New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-07
FOOTBALL IS FIERCE"
METZ RULES INADEQUATE.
Game Not for Gentlemen, Says
President Eliot of Harvard.

Boston. March 6-Charlcs Y. Eliot president Of
Harvard University. in his annual report which
VIII be presented to the board OF overseers thas
week. maintains that football. despite new rules
remains an undesired game for gentlemen to play
or multitudes of people to witness President Eliot
declares that football is properly described by the
adjective fierce" and that game IN winch recK-
Iessness In causing receiving bodily INJURIES Is
1T Tor college use. Basketball and hockey are
placed in the same class with football. and Presi-
dent Eliot advises that intercollegiate contests in
any one sport be limited TO two games all other
games 10 be between teams made up at Harvard
lie also decries the "cxcesses of cheering which
characterize present intercollegiate contests as an-
soiTtly unnatural The report says;
The game Of football was somewhat improved
b. the new rules extorted last year from its Gre
ators ana managers by the pressure OF pup,lc opi
therefore more interesting to watch. It gives ap;
propriate opportunities several kds OF ia t,i
athletes, and IT affords fewer tD
play and brutality whether deliberate anu plaIlhTl,
or sudden and accidental than the game uhder me
public opinion also compelled the employment %
ber I'M o @t 9if E 4w pss We're Violated at
most of the principal games by consent o' ''''
The injuries inflicted on the Harvard PLAYERS were .I,
Of the same character as were s4lf f nm num-
former rules. but they were much Ie"tl . ~ &c
sentialy the same Il therefore remains an und e-
sirahle game for gentlemen to play or loF i"N'''
No garc is lit for college Uses in which men are
often so knocked or crushed into Nv tbe
imuoDllty that II IS n question "ietIL',. Io
application Of water and stimulants tneE can aar ~
brought to and enabled to go on PLAYING; ~ ss4 e,
Is 1T for college uses fin which rec&IgsS;IeS ~
causing suffering serious bodily iiJ pr ~
admiration. An extreme recklcssneSS remains,
grave objection the game of foothll ana !, alSo
males basketball and hockey. as Developed i" ~
cent years undesirable Gemes. -, 5to,ti,.s
Football is properly described by th, apJ ~
"derce''-a term which is commonly aPpHed 10 ''le
The gross exagceration Of all competitive sports
is working incalculahie harm 70 SchotpiS CO.
leCes and universities The first step Shouh ue "
limit closely number OF intercollegiate contests
I in each sport Two such contests IN t'su st' =,
would he ample to maintain suiEClent interest," !"
all the sports The preparation for these Two con-
I should b" procured solely through dIlestl1
home competitions being much increased rom
the educational point of view the NaLue OF anS
soHs who habitually take active part IN II TOT
pleasure during the education period ana ENJOY II
in after life Tried by this test football Is the leaSl
valuable Of all college sports.
As to the waste - money involved IN INTERIOR
legiate sports Or Eliot says The fact that It is
not tho universities money which is wasted does
evaporation of athletis sports leads to a great
waste Of money. This waste IS particularly nofti-
tving. because 1t is mace 10y well educated men
One If the sources OF waste of money IS the bener
/ that team con do its best unless II IL
stimulated by continuous roar OF cheering on
tiuuous, pumped cheering during good and bad ball
counterpart the contests real life The most
/ intense PLAYERS hear it cny at intervals on the
part OF the SPECTATORS i is weak, hysterical and
! utterly Ineffective demonstration.
| The rouort concludes 1t IS high time that the
whole profession Of teaching In school. college ana
university unite 10 protest against the present
/ a.veraffof of athletic sports during the whole
period OF education and especially 10 bring com
uetitiye sports between schools and between col
supremacy 90 intellectual ana moral interests over
physical interests in all institutions Of education