Omaha daily bee., 1905-12-11
NEAR FUTURE on FOOT BALL
Glance at Situation Indicates Reform in
Playing Methods
SAFE AND SANE sTYlt is WANTED
Elements of Brutality aud CONNER
ciaIism Must he Eliminated ~
the Great College Game
IL 60 Continue

Copyright 1906, by Globe Press Associa-
tion.)
NEW YORK, Dec. O.--(special.) AS the
members OF the Chicago Press club upon
the occasion OF visit of that organization
to Washington and the east were filing
through the Offices Of the Executive Man
sion, one of the members of the party
laughingly congratulated President Roose-
welt, saying as he did so:
THE first republican president that Tam
many Hall has ever publicly thanked by
resolution"
The reference was to the fact that Tam
many Hall in Its platform Just adopted
at the time of the visit OF the Chicago
newspaper men had congratulated the
president upon the success achieved in
connection with the holding of the peace
conference at Portsmouth, N. II.
do you know" said President Roose-
Welt, without a moments hesitation. II am
tremendously interested in that historical
fact? And am going to write to my
old friend Tom Grady of the Tammany
Hall committee on resolutions and get a
copy Of that particular section of the plat
form"
All of this was not under the rose
not even in the form of an interview--but
the spontaneous observation in public of
20 president while acting host to a
party of newspaper men visiting the city
of Washington. Then. perhaps fearing
that the remarks, so obviously half jest,
half earnest, might be taken In too serious
vein, the president added merrily:
But want to say that have just had
a conference on my hands which is Civ
ing me more trouble-ten times over
than that Portsmouth peace conference
ever gave me. In strict confidence 1 don't
mind telling you all what it was"
Harder Than the Russians.
Here the visiting journalists all pricked
up their ears, thinking that possibly Presi-
cent Roosevelt had taken advantage OF the
rmal visit of opie Reid and his Chi
followers TO reveal profound state
Z. Everybody laughed heartily, the
i.0sident himself laughing with the news
paper men as he spoiled the scoop by
adding in his inimitable style:
1T is the foot ball conference of college
presidents"
Now, however, the newspaper men who
listened TO the presidents laughing run
ming comment upon the subject of foot
bali rules are wondering II after all there
is more truth than fun or fiction in Mr.
Roosevelt's assertions-if after all It will
not be harder for the warning factions OF
foot ball to get together" than for the
warning factions of the Russians and the
Japs.
One thing, however appears clear and
distinct. 1t cannot be made too emphatic
College foot ball has not received death
blow. Many changes will undoubtedly bS
made in rules and in methods now that the
season is practically at close, but there
is too much of good in the mt to war
rant any man in making the ..ssertion tha
college foot ball must co.
CONNIE rcIaIism the blame.
But IL appears to be universally agreed
that Commercalism. in college foot bal
must CO." Just how this particular result
will be arrived at, it is for the future con
ferences and committees to decide. PR
marily the trouble today centers arounC
the fact that the gate receipts at frs
class college game are enormous. In
stances are reported in which more thar
10000 spectators must have been in attend
ance. To say nothing of the speculation
going on in tickets in spite of all pro
hibtions and precautions speculation
which at times must have been winked a
by those in authority-this means that tn
men on the gridiron are fighting a battl
in which the spectators have paid NOR
money than Is usually paid in to see
championship prize fght-say $4,000 o
100000, This one fact alone is enough I
demonstrate that these games are tainte
with the spirit of commerciallsm and tina
the line between the professional and tn
amateur is hard TO find in this sort O
thing. 1t was Chancellor MacCracken @
New York university who inquired wha
would be thought of German universitie
should they allow their students to f1gh
their duels before grandstands full of pee
pie at - per head? American public opiT
ion long ago frowned down duelng bu
In the light of Chancellor MacCracken
effective comparison 1t begins to appear q
though the advantages were all with tn
dueling German student There may
first sight appear TO be little, If any relt
ton between the taking of large sums ,
money by persons interested in COLES
foot ball and that violence OF rIay whic
occasionally causes physical injury an
death. but trickcry In procuring player
and conducting the sport has been prove
and it is not far cry from trickery
arranging the plan of battle to trucker
on the field of battle itself. Certain Il
that it would appear more natural
charge some of the things done on Il
gridiron to commercialism in foot ba
rather than TO accident or loss of tempe
Be that as it may the lovers of true spo
in general and foot bali in particular a
agreed that in these things which som
times do result in the death OF the playe
Il will be necessary to avoid even the a
pearance of evil by making foot b
games in the future NOR einvitational
character and less of the nature OF
circus to which an admission has be-
paid.
spirit of winning.
The makers of rules and the coaches
teams have laughed at tho fears of 4
parents OF college boys and have smil
H. L.. - :.