The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-25

so far this fall, and yet there Is no agita- tion to eliminate this sport. No one un- willing to risk death could go horseback riding, fishing, swimming, canoeing. auto- mobiling-in fact there is no sport of pleasure except ping pong or croquet that does not have an element of danger In 1t.
 ''The list of deaths given out during the last season charged to football includes every man and boy who met death in any way provided he had been a football player during his life. Many of these deaths were among boys not in training, while others who had not been partici- pants, but have been kicking football in a back lot. One Of the list Is man who claimed to have contracted consump- tion on a football field in 1903; two who had blood poisoning, and one of them. Captain Trimble of Indiana, who opened blister on his heel with a pocketknife and infection set in. Other illustrations in point are those of Langdon Babcock Of Buffalo, N. Y, who died of pneumonia three months before the season began; Charles E. Jacks of Denver, who died four months before the season opened, and who hadn't played since 1906; Domelio Define of Massilon, Ohio, whose death five and one-half months before the season was due to consumption; Morrill, Tickets of Forest, Ill.,, who died many months before the season openedi Charles Becker of Findlay, O., an H. year-old boy who was killed while playing in a back lot with several com panions; Samuel Moore of Camden, N. J., who died January 1, 1909; John Ar thur of Wabash. Ind, who was hurt the prior season and whose death was said to have been due to an injury of the prior season. Walter Lufsey of Nn Vhn nf mia; Verne Merrill of Janesville, Wis, who died from blood poison thought to have been occasioned by a neglected injury of the former season, and others, all of whose names appear in the list of so-called this seasons fatalities.
 In fact, only three of the deaths were among real college players par ticipating in college games during the season of 1909 There has never been fatal accident in the history of the game at 75 of the leading universities of America, including Yale. Harvard. Pennsylvania, Princeton, Cornell, Wis consin, Michigan Minnesota and others. I have been associated with football teams for Is years and 1 have never witnessed a fatal. injury or an accident approaching death, and 1 venture to make the statement that of the hun dreds and thousands of men that have actively engaged In football In the ull- ferent institutions wh ere I have been, not one among them but has been bene- fitted and made a stronger and better man in many ways"
 When asked as to his opinion of the origin of the outcry in certain quar- ters against the game, he replied:
 Certainly not from the men who have played the game. There are thousands and thousands of men who are now ripe in years of experiences and who do not look at it from boys standpoint, yet l have never heard one of them say that he would not like to go through 1t all once more.
 Football teaches young men to lead q clean and manly life and when prop erly conducted supplies in addition to it's healthful and beneficial results wholesome influence on the mind of the entire youthful student body. including those who do not participate in it.
 "A famous French general asked the question of the Duke of Wellington If he did not think the English boys gave too much time and thought to ath- letics? His answer was question: [ What are the French students think ing and doing at the time the English students are having healthy sport and i recreationT Boys will be boys and the time will never come when they can be made to give all of their time to study The great number of accidents that have been credited to football have been among boys, especially the younger boys, who should not have been permitted to enter a contest of so rugged a nature"