The Washington times., 1908-11-21
Versatile, Mike Says Football
Officials Should Announce
Penalties TO Reporters.
GOTCH AND HACK
SHOULD DECLINE
Effort to Force Them into Pre-
liminay Trials Entirely
Too Absurd.
BY THOMAS S. RICE.

By THOMAS S. RICE.
The presence in our beautiful city this
morning OF Mike Thompson with the
football eleven Of Washington College.
Chestertowu. Md, at which institution
Mike is professor Of chemistry and grid
iron coach, besides being a local celeb
rity Of renown brings 10 mind that
/ the public owes Mike a debt of gratitude
for a most valuable football innovation
As one of the best football referees
the game has produced Mixes services
have been much in demand. and, be-
ing wise iu his day and generation, he
has made il a point 10 look for novel
ties. This season he hlL on something
new which should be adopted every
where, and will eudear Mike 10 the
memory of every follower of the sport.
especially the newspaper men.
Should Call Out Penalties.
The happy thought is TO have the ref
cree when he imposes a penalty turn
TO the press stand ana announce clearly
the exact penalty. why il was incurred
ana who committed the horrid deed.
For instance. THE Bruisers get fifteen
yards for holding IN the line by Jones.
or. THE Kiuems get five yards for on
side play by Smith"
II you ever tried 10 report a football
game where this system Of announcing
Is not in effect you would appreciate
the value Of Mikes idea. Half the
/ time the reporters and others on the
side lines do not know why a penalty
/ Is imposed, and before they can ind
out the teams are az 1t again. something
else happens and the curiosity Of the
public is not satisfied except by a
shrewd guess upon the part Of the
said reporters. who have learned TO
take that chance. Football referees
are, as a rule, well paid for their work,
getting much more per game than base
ball umPires, and there appears no
earthly reason why all Of them should
not adopt Thumpsous plan. Thompson
Is Ike fishing Iuck-One time you are
so pleased with him that you become
enthusiastic when he is mentioned, then
again, he makes you so fretfuI you
want TO fondIe him with a Ratchet.
but this is one OF the suggestions that
gets MIN ia good.
The Engineers OF the Washington
Barracks are 10 meet Fort Monroe
al Union League Park on Thanksgiving
Day and IN preparation VIII 20 against
the Fort Washington aTuNerymen this
afternoon at the Arsenal at g.S1 The
game today SHOULD be interesting ami
that on Thanksgiving should be one Cf
the thullers Of the local season. Fort
Monroe was one OF the nrst military
establishments 10 have football teams,
and they have generally been hard 10
beat AS rule. the material there Is
abundant, and gets excellent coaching
from the former West Point gFidIrOn
men at the post.
likely the real reason why the English
sporting writers OfdCiOusly tried 10 force
Frank GDtCn 10 meet Lemm ia London
before wrestling HackensChmidt FOX
the championship was that they were
unwilling 10 cCucede that GOtch was
OF championship caliber until he had
done something Oh the other side the
pond. IL was not unlike them 10 as
sumo that attitude, depile the fact
G0tch had already Wrestled Hack to
staucstlll, and then made him quit cold
IN Chicago last spring, The whole in
clueHJ bears the eaTmaTks OF a petty
attempt TO belttle Gotch by sending him
against trial horse. No matter how
good Lemm may be, the match the pub
lie wanted was between GotCh and Hack
and Il either agrees TO the proposition
of the English committee he is making
a sucker OF himself. We are glad TO
note that the London Sporting Life re
pudiaJes the entire transaction, and
takes decent view OF the matter, uTg-
ING lie Two DIG WTtaIicfs not 10 accept
the conditions.
Ii would not be we'll for the horse
people to place too much dependence in
that decision in New York yesterday.
that WageTs between individuals at a
raCetrack are not Illegal The decision
IS 10 some extent a point gained. but
the amount Of extensive betting on
bOOkmaking lines possible under IL will
depend entirely upon the honesty and
ability with which the police authorities
of New York apply the law and the
ruling. II the police really wish TO stop
booking they can come pretty near do
ing II, despite the apparent lOophole
The Sailor Burke-JOe Thomas bout I'm
New York tonight has been called of
for fear OF police interference. It's just
as well they are not going TO meet.
Burke's bouts have been marred by
charges Of faintheartedness and agree
m6nts TO let him stay the limit ever
since he has been going against good
men, and nothing short of a murder IN
the ring would have persuaded the
critics that the fight tonight did not
have some queer angle or that Burke
was showing a yellow streak
Almost two weeks have gone by with
out Joe Cantill0n and Ban Johnson mix
HH.. lion