Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-02
FOOT BALL AS A PRACTICE
Experiences OF Doane COLLEGE
cited TO Prove
Potnt.

T.-To the Editor of The Bee: A boy
killed! What shall he done with foot ball?
This was the startling situation that faced
Doane college in 1896. After a successful
career of six years. during which a college
with about seventy boys had on two
casions beaten the mighty University OF
Nebraska, and during one year was the
unquestioned champions of Nebraska and
Iowa. and during which period but a very
few accidents had occurred although the
college had no coach, no athletic trainer,
no board of control and no regulations
about foot ball except those devised by
the boys, the catastrophe referred to &C.
CURED. The boy was killed in a contest
between Doane and large western uni
versity. He had been hurt before, was ad-
vised by doctor not to play and unsuc-
cessfully urged by the captain of the team
not to play. But he was a boy of great
spirit, one who in a war would have placed
his country's flag upon the top of the
enemy's ramparts, even IL he sacrificed his
own life
1t was hard not to prohibit foot bail under
these dreadful circumstances, but no direct
faculty action was taken, as 1t was re-
membered that n Doane boy had lost his
life in the Blue river while out skating and
a It was known that serious and even fatal
Those who were with the poor boy when
he died had no further desire to play and
they were advised not to do so. Thus the
game was not played at Doane for two or
three years. Then came a call for the re-
establishment of the sport from students
in attendance and from alumni, some of
whom were ministers of the gospel and
nghting sin as they had, in a sense but
not literally, fought on the gridiron.
Faculty action was taken and rules were
devised, provisions for a board of control
insisting on a passing grade in scholarship,
limiting games to one a week. requiring
minors to present written permission of
parents or guardians. requiring that play
ers should be examined by medical cx-
aminer and calling for the securing of a
trainer.
Foot ball was then played again and
Doane commenced the second part OF its
career by being beaten by a high school
The trainer secured was a coach selected
by the boys and hired by the boys, the
coach differing from year to year. Some
coaches were good, some were bad, as has
been the experience elsewhere. Then Doane,
with its old-time spunk lined up against a
big university. Recent revelations tell the
story of what kind of team the boys had
to meet, Doane was beaten and the players
said after the game that they were slugged
numerically and that was true. Doane
then was advised to let the universities
alone and TO form an intercollegiate foot
ball league among the colleges of Nebraska,
and this was done with results that have
been published in the papers. In brief,
Doane is the champion of the league and
has been for two years
Two years ago two more important steps
were taken, as it was found that some per-
sons, often Objectionable In character, camo
to Doane solely to play foot ball. The fac
ulty passed the regulation that all students
who expected to play foot ball In inter-
collegiate contests must take ten hours per
week of work in regular accredited studies
This strut out the professionals success.
fully. As the hired coach was an uncertain
quantity an athletic instructor was Sc
cured, who had a regular position on the
faculty and is known as physical director
for men," No accidents of any account
have happened to Doane players since the
establishment of foot ball in 1898. The
last important move in foot ball matters
was taken when the physical director
was made financial manager of all teams
and provided with student assistants. There
is no agitation at Doane to abolish foot ball
no further faculty action is ever thought Of
to modify the game
Doane is awaiting the action OF the foot
ball committee, which meets next Saturday
March 3, in New York. 1t hopes that the
new rules win secure more open and fairer
play and 1t will adopt them at once. II foot
ball is rough, life is rougher. Look at the
daily papers. III some accident occur to
youth. hundreds of serious accidents Calls,
| deaths from runaways, deaths from assault.
etc.) are avoided by the players after they
become adults. Athletes, when adults. sell
dom die when running for trains, they
know how to run. Foot ball tactics have
been used successfully in staying mobs. in
catching thieves. in defending human life.
Athletic sports are indispensable in Amer
| lea, IL we expect TO be able to mobilize an
| effective army i'm short time. What helped
win the revolution. the civil war, the war
! against Spain? band OF volunteers,
trained by sports, rowing. jumping. horse
back riding rife contests, base ball and
| foot ball, Further on fighting. aye. killing
has been going on since Cain killed Abel,
and as'we are descended from the Roman MS
| the French, the Germans and the English
/ whose histories are but pages of CONFLICTS,
We must allow our boys 10 have a proper
event for the battle-loving spirit within
| them. WILLIAM EVERETT JIILSON