The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-01-12
May Form a National League
OF II.
VISIT 0E PILGRIM 5
Caused Interest in the Game to Boom
President Rendle Of the M. A.
F.. L. Talks on the Future
of the Game.

That soccer foot ball Ii gaining in
popularity il evidenced BIZ the marked
increase in the crowds that attend the
games and the continued growth in the
number of athletes taking up the new
sport as competitive pastime. It Is
stated by association foot ball authori-
ties that fully 400 men engage in the
weekly contests in the metropolitan dis
trict alone. This, Of course, does not
include Philadelphia, where the game
has taken d decided grip and where, until
recently, the games outdrew those held
in New York Weather conditions have
been ideal for the sport, and the open
winter has caused the Metropolitan As
ISOLATION Foot Ball League to decide
on an indefinite continuation Of its
schedule with a supplementary season in
prospect An officer Of the league pre-
diets that these games will be seen until
the spring Is well advanced
In the aggregate Philadelphia has
probably distanced New York slightly
in point OF attendance. Lately, hower-
err, larger crowds have come out in New
York than in the Quaker City. This
statement is taken to indicate that the
attendances are not falling OF in Phila-
delphia but are growing to a greater
degree here.
Some games have been played in the
Intercollegiate League. which combines
teams from the prominent universities.
The greatest interest has evolved from
these contests, the main drawback be-
ing that the players are somewhat ig-
norant Of the rules as get and have been
guilty of inadvertent misplays. This is
far from being the case in England,
where boys learn foot bali rules with
the intricacies of the alphabet.
Since the Pilgrims played their initial
games here last October the Metropoli.
fan League has been enlarging. Newly
formed teams have been added from time
to time, the latest organization being
the Columbia Oval Cricket club. 1t Is
said that when the idea was proposed
at meeting OF this club there were
more than fifteen men who immediately
asked for places on the team. Ar
thur Il. Rendle, president OF the Metro
politan Association League. is especially
enthusiastic over the outlook for soccer
In speaking of the game MIR. Rende
said:
Our schedule is progressing IN fine
shape and we shall continue 10 play
while the open weather keeps up Great
er crowds attend the games all the time
and on New Years day there were
over 5000 spectators present to wit.
ness the contest between the Philade1-
phia Thistles, champions of Quskertown,
and the Caledonians Of this city. These
large attendances are especially graft
tying because they lead us TO believe
chat soccer is coming into greater favor
and that the formation Of a national
league is not only possible but very
probable. Intercity contests are most
attractive to the public and these games
draw very large crowds.
In game | witnessed recently be-
tween the Bronx Rangers and the New
York Thisties an incident occurred that
extended my beliefe in the absence Of
roughness III soccer. The team were play
ing close TO the Caledonian goal posts
and the score was tie. Any unfair
try for goal and probably victory for
the opposing team. The referee caught
sight Of rough tackle by member of
inc CaledOnianS and the game went TO
the Bronx players on a free kick. There
was an object lesson in this, because it
showed that the rules are better under
stood than formerly and also that the
referees ruling Is absolute. We did
have some trouble with the players in
the beginning, but this was overcome.
"As the game is now played the con
test Is open and the spectator may fol-
low the play from start to finish. Mass
play is eliminated to great extent
and the on.lookers have shown much
satisfaction with this style Of play.
There has been great deal OF dis
cussion as to how the nickname Of soc.
Ger came TO be used a member of
the Pilgrim team told me that it was
because Of the short stockings worn by
the players This seems a most logical
conclusion. New York Sun.