The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-07
THE GAME OF FOOTBALL
By Frederic ,. Haskin.

3ZS replleQ tnaG they n60 been. Dene~ 1 fted by their careers on the gridiron: | three said they had been injured; four had noted no effect one way or the | other; two failed to reply.
 There Is much speculation as to what the mascot of the West Point team will be this year Heretofore it has been an army mule. Last year the army manager showed signs of deserting the mule. He used a Teddy bear, and had several under consideration. But none of them were quite tame enough, and he was afraid that in the enthusiasm of the moment the Teddy bear might go over to the Navy camp and chew up their billy goat. So the Army stuck to It's mule-and lost the game. This year West Point is looking for . properly domesticated Teddy bear, and they will pin their faith to him when they meet the Navy. On the other hand, the An- napolts aggregation of pigslxin kickers are too loyal to the traditions of Nep- tune to even think of superseding their goat with any sort of mascot.
 That pride goeth before fall Is of- ten Illustrated in a football game Sometimes the student body of 3 big university concludes that their team IS just as sure to win as the sun is to rise next morning So they stake their all on-the home team. This was what Cornell did last year Its students thought they had a sure thing against Pennsylvania. They pawned everything they could live the day through without, and got about J$24,0OO to lay on their favorites. When Penn won there was a money panic among the local merchants and other trades men that made the great National scape look like little whirlwind beside a big cyclone. The scion of many a promi- nent family found himself without the whereWtth to buy a dinner that even ing. Some had pawned their books, and one had pawned dress suit he had never worn.
 There has been much written about the playing of the Carlisle Indians. That they are a strong team everybody concedes, but there are those who think that their superior strength comes in rather unfair way. Their players usually stay on the team long. CT than those of any other team in the country. For instance, Lubo, last years captain of the Indians, had been playing on the team since 1901, and the man who could not play perfect ball after eight years of practice and playing would be an exception. Ex. endine joined the team in 1902, and Mt. Pleasant in 1904. Many authori- tles claim that 1t is not in keeping with the spirit of the game for play CTS to stay in 1t for such long periods.
 The firm hold that the open playing under recent rules has taken on both the public and the players will probab. ly result in the adoption of a new football Those who see the neeessI- ty of a change declare that in its pres- ent shape the ball Is not suitable for forward passing, and they say that in the open game a ball that can be kick ed farther than the present one ought to be adopted. They want ball that is longer on the long axis and having shorter diameter through its short axis They would have two more holes on each side for lacing, and seek to have a heavy reinforcement of leather at the usual kicking point They think that this would give kicks of seventy-five yards Instead of forty and fifty yards, and would render the game all the more spectacular and thrilling to the spectator
 Along With ball of changed shape the proponents of these new reforms want wider field. Under the old mass playing system the present field was mide enough. and there were abundant opportunities for end rims But under the newer football. with tbs opposing team scattered all over inc Held, 1t Is almost impossible for a player to run around the ends of the opposition without crossing the boun- dary line of the gridiron. Physical Director Cochems. of St. Louis. is one of the leading advocates of these changes. and they seem to be meeting with favorable reception with those who are responsible for football Iegfs- lation.
 There has always been a question as to the relative strength of the east ern and western teams. Since the lead ing teams of the East do not meet the western teams there is no certain way of telling. Yet such teams as the Car lisle Indians have gone against the Wolverines and other western teams, and have defeated them, and were in turn defeated by the big eaRtarn aglgre-