University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-12-01
PRAISES CANE
OFFOOTBALL

III alertness, the bigness of trifes, en-
durance, courage and cleanliness
are taught by the game of football
This is the claim of A. E. Cotton, in q
striking letter to Mind and Body, a
Journal of Physical Education for No
vember, Mr.. Cotton writes:
my boy is fullback on one of the
Boston High School teams, and / wish
to record my satisfaction and delight in
the education and training, not to say
virtues, which have resulted from his
experience.
For three years he has worn foot
ball togs for considerable part of his
waking hours from middle September to
middle November. The first year he
learned to sit on the sidelines and wait
for exhaustion or injury to one of the
regulars whose place he might fill. He
did not wish any of his friends harm,
but he did long for a chance to put
his shoulder to the wheel. Game after
game passed by, and no chance to show
what he could do! All the glory he
had was in the practice games when
the regulars wanted something to smash
into. That first year he learned pretty
well the rudiments of patience. He
could have retired then in disgust, but
he hung on.
Obedience.
"The second year he made the team
in quasi sort of way contesting with
Others the right to place behind the
line. The third year he made the team
and has played in and through every
game. From the first, absolute Obedi
ence to the coach was . law not to be
trifed with; he had earned a dislike to
side lines and knew that the slightest
insubordinatiOn or appearance of dis
satisfaction with the coach's ruling
would put him out of the game in
stantly. Sharp words and an occa-
sional blow or shove from the coach
were taken in lamblike submission.
He learned that the coach was the
court of first and last appeal, abso-
lutte monarch and supreme dictator.
Self-Denial.
"To his surprise, this big fellow,
with digestive apparatus like cider
mill, found that he must take thought
as to whether this or that meat, drink
or pastry was muscle forming, wind
stopping, bone hardening, or not. All
pies had looked alike to the big, hearty
boy until he was a football player,
and then the family was thrown
into CONSERVATION by the 'great-Am-
living -pie-storehouse," as he had
called himself, leaving the table just
before the good stuff" appeared. This
soon became chronic, and pie and pud
1ings, pork and coffee were resolutely |
put away without even a last linger-
ing Lot'swife look behind.
"All engagements which interfered
with football practice were set one
side, and an early to bed habit was
formed. The one lesson i'm the matter
If diet-what is and what is not for
,he best wind, endurance, strength
:hough costing much self-sacrifice, was
Control
Anything that teaches self-control
must be welcome to parents watching
! lads development. Of course, the
esson of never talking lack to the
Oach was quickly learned. But it had
o be learned even in the excitement of
he battle with the most aggravating
No matter if the other
elbow does slug the law of the COM
nittee is no slugging.' That was not
aiken seriously until in the first of
he great contests for supremacy one
f the best players was put off and
ut of the game and was not allowed
o play again in any of the league
ames. The boys found they must not
ummel the other side. even in sup
osed self lf-defense. No boy wanted to
ose his place even for day.
Submergence of Self. .
Everything for the team as whole
nd nothing for personal prowess. If
nv men come in for a scOlding it is
he so-called best Players who do
hings on their own hook for star
laying too often. They have their
ames in the paper, but they bring
pom their heads over and over the
lshing sarcasm of the coach. All for
ne team is the motto-push, pull, in
,rfere, everything-to get the man
ith the ball along. To get that ma
line of eleven independent, and one
light almost say discordant, elements
, work as one man, made it neces
Try to reduce the eleven egOs there to
fraction of a one. In that submer- Il
,uco M matter what tho pa nars said l