The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-24
ALUMNI AID FOR FOOTBALL.
COLUMBTA SUPPLIANTS GETTING
Up 4 PETITION,

which Does Not Neglect 10 Assure President
Butler OF Appreciation Of His Upllftlng
influence and win he Ready In Two
Wceks-ObJecuons 20 Gamc Answered.
Further details in the moves OF those who
are trying to obtain the restoration OF football
at Columbi became known yesterday when
il was announced that the undergraduate
committee would circulate a petition among
the alumni. which II intended to answer
arguments OF those unfavorable to the game.
The petition already has received the APP
proval of several well known Columbia
alumni, who will aid the student committee
in obtaining signatures and in presenting the
matter TO President Butler.
The tone of the petition il representative.
IL attempts to show that DR.. Buffers obiec-
lions TO the game, both on account OF rough
ness and on the ground that IL is an academic
nuisance, have been answered. the first by the
changes in the rules and the second by plans
on which the committee il now at work. which
limit the time given to the game. When the
petition Ia presented an effort will be made
TO answer all the other objections.
In order to show that Columbia men really
want the game a list of men physically and
Qualined. who say tnat they
want to engage in the game. will be presented
The petition is addressed to President
Butler and. after explaining that we ap-
| pTeClhCe now tn6 attitude OF HreslOent DutlcI
has had a marked influence in leading 20
the improvements in the. game Of football
which have been brought about. goes on
to say:
ITO the President Of Columbia Crirersitv:
The general opinion on the season just
closed, during which the new game has been
improved. Not only has the game as PLAYED
this year been singularly free from rough
ness and so-oalled brutality. but there mas
also been a marked absence OF unfair tactics.
possible and profitable under the old rules.
The change seems to be due not only to
provement In general college sentiment and
the better feeling Of the teams toward each
other brought about. no doubt. by the recent
found the game so much more enjoyable and
so much less exhausting that the universal
opinion is in favor Of increasing the time OF
The spectators have found the season
one Of remarkable interest. We feel safe
in saying that there has never been so keen
an appreciation. so universal an interest in
the game "a there has been this year.
in the injuries resulting from the game.
particularly In the larger colleges having
properly trained elevens II statistics could
the injuries and fatalities in football during
the last year have been less than in many
other branches Of sport, such as shooting,
automobiling, polo, hunting. skating, swim
ming. coasting. &c. in proportion 70 the num-
berS engaged.
AN undue amount Of time should not be
given 10 football or to any other sport to the
detriment, OF university, work We are
and the und er graduste mana cement that il
football is again played at Columbia. it would
not in any way be sllowsd to interfere With
Point and Annapolis, which are absolutely
first class devote less than two hours a day
more than should be devoted to outdoor
exercise by the average student, and should
In no way interfere with the college work.
The position that athletics hold in the
mind OF the school boy preparing for college
cannot be overlooked. However false his
point of view. the fact remains that in every
preparatory school in the country throughout
the autumn football. the one intercollegiate
boys more than any other subject. This
fact and the desire of many boys TO go where
they can play the game has a very important
influence on their choice OF universities.
Columbia. with no football team. Ia practically
nnmentioned and forgotten for six months OF
During the last year there have been a
number OF sons OF prominent alumni OF Colum.
that they should 90 to Columbia, but who
have been dissuaded from their intention by
the fact that there was no football at Column
were most likely to be of service TO the uni
versity in years 70 come
From the standpoint of the alumni the foot
ball games in the past have been a scource OF
keen pleasure. not only from he mere enjoy
men of the game. bul also from the pleas
ure of the reunions The Graduates Club at
New Haven on the day OF the lale-Harvard
game is an inspiration, Alumni come from
III w NV SNh y . 80 pANs N hhNF /
wish TO see the game, but because in seeing
it they will meet hundreds of old college
friends at a time when all have a common
interest and enthusiasm. Such thIngs AXE
time to build up, but we had mo re than q
beginning al Columbia. The Saturday OF
every game there were constantly increasing
gatherings OF Columbia men meeting to attend
the game and TO renew college ties and friend
ships.
The Columbia University Club. whose
wonderful success should be a source Of pride
to every columbia man and which is a most |
valuable ally of the university. was started
al a time when football enthusiasm ran high
est, 1901. We think the men who had most
to do with getting it up and achieving this
success. Will bear witness that the awakened
college spirit and enthusiasm largely due to
football vas their greatest aid.
"RecognizinR very ully the point OF view
which the president and the faculty took In
the stand they made. the undersigned. be-
lievinR that the object OF that stand and the
position Of the slde nt and faculty in regard
- football has been Justified. respectfully
ask If the time has not now arrived - allow
the restoration Of the game of football az
Columbia, provided il can be done with proper
restrictions as to the time 10 be devoted 70 IL
and without detriment to the work of the
university,
Ii ia understood that when the petition is
several alumni who have kept their sons
away from Columbia because OF the abolish I
ment of football will be mentioned. A large
amount of evid ence already mas been found
70 show that the statements, made In the
petition are true and more viii be collected
in the next two weeks. At the end OF that
time the committee expects TO have enough
u prove its point. Among other things that
will be used liz a long letter from Coacn Reid
of Harvard. who goes into detail in the i'm
game.