Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-27
YALE CLAIMS ARMY
t KNEW ITS SIGNALS
DECLARE WEST POINT GOT HOLD
OF KEYS TO PLAYS
Failure to Hold Secret Practice Held
Accountable for Bulldogs Mser-
able Showing Against
Cadets

NEW HAVEN, Oct. pa live discus
sion of the abolition of training tables
for athletes has sprung UP at Yale be-
cause of the action of the Trinity college
football authorities in deciding that their
eleven was better off with the ordinary
diet available for their players, without
resorting to the means of a training table.
Quite a formidable faction of the Yale
faculty wish training tables abolished,
and when the extensive reform movement
was under way at the university more
than year ago ,Aey urged on the entire
faculty the desi-ablity of prohibiting the
formation of tables in future athletic
seasons The compromise adopted, how
ever, did away with the glaring training
table abuses without taking any stand on
the question whether the elimination of
the table is really desirable.
Professor Theodore S. Woolsey, who
would put sport on a much more informal
basis than at present, is one of the mem
bers of the athletic committee who be-
lieves that the athletes would be as well
fitted for their contests by proper food
at their homes or at college boarding
clubs as well as by the menu of the
routine training table. Professor Russell
II. Chittenden, director of the Sheffield
SclenllI1C SCnOOl, uOL Only reSdIQS Iii5
training table of the present time as
practically a hihdrance, but would put
the athletes on much the same diet as
has Stagg, the University of Chicago
coach, who has given the men a vegetable
menu.
Professor Chittenden has for years ad-
vocated vegetable diet for athletes, and
to support his theories had here for
year squad of United States soldiers,
who were given at times vegetable diet
and throughout the year a much simpli-
fed menu.
The Yale athletic trainers have been
quick to make a change in the training
table and the menu offered at present
Is far less rigorous than formerly. While
pies and cake are tabooed there Is little
difference between the training table and
the fare of the high class college board
ing house and another year there viii
be even less difference.
The question of secret practice is before
the university in an acute form. On
many sides Is heard the rumor at Yale
that the game at West Point was not
won because the eleven had not had the
advantage of secret practice to develop
it's formidable plays. The official univer-
sity organ came out last week against
secret practice, and the coaches did not,
as usual. order any before the West Point
game.
If the policy of the faculty turns out
to be as outlined in the official organs
last week the coaches will decline to closeg
the gates and the eleven will go into thY
big games with plays only half as e.Af
fective as usual
A direct factor in Yale's inability tS
score was the fact that the team pos1
sessed no first class drop kicker. Hsif-
back Wheaton was to play that role and
when he was crippled by the twisting
of one of the tendons of his knee the past
week vacancy was caused which could
not be flied. Wheaton had practiced his
speciality all summer and had been given
two weeks coaching by Billy Bull, the
Yale coach Bomar and Cooney have
started to practice drop kicking, but
neither was proficient enough to be in
shape for the West Point game. Tad
Jones will also be added to the list of
field goal performers, and Dr.. Bull may
again be summoned to develop kicker
TO fill the vacancy caused by Wheaton's
injury.