The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-17
lluuor licenses effective In North Caro-
lima puzzles us. we know that there are
not half that many bar-rooms.
Future Of Football.

Foot bill was never more profitable Of
moro popular than durluE the past sea-
! ron, 90 far as receipts and attendance
i can show. But the mann gers OF this
modern gladiatorinl sport thoroughly IN.
derstanti that tho public will not keep W
interest in game which is to tho great
| majority of tho onlookers nothing but q
confused struggle. without any apparent
/ aim or plan between twenty-five husky
| giants, who inve been chosen rather for
| their Drawn than their brains. K.
In England football Ia ever, more poru-
lar than with us, and the game Is played
by professionals throughout the whole
winter, the 'All-1ingland" against "All-
Scotland game being one OF the great
sporting events of tho year. The diff
ference between the general popularity
of tho two games Is the spectacular fea-
ture OF the Eamo MS played in England.
There long aud brilliant runs abound,
and there Is no lack OF sensational kick
ing. In America, however, mass plays
have been developed 10 tho exclusion OF
almost every other form OF attack, and
though they have preserved their claim
TO efficiency, they arc certainly not In
spring or even Ineligible In the great
number OF cases
The Harvard Bulletin has been discuss
Ing Mr.. Walter Camps plan of making
foot ball more open. and says, IN an cdl-
torial on this subject, that perhaps one
( of the best changes that could be made
would be to require the backs to play at
least ten yards behind the line SO that
il a man broke through. Ire would at
least have q chance to start on a run be-
fore he was tackled. The objection TO
this plan Is that It would leave only sever,
men to support the attack of eleven, and
though the game would be made a little
more open by this rule, mass plays would
still be at premium. The Bulletin also
suggests that the value OF q goal from Il
field be increased from 4 to points, so,
that tho incentive to use this form OF
play would be greatly increased. Com
menting on this, the New York, Evening
Post says:
I'm a number OF close games played
this year a goal from the field might have
been tried with fair prospects OF success
had it been good for six points, or even
the five Of the previous season. But when
the occasion came timo was short, and
the four points the goal would have
yielded would not have been enough to
win the game, 50 the line bucking was
continued as the only hope of a victory;
THE Bulletin also suggest is that when
the ballfi is within twenty-five yards Of the,
goal it must he advanced ten yards In
four downs. The result. It is claimed,
would be that n team playing against an
other of equal strength would try for
goal from the< field as soon as it reached
the twenty-five yard line, compelling an
other Spectacular feature, which is seelt
only on rare occa.,:ons now"
Nothing has been definitely decided
upon, but the foot ball coachers would do
well to ponder the fact that at present
the chief excitement for the public in
football game is In the preparation and
not in the contest. This state of affairs
must be remedied or the game will In
evitnbly decline In, popular favor.