New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-30
FOOTBALL AND TIE REST.

Things wise and otherwise continue to be
said on the subject of college football, which is
not surprising when the widely different points
OF view from which it is contemplated are taken
INTO account. At present the critics who think
that nearly every feature of the game is re-
pulsive seem to be in the ascendant, as they
usually are just after the season has ended;
but it is doubtful if their Understanding hos
tlllty will advance the cause which they have
at heart DIR. Draper, Superintendent of Edu-
cation in this State, though he made some as
sertions last week to Massac husetts teachers
from which we ventured TO dissent, came pretty
near to a true diagnosis of the case which so
many dsagreeing doctors have volunteered to
treat. He thinks that the game IS well worth
saving, and that it can be saved without much
difficulty If the college authorities will firmly
exercise their power, in reliance on the best
graduate and undergraduate sentiment
OF the various evils which are so fiercely as
sailed some are grossly exaggerated and some,
we believe. are imaginary. No incident is too
rare or too remotely related to the sport to
serve the purpose of q wholesale indictment,
and we confidently expect that the death of
the venerable DR. Paxton, of Princeton, from
a stroke of ap0plexy, due. 1t is said, to his
becoming overexcited at the recent game with
Yale, Will be hailed as a striking example OF
the latest discoveries solemnly, and perhaps
gratefully, accepted as authentic is that OF
trainer who announces that the game COM
monty produces a species of insane delusion in
the minds Of the players. Doubtless q hard
blow on the head may have serious conse-
Quences, whether the recipient was playing
football at the time or chasing butterflies, and
do not deny that there are too many such
mishaps on the gridiron; but we have no reason
TO believe that the proportion Of lunatics in
embryo is abnormally large among football
players. though we have sometimes thought it
might be in the grandstand
One thing which we believe to be true not
only of football. but of American college sports
IN general, is that students who go in for ath-
Ietics do So as rule, not for the sake of the
pleasure and benefit to be derived from physi-
Cal exercise, but in the hope of winning distinc-
ton among their fellows and being ultimately
crowned with intercollegiate laurels. 1t is high
ly probable for example, that university crew,
whose burdens are considered heavy and whose
hour Of supreme effort is long delayed, would
promptly disband if it were to receive a con-
vincing revelation that it was destined to be
beaten. In England on the contrary, the daily
delight in rowing is a sufficient reward. The
oarsmen hope to win, Of course, and victory is
precious; but, win or lose, they feel that they
La bNCIi amply iOl"AU- 1@'NAS NOAApStOhN VI
server has remarked this difference. English
university athletes who have visited this coun-
try have been greatly impressed by It, and one
Of the Rhodes scholars at oxford has recently
written an interesting letter on the subject to
The Boston Transcript" 1t is nearly true to
say that in colleges nothing but victory
is thought to Justify the toll of preparation. In
the English universities the pleasure Of prepara-
ton far outweighs the pain Of defeat. That is
the right spirit. and until it has become the
prevailing spirit here American college sports
will not fully serve their essential purpose