolish thu
sport from the colleges. The, facuitl
athletic representatives in the univer.
: stiles have not the authority to altei
the rules of the game, but they do pos
sess the power OF saying whether th'
game as governed by the laws OF th'
rules committee shall be sanctioned o
not. In this way they have a hold
and a very effective hold. on the rule
committee and any recommendation
which they may make are sure to b
weighed carefully by that body.
AS a matter of fact though 1t !
thought likely that the rules commit
tee would be glad to have the colleg
authorities behind il when II consic
ers the mass play problem for this ell
lcumstance would remove from tn
. shoulders of the committee member
the responsibility of acting arbitraril
in the matter and, besides, would hel
! ito quiet any disfavor that might =
shown in quarters where the clos
formations are used almost exclusive
lly. Several members of the rules cen
mittee. It is said, admit that somethin
ought TO be done right away TO put II
game back on a basis where the pla
: on the attack will be more open tina
lit is now.
If the rules committee eliminat
, mass plays from the gridiron 1t wi
mean that football as it is played tod'
VIII Just about be revoluuonized. Ian
smashing mass formations have galn'
{. in popularity steadily for the last n