The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-07
STOP HARVARD.YALE GAIgY
PROF. HOLLIS MAKES THIS
STARTLING PROPOSITION.
M, Article on Football Causes Sensation
at Har,ard-Contest with the Eis
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and Captains
In I'm Arms-some OF Their Opinions.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ana CAPTAINS
I'd In Arms-some OF Their Opinions.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass, March e.-Prof. Hollis,
chairman OF the Harvard Athletic Com
mittee, created quite a sensation about
the university to-day when his article In
the current issue Of the Graduation Mdod-
.i,f came before the students. In the
article, which Ia on football in general.
Prof. Hollis suggests that the football be-
tween Harvard and Yale be discontinued
on the ground that II is demoralizing The
most interesting parts Of the article are as
follows:
The question has been raised several
times. says Prof Hollis, more vigorously
Of late than ever. Do these young men
and their game represent and influence
for the general good Of the university
should football be allowed as an inter-
collegiate contest? As II is at present
played in the United States the answer to
these questions would involve what Is
known in athletic sports as a close decision.
With the prevailing rules and tendencies
the game is gradually awakening an I'm
favorable sentiment which Is certain to
get any fun out Of IL.
ne trdSOu SOhbtitutCt ono ioh8 pciiou
of drudgery, under constantly increasing
nervous strain and excitement; then. too.
Of recent years the game has been dull and
uninteresting to those who are not experts
IN the technicalities and strategy OF the
plays. The mass plays, by the concealment
Of the movements OF the men from specta-
tors and officials. have contributed largely
10 this dulness and have done what Is
L..
centage OF injuries to a very objectio lable
extent. This has been denied, but not
convincing'v.
THE statement that open plays by reason
Of the rapid motion Of the men are more
dangerous than the mass plays proves
absolutely nothing even " the statement
be true. Furthermore 1t Is not sufficient
for the enthusiastic advocates Of the game
to brush away the injuries by saying that
only the unskilful are ever hurt. The
record at Harvard shows that there are
many bruises and wounds. some Of them
of serious nature, and that, while those
new to the game are more likely to suffer.
the good players also have their share Of
the casualties.
During the past three years fully Is
per cent. Of the entire list Of men appearing
on the field have been laid OF from time
10 time to recover from injuries. Fort
unately, none Of them has been per-
nnanently or IA tally hurt so far as can be
known. Granting that all forms OF sport
carry with them the possibilities Of injury
and that every sport which Is capable OF
teaching courage and manhood to q grow
ing boy necessarily has its element Of risk,
football has just enough Of the prizefght
in IL to lay 1t open to suspicion. The In
juries spring from the personal contact
OF a group Of young men acting with vigor
against another group under conditions
which do not discourage extreme rough
ness and foul playing. When We contrast
our game with that in England and Scot
land. where football has lasted for many
centuries. we see at once how far We have
departed from the original type. We
have succeeded in developing a war game
wherein It is the business Of each side to
take every possible advantage. This Is
considered strategy in . contest from which
all idea Of fun has been banished.
The growth Of tine game has been guided
with very little foresight or intelligence.
as the promoters seem to have had an eye
solely as To what Ia called strategy. There
70 tO IcdSoh why thS phay . Sdiiiiot 10 hiooi~
fed to bring them back TO better lines,
wherein individual skill has high value
as distinct from team play. Though the
present condition does not p: owe that the
game is inherently bad, Il does establish
beyond question the existence Of bad prac-
,ce. which all lovers Of good sport should
On the football field IL is customary TO
weaken an opponent by bruises or other
wise. Good generalship seems TO direct
all the hard plays al a single valuable player
OF the opposing side, particularly II he is
good punter. In case any man shows
distress he must be vigorously attacked
in order TO drive him out Of the game.
This is called strategy. II it Is ohivalry,
why, then. chivalry was q poor kind OF
siur and we may thank God II Is long past.
One il painfully disappointed with the
passage Of every season over the absence
Of chivalrous conduct. II Is the rarest
thing 10 note even an evidence Of generosity
between opponents. The visiting team
goes TO the college where the game is played.
ment and then goes home. The inter
change of attentions that the ordinary
laws 81 hospitality indicate as proper be-
tween friends IL reduced 10 mere business
arrangements. an excuse "a always offered
that the men are excited and exhausted
after a hard game. Those who have sat
on the blsachers are not exhausted and
iho-. who have played ought not 20 be-
Another thing fatal % good sport In the
.uspicion which prevails between rival
universities II IL almost impossible Ia
conyinc. the students Of any institution tina,
me Dtherr are honest Ia the selection ~ their
teams n tho rivalry 10 sery keen.
-One ~ the fruitful osuses % this l. the
system ~ recruitinS from the secondary
,llpol. aud from the smaller colleges
1hrf. oan hardly 10 . doubt that the re-
orlitins s-TseaIils sre eithsf s.nt out. or
sIl,ssd Ia ~, from many plao.s shsf.
"a. sradustss aud siud.nis ought "a 10
Iaft -men enough Ca abstain from anything
Nlla gives th.m az unfair advantage
I spuId bs .so--ilnsiy diesa,ii IA provide
sFalusi suoh pfaatiss, ~ fuiet osuld 10
'asilg sNads'd bYi u Hlshi H. disno'iisHsd
~ as.lAns ell hfsi .gsas mei ssui ~ tho
uils crafty sports fiiss would siili 90
naln ths ffarl,insh Eaii,.~ foI tb.in
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