The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-19

preSSionS From College Centres.
ball goes to the opponents on the spot
where the ball was put in play for
that third down. Who's going to try
a forward pass, under such condi-
tions? Naturally enough, since they
are hampered by such rule, a team
in its own territory has simply got to
stick to line bucking on the first two
downs and punting on the third"
Asked how he would remedy this
difficulty, Mr.. Herman said
Easy and simple. Let them re-
move these penalties, or else modify
them"
No Remedy, Says Coach Warner.
Carlisle, Pa. Glenn S. Warner,
the Carlisle Indian football coach,
said:
"Of course football is rough game
and there is an element of danger in
it, probably but little more so that in
other branches of athletics. 1t is sim
ply an unfortunate coincident that
these accidents have happened. They
are not due to any radical fault in the
game, and | don see any way to rem
edy the rules to make football less
rough, although I think changes can
be made in the rules to make it a bet
ter game"
Principal Wants to Stop the Game.
Brooklyn, N. Y.--Dr. William Fair
ley, at Commercial High School,
Brooklyn, said:
/ thoroughly disapprove of foot
ball, and l wish I could stop it imme-
diately. 1t is rough and brutal and
should be abolished I am writing to
the parents of the football players in
my school, hoping that enough will
prohibit their sons from playing so
that the team will break up. | am
also demanding a signed statement
from the family physicians declaring
the candidates to be physically fit to
play"
Fighting Safer Than Football.
Pittsburg, Because of the re-
cent football fatalities, Samuel An
drews, superintendent of the public
schools of Pittsburg, took a decided
stand against the game, and it is
probable that every influence will be
brought to bear for the suppression
of football here.
II think fighting is a better sport"
said Superintendent Andrews. "Too
many young men are killed and seri-
ously injured in football and the
game should be done away with"
No Remedy, Says Referee Sharpe.
Philadelphia DIR. A. L. C. Sharpe.
the famous Yale player Of the eos,
now acting as athletic director at the
William Penn Charter School in Phil
adelphia, who served as referee of the
Harvard-West Point game, stated that
the fatality was due to an "unfortu-
nate accident as distressing as un-
avoidable."
There was no fault of the coaches
that contributed to Byrne's death.
noted that he was in fine physical
shape, in perfect health, I might say.
was behind the Harvard line at the
time of the accident, Just as soon as
the ball was snapped back Byrne dove
in between left tackle and guard. The
Harvard players moved right on and
Byrne was stretched on the field. The
whole thing occurred SO Quickly that
no one will ever know just how it did
actually occur. 1t was not due to the
roughness of the game, for l have sell
dom officiated in football game
which was so clearly and fairly
played. There was not the faintest
indication of unnecessary violence,
and no uncalled for piling upon the
player after he had been thrown"
Can you suggest any modification
OF the rules which might insure more
safety to the players?" was asked.
No" was Dr. Sharpe's emphatic
reply. Most of the injuries in foot
ball to-day resulted from tackles, and
If you were to eliminate tackhng you
could not play football. Personally
think that all the criticism of football
and present football rules is unde-
served. Football is too firmly estab-
lished aYA sport of the colleges to be
abolish9 ecause Of fatal injuries in
rare ms - 10
.A