Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-26
Many Men Fatally Hurt Are in Game
Week Later.
COMPLETE LIST OF KILEn
Majority are Small Boys or Men Of
Weak Physique.
CHANGES IN RULES PROPOSED
InJured Players should Ne Removed
az Once and MISUNDERSTANDING
at Knees and Flying Tackles
Dangerous.

BY J. n. MOFFATT.
Editor OF History OF Princeton Ath-
ball team In 1908; authorized foot bail off,
cial and former coach OF Central High
school eleven.
How can our game OF foot ball be modi-
fled to protect the players and at the samo
time retain the interest OF the spectators?
The spectators demand an open game; the
players, their parents and the public at
large demand a safe game. what ought
10 De done depsndse on the answers TO the
following questions; Why were 80 many
players killed OF seriously injured this
season? Has the new, open style OF play
Increased the danger3 Can the rules be
changed to prevent fatal and almost fatal
accidents7
The daily papers Of New York. PhiIadsI-
phia and Chicago have stated that this
season thirty-two players were killed and
more than 200 seriously Injured. These
numbers are appalling. Led by a love, of
the game from his experience as player.
coach and official, tn writer has inveuti-
gated in detail the reported deaths and
serious injuries, with the hope OF discover
ing their causes and the means OF prov6ht-
ing future disasters. snt
First, about the injuries. These have
been enormously exaggerated. with one
or two exceptions they were merely tenn
porary. Many bones have been broken,
but, despite the Inconvenience, these are
not serious injuries. In one institution, at
least, more bones were broken In the gym
than on the gridiron. Many players we're
reported in dangerous condition from in
juries TO the head-"fractured skulr' or
conclusion of the brain" In almost every
case that it has been possible to investi-
gate the player has not been permanently
injured and has almost always played in
later games. A few Instance will suffice:
Armstrong, University of Oklahoma,
head terribly cut. concussion OF the brain"
But he himself writes that neither he nor
this season or any other season.
Berry, Drake university. "concussion OF
the BRAIN" He was in the hospital for six
days and had occasional headaches for two
weeks, but has entirely recovered. His
he could not get in condition again for the
re naming games. oa
Boyd, Dayton (o) High school, ~'oonous-
sion OF the brain" He played a week
later.
Forbes. Linton, IND, fractured an ear
drum IN a foot ball game, resulting in
local papers say he was merely a spectator
At a practice game. When the ball was
kicked out OF bounds he secured 1t and
was running to give 1t to the players, but
he stumbled, fell and ran the stubbIe OF a
weed into his ear.
Hunt Radnor (Pa-) Higs school ''conoaa-
sion OF the brain" Blu he played in all
webster, Virginia Military Institute.
owing TO a confusion OF signals. was
thrown under a mass play and fatally In
tured, either eoncussion OF the brain or a
broken neck But the manager writes:
The injury was nothing like It was pic
tured In the papers. It lasted only a short
while, and though IL caused considerable
anxiety as to the outcome, The PLAYER is
now tone week later in his former condi-
The unavoidable conclusion is that the
newspaper reports OF injuries have been
sensational. In fact the only cases the
writer has found TO be really serious are
those OF Wilson of Annapolis. and Pick
ertnE of Utica, but both are still alive
and improving. with the hope of uItimats
recovery.
what OF Players KiIAedR
But what of the players killed? There
can be no doubht hat these men died
Are the newspapers justified In blaming
the foot bail of this for their deaths7
Here is a list, more complete than any
newspaper has given. Of all the players
who, IL Is said, lost their lives in foot
ball this year. Following each name IN
the true account OF the cause Of death.
taken from the testimony Of reputable
officials or eye-wttnesses in personal
statements to the writer or from the de-
tailed report of the local newspaper.
Where. after diiigent Investigation, such
testimony has not bse nseoured. the re-
ported cause is accepted as true; these
cases are marked with an .;
Collapsed Before Accident.
I Albert Arendti aged 10, was Kicked
IN the head on November g., at Marietta-
o., while playing foot bali In the street
with other boys OF the same age. His
parents knew nothing OF his Injury until
ness; his skull proved 10 be fractured
and he died on November 9.
2 Lansdon Babcock, aged IS. Of Cornell
received In 1907. His lungs were injured
and ne died of pneumonia There Is no
evidence that he played later than 1907.
). Charles Becker aged II. was Kicking
and passing a foot ball al recess in the
school yard at Ffndlay. o., with his class
licked him on the ankle. Becker i'm
medlately struck the other boy. and In
the fight that followed Becker was Kicked
In the stomach and injured Internally. he
died a week later on September 20.
= Michael Burke, aged %. a Junior Of
skull In 4 minor game by striking his
head against a runners knee while max
ing an open field tackle, He never re-
gained consciousness. dying eight hours
FLAPS Before Accident.
5. E. A. Byrne. aged 81, a fourth-year
cadet at West Point. broke his neck on
October 80 In the Harvard game. trying
been injured earlier and was in a state
Of collapse before the fatal accident.
O. Archer Christian, aged 70, a freshman
az the University OF Virginia, attempted
TO make a line plunge through George
towns tackle, was thrown backward, the
back OF his head hitting the ground SO
hard that a blood oIot formed on his brain.
He died twelve hours later. on Novem-
Der II.
T. Dominick Define. aged Is. a student OF
Navarro (Ohio) High school,. died OF tuber-
eul0ais on March 10 He had played foot
ball last fall, but was not injured or over