Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-05
4. =. 4. ~ f.ts.s.ea*@s.
SOCKER GAME is TOO TAME
FOR STRENUOUS AMERICANS
EXPERTS SUGGEST SUBSTITUTE
OF TWo-oLD-cAT
Sporting Writer'S and Football Players
Class English Novelty With Ring
Around-the-Rosy and Town Ball,
but Lament Its Uselessness

Devotees of socker football are de-
crying the slothfulness of Americans in
adopting the game. In admitting the
| impeachment, various sporting writer's
In the east have taken some ugly falls
out of the game and one goes so far as
to suggest the substitution of ring
around-rosy.
game was recently played in New
York to which all the football experts
and sporting writers were invited
guests. In describing his sensations in
the New York World next day one of
these said:
The sun was as glorious as in mid
July when the Pilgrims and the picked
team that represented New York trot-
ted out on the Polo grounds field. The
people in the grandstand and on the
bleachers rubbed their eyes and took
another look. Football players? Could
these men be football players? They
wore short-sleeved shirts, tapping
knickers stockings rolled down at the
tops and cleated shoes. Not one man
wore helmet or nOse-guard or ear
guard, or steel armor or padding on
knees, thighs or hips: nor did one man
have plate armor concealed under his
uniform. Each was dressed as lightly
/, as for cross-country running So how
in the world could they pretend to play
football?
Waste of Effort
To lovers of the real, genuine, beauti-
ful. crippling, murderous game of foot
ball it seemed an awful waste of effort.
No man slugged his antagonist or
hacked him with chopping blows of the
edge of the hand, or butted or shoul-
dered him or gave him the knee" or
tripped him slyly
lime and again player slipped on
the wet grass and sprawled at full
length on the turf. Then occurred the
most wonderful thing of all--not one of
his antagonists jumped on his stomach,
or kicked him in his ribs, or smashed
MIN In the eye. This statement may
sound extravagant, but it is the mere
cold truth, as 5000 eye witnesses can
testify.
Meanwhile the ball rolled or flew up
and down the field like a shuttle in a
busy loom. Sometimes it went out of
bounds, and then an antagonist of the
Fellow who kicked it out was allowed to
throw 1t in. The action Of the game
was brisk, necessarily brisk. 1t was
just ABOUT as fast as fighting or lawn
tennis Ten, ior every one concerned for the
ball never remained more than a few
seconds in one part of the field.
The players stopped high kicked balls
by leaping up and butting them with
their heads, and low ones by checking
with their bodies or feet. The play was
always as spirited as a rally at la
crosse or hockey. The crowd, at first
apathetic and curious, soon warmed up
into enthusiasm and cheered the most
exciting plays.
German, after ten minutes play,
kicked the first goal of the game for
the New Yorks, and then Woodward
followed with one for the Pilgrims. The
teams seemed evenly matched until
near the close of the first half when
the New Yorks tired. After As min
utes play the score was to / in favor
OF the Pilgrims. Then came five min
utes rest and another 45 minutes plav.
Ihe final score was 7 TO 1 in favor of
the Pilgrims. Only three minutes We're
lost through injuries. Raine, of the
Pilgrims, was bumped in the eye in a
scrimmage and once he wrenched his
knee; yet he was so little hurt that he
shot more goals than any other man on
| the field.