New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-11

whole college turns out almost daily to see him
practise. and later in the season when the secret
practlce begins the undergraduates walt ma
tiently outside the closed gates for news of vba+
ne does inside. The members of a football team
are aosurdly babied There is no doubt Of that
AT one OF our largest universities III the season
Just ended the undergraduates were cautioned
the week before the big game tnat ended the
year not TO whistle or sing on the campus AT
hight for fear they might disturb the precious
sleep OF the giants who to represent them
In few days on the grdiron
The members Of the eleven are KEYED IN To
the breaking point in nervous tension. They arc
so shaky that they have to be sent to Atlantic
CITY, or to Lakewood or to some other soothing
locality, where they may rest their shattered
systems and recuperate for the final test If
they were priceless porcelain they could not be
handled with more consideration and anxiety
than they are treated with when off the grid
iron. An entire college losses sleep over Joness
sprained thumb All four classes groan with
agony when Brown limps off the field from prac-
tice. and the coaches shake their heads over
him Even the faculty is depressed when it
hears that Smith has bruised his shoulder.
Is II any wonder that. with this atmosphere OF
ridiculous anxiety and absurd socitude hover
ing over them and enwrapping them from the
time college opens its doors in September until
the December snow flies, the average football
player is At for little but football, that he gets
an idea that the college was made for the game
and that scholastic achievement is compare
lively poor thing?
The absurdity of the emphasis placed upon
football is well recognized by every college fac
ulty. and there is good reason for believing that
serious attention IS being given to the problem
of reducing the sport TO its proper level. There
is doubt that this task ia somewhat COmpl-
Gated by the undue attention given by the pub
lie press to the subject of football. Many news
papers assume that the general public is just
anxious about Joness sprained thumb
Browns torn are the undergraduate Of
Rah Rah University Portraits of Smith, Jones
and Brown in every conceivable attitude are
also supposed to fill long felt want. while the
practice of the various eleVens is followed daily
with as much faithfulness as the war in the
Far East if not at quite the same expenditure
of space and telegraph tolls.
There is already d strong academic party III
favor Of selling no seats to football games. Al
present the big teams such as Yale. Harvard
and Princeton. make tens of thousands of dollars
clear profit from every football season. In fact.
football supports itself, track athletics ana row
ing and leaves q handsome profit at that. II Is
thought by many that if the game produced no
revenue it would speedily lose some or It's nc
titious importance and that the sport would
then depeud for its support purely on the per-
sonal contributions of those who love II. This
would he the simple life in sports with Ven
geance.
The writer has heard a Harvard man remark
that in his opinion the gift OF the celebrated
Stadium was the worst blow TO its usefulness
which that institution has received in long
time. He meant, of course. that the possession
of this vast costly. imposing and permanent
arena. standing. as it does, as monument to
the power and Importance OF undergraduate
sport, would do more than anything else 10 per
petuate what he regarded the disproportion-
ate influence OF university athletics
The principal counts OF the indictment brought
against football have here been set forth. The
critics OF the game who hold these views are
not all hostile to the sport. by any means; Many
Of them are among its most ardent admirers
and several OF those best qualified 10 speak on
the subject are quoted In another column OF this
issue. Will the men now In control OF the des-
tiny of the game take the steps necessary 10
purge this fine sport of the Objectionable Feat
ures that now mar it. or will they force the ulti-
mate authorities of university life to take the
matter out OF their hands,
One thing Is certain; Football stands IN neeu
OF n large dose OF the smple life
The Tribune prints herewith q number or
views of college presidents and professors and
football experts regarding needed reforms In the
game