The Washington times., 1906-09-19
WHEELER BOOSTING
RUGBY FOOTBALL
Says intercollegiate Game
Is lmpracticable and VIII
Not Last Long.
REAL ELEMENTS OF FUN
Candidates Tor Stanford and CalifOr-
MIA Teams Really Enjoy Practice.
Some Good Reasons.

BERKELEY. Sept. THE football
season at the University Of Cal
ifOrnia IS only about two weeks
old. nut long enough time has elapsed
"a show that the success Of the rugby
same as far as the University OF Cal
lfornia r. concerned. is assured.
More men have turned Out Tor prac-
ticc this year than ever before IN the
history OF the game ar this institution
arrangements are now being MAD loi q
series or iuterClaSs contests IAe men
arc playing the game Tor the iuu lhete
Is Ia playing H. IL is interesting 70
hear the comments OF the men on the
stand the rules. Their enthusiasm over
Rugby grows with their knowledge OF
tie game. Col GeoTse &, E-aWotas' as
who has been tac faculty representative
on the athletic committee since the be-
glnning Of intercollegiate contests at
The University Of California. sums up
the feeling regarding the football situ-
alton tn She following statement;
Rugby end Real Game.
The people OF the United States have
decided against the American college
football. stanford and California see
ing that very clearly have gone 10 the
parent stock. Not gone bacl, 20 The
parent stock. for the Rugby same has
developed since the onshoot grew. low
ever. il IS real game. The OffshOOt has
ceased To be such. That Rugby IS a good,
sim, hard, manly game, no one VINO
Knows about IL can deny
The students of California have taken
hold OF the game that they are 10 play
against STANFORD. with lots OF spirit and
dash.
i Go not believe that the present ex-
pertinent IN the American college form
Of contest can survive. In my opinion
tie whole country Will WITHIN A'e
years. be playing the rugby game.
President Wheeler's Letter.
President Wheeler responded 70 a
number OF letters from high school
principals IN California. regarding the
football situation. rs follows.
Berkeley. Sept 8. 1901
Ny Dear Sir. ] hope there Will he
10 hesitation On the part of the schools
or the state IN adopting tNe Rugby
game ot football. which. is hereafter 10
be played by stanford and California.
The alternative. namely tile adoption OF
the new intercollegiate, involves also
the lculu'ng OF practically new game.
No man can as Yet tell what that game
Viii really be- Al pEeseilc II is merely
. boLt uf rules Oa paper. What VIII be
IEe eject OF tie rules requiring the side
Ulth Jhc BAH 10 make ten yards in
IuTCe downs ana the rule allowing
forward pass. can be established and
SHAH have been played Tor consider
aide time.
The Rugby same is played all around
ync Globe New Zealand Australia
l1ritisl Columbia. Canada. Scotland.
Wales. England. and Ireland. It's rules
are wei. understood. the game is known
SO work; hundreds Of thousands see the
same played every week acG enjoy H..
That IL Is more Interesting 10 the spec
satoT than the intercollegiate is. l think,
III questionable To the player IL is inn
mensely more interesting, inasmuCh as
IL involves more variety. and gives each
player participation In the various fea-
tures OF the sport Everyone must take
his turn al running ar catching. AT kick
ing. at tackling. The old game had made
pushing ana downing the principal fce-
ture and had concentrated upon this
niae-tenths of yae force and activity
OF the players.
Enjoy Practice.
our men have now been practicing
Rugby for ten days, and the entire at
mOsph@rc OF the practice field is diff
terept from the old. The rlen really
enjoy the practice. Il is fTcer and al
loeeIher heutiler- proFhesy that
men VIII play this game, as they ought
10, at Odd times. outside of season and
Just for fun No one could play the
old game except wheT in training-and
hat is more. in company with men
with whom he trained, because definite
eVoluuons dependent upon signals we're
necessary.
But the prime consideration for the
schools seems 20 me 70 be that Rugby,
as game, Is relatively even better
adapted 10 the schools than TO the uni
Versltes. II the schools and the uni
NerslJies were 70 play different games. /
the intercollegiate should be allotted 10
Tie universities and Rugby to the
schools / think. however they should
both play the game There Is no doubt I
that Berkeley and Stanford will always
play this game. If the East should set
Tie down upon the game represented by /
their present rules on paper. a thing
rfn rFrt hlf
even then we shall certainly continue
with Rugby.
Looking Far Ahead.
Playing that game we shall have op-
portunity of competition and inter
change with our natural neighbors on
The coasts and islands of the Pacific.
Rugby as the game OF Vancouver Aus
tralia, New Zealand and the California
universities may fairly claim TO be the
Facinc type. 1 know of no better service |
which the universities could have rem
dered 10 the schools of the State than
10 provide them with a game of foot
pan 70 take the place Of the thorough
~ dlscrediJed intercollegiate which as /
being a system or eV0lutiOns rather than
game. and a prolonged mechanical /
strain rather than a free sport, had /
proved itself peculiarly unfit for the
high school age. / am sending YOU here |
with copy of the rules adopted by the /
Joint athletic committee Of the two |
universities
Very faithfully yours,
BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER
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