The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-02-26


3 DEFENDS FOO BALL.
Randoiph.Macon Man Replies
B5to President Elliott.
Editor Of rbe 9.rimes.r,lspulch. |
B Strive irsad. With ~ l, great deal, q
~ ttnrya RI, tirH inst foot ball, which np-
bcarcd In fhe Fitness Dispatch n few
weeks ago, we recognize President 15l.
iot me agles, n,w ny tnn
tHa s ai,d villa shall Pattempt to SHOW
the fallaey some his argn nnl MS
terpret Il rs hi, ! stack on his wisdom
nor d challenge for at, argnlnetit. h, x
a 10 begin, do,ibt,if Prcsident Elliot
e. a 'n HI 4 G p ex ss
HlaSiae L ID to whether Of not It IS
hursi IT, paye 7, 9nly those o . wnS
defest c9,npiaa Il
Sest Who sfo are in 90 position 10 saSY,
whether the mem tilat play football
Mgu hot ~ play0foot BALI So frequently
read statements from men scoring foot
ball, Who tlo not know u football from
& rug baby.S And as 1udicrous as ls.nll
e, eI'e eond delnss 81 foot BAIL
4 How cat a man judge. BY observation,
except from the results? Can one stand
onatilc Side lines and say vi tn ~ uegr,ec
Intention OF III man to XII the opponent
unless lie sees the man strike him And /
yet, not only President Elliot, but scores
OF lesser lights adyance he same , u,n,
are, apparcntfy 90 Interested Int the o1t
come OF US misguided youths would take
tho time to95 read g the rules governing
football, they would ssee. that siugglng
Is Il positively forbidde1,; nnd any. VIOLA
ton of the rules means an immedlat re-
1noval from L he game. n l'resld dent i1lliotf
rhaaft they have beenfs executed II every
t fa 50 in Ill IL southern games. q, I.
President Elliot begins, by saying TINT
Is that Il occasIons8too much PUBLICITY.
Just what he means by "ptblicit IS
hard to 5detcrmlne.If he means the ma
tional announcement 81. 81 , player.lW 'tne}
his ability ito 4 take 4advantagc OF a. $legiti-
mate opportunity,9ev even laurels, why has
snot q young man the right to be "a nero
IN his sphere as much 80 as ms nt'h the
football hero an annuity for life Or y
does the fact that he can play foot ball
guarantee for hin$&s business ~ social Or X
rho same q writer says that the most
serious objection Is It's moral effect
That players engage In all sorts OF /, de-
vices inS order to abe ctorlons. Such is
crs nre hot massed 8sas they once were
and too, y! It + Is almost I'm possible for q
man to violate any q the rules W ta.n
he has two men watching him, pu. there nc e,
for that purpose We concede that mere ~ re
arc many Il men who, ii /. they get the
chance, will take undue ADVANTAGE q
their opponent, but issno that the ease
with men in every walk Of life, IRON ON
Jacob, practically, steal his brother brother
SEsau's blrthright I, " 3. y
And again 4 says It's q chance tor
the big man to crush out the snailer.
most Srdiculous. 4 IT is extremely seldom
that n; big man is a, fgrea t. pl layer, not
even then unless t IS In a position Where
his great ~ hoid ~, tne
prove much grea ter. The trouble mere
sis,s anita gonists, many. OF whom are SO
blinded by prejudice III atst heyjHmistaik
mans ability to grasp the sit J, u .
for brutality OF PURPOSE ForT q man 70
make a a success at foot -ball he must
have q good ana active MING. healthy
all|of which enables him to decide great
Issues In less time than It takes to tell
1t. IF tthese things are no Il helpful to
our we have q c9frupL system
ena saasla g. Se dfft se1SM
soffthe many tricks i5used: TO Be able t.
dIscrim bet weeh q fake. and :! q real
ates5 the man from the imule. BY the
use Of legitimate (and II use i he! word adj
5yisedly.E because no trick 1play is .allo wed
lie III In ANY way conflicts witt anyone1
fri 10 81 9rra doN nf loN
3roughhess Is elm mated. n
81 So far as the Justification being offered
for football, that 1T Is "a fight,h tho same
might he as oprlately applied ntany
competition. III sII5 l.Sf
Tho rigid training through which one
has to Rbe put@is perhaps the most re-
deeming feature of the game. butseyen
that did not escape the critical eyes of
the educator. pa Anything which teaches
"a manIthat he must be disciplined: sd TO
obey certain laws IN order9to be the best
fitted man, Is a small necessary requisite
to success, and II those things are bettcr
exemplltied aanywheres In life, thousands
Of level -headed men have yet o8learn
The burden of the proofxrests on Presl-
dent Elliot. and to the minds of a great
many he has not proven his position
IIe has highly! colored and beautifully
clothed his statements which make them
appear % many, not familiar with foot
ball, TO be putting It mildly. \, 5l
raised about foot ball. Ia true OF; any
other sport, and he himself knows 1t.
Foot balt as not, a 'professionnl, but a
strictly school game. It is here and here
has some unpleasant features. 1t has
more than enough Of redeeming ones to
compensate. &c.. instead #ofs constantly
crying down q thing. inwhich thousands
OF. young men innocently& enjoy them
selves, let us work for5the elimination OF
WhatsoeYer8e evil is practlccd. 81 4s IL
;4sg IT, MOORE
Randolpl-Alacon College.
#COLORADO's BEET CROP