Evening journal., 1906-09-22
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8 8
WANT RUGBY
THIS YEAR

Rugby football is what the CaiiforniansI
arc going in for this year. They are
through with the game as played in thaI
East and are going to revive the old Ens-
lsh game. The following win explain it-
self:
Tho football season az the University OF
California Is only about two weeks o'd,
but a long enough time has elapsed toI
show that the success OF the Rugby
game, as FAR as the University Of Gale
fornia is concerned. is assured. More men
have turned out for practice this year
than ever before in the history of the
game at this institution. Arrangements
are now being made for a series Of inter-
class contests The men are playing the
game for the fun there IS in playing IT,
1t is interesting to hear tho comments of
the men on the field as they are beginning
TO understand the rules. Their enthusiasm
over Rugby grows with their knowledg
Of the same. Colonel George O. Edwards.
who has been. the faculty representative
ON the Athletic Committee since the be-
ginning OF inter-colioginte contests at the
University OF California, sums up the
feeling regarding the football situation
la the following statement:
"rhe people of the United Sintas have
decided against the American college foot
hall Stanford and California seeing that
very clearly have gore to the parent
stock. Not gene back 10 the parent stock;
I for the Rugby game has developed since
The onshoot grew However 70 is "a game
The onshoot has coasod 90 be such. THAT
Rugby is e. good. stin hard. manly game
no one who knews about it can deny.
The students OF California have taken
hold OF the game that they are % play
against Stanford, with lots of spirit and
dash.
II do not believe that the present cx-
! pertinent IN the American college form
Of contest can survive. In my opinion the
whole country win, within five years. b.
playing the Rugby game"
President Wheeler responded 20 a NUM-
Der Of letters from Hish School principals
in California, regarding the football sltu-
alton, as folluws;
berkeley. September l5 1906
My Dear sir.-l hope there will be no
hesitation on the part OF the schools Of
4 the State in adopting the Rugby game OF
/ football which. Is hereafter TO be played
boy Stanford ana California. The alterna-
tive. namely the adoption OF the new in
tcrcolegiatc. involves also the lcarning
! of q practically new game. No man can aa
80. tell what that game vii really be. Al
present II is merely a body Of rules ON
paper What will be the effect Of the rules
/ rqulring the side with the bail TO malfa
ten yards in three downs and the rule
allowing "a forward pass can be cstablish-
ed ana known only when the proposed
game shall have been played FOR q consid-
erahlo time. The Rugby game is played
! an around the globe; New Zealand. Aus
tralia British Columbia. Canadn, Scot.
/ land. wales. England and ireland. It's
rules are well understood the game f.
known 10 work; hundreds OF thousands
sec the game played every week and en-
/ joy It, That It is more interesting 10 the
spectator than the intercollegiate. IS, 1
think, unquestionahle. To the player 1t IS
immeasuraby more interesting, inasmuch
as it involves more variety. and gives
each player participation in the various
features Of the sport. Everyone must take
his turn at running at catching, at kick
ms. at tachling. The old game had made
pushing and downing the principal fea-
turo and had conoentered upon this nine
tenths of the force and activity Of the
players. Our men have now been prac-
ticing Rugby for ten days, and the entire
atmosphere OF the practice field Is d;nor-
ent from the old. The men really enioy
thep ractice. Il is frecr and altogethe.
healthier I prophesy that mon VIII play
this game. as they ought to. at odd times
outside OF season. and Just for fun"
no one could play the old game except
when ln training. and what Is more In
company with men with whom he trained
because DEFINITE evoiutions dependent
upon signals were necessary.
But che prime consideration for the
/ schools seems 20 me to be that Rugby as
game is relatively even better adapted d