The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-11
SHOULD BE ABOLISHED.
Eastern Authority on Danger of Fly
ing Tackle in Football.

J A writer in the Boston Traveller
would abolish the flying tackle in
football and gives his opinion of it's
danger and ineffectiveness as follows:
The diving. or flying tackle as it is
more often called, must, as matter
of precautfon.s be eliminated from
football. The quicker the flying
tackle is eliminated the better it will
be for the game and many boys who
play it. 1t is to the flying tackle. and
not mass plays. that most of the re-
cent deaths in the football gridiron
can be attributed.
1t was in making flying tackle
that Earl Wilson. the Navy quarter
back, injured himself in such a man
ner that he will never walk again; it
Eugene A. Byrne met his death. and
it was a dive into the line that
caused the death of Burke. the
young Medico-Chi student. OF the
eleven deaths claimed by football this
fall at least five of them have been
caused by the diving tackle.
Is FoOlhardy Play.
The diving tackle. while it almost
seems at times to the anxious football
player to be the only manner in which
he may accomplish his wish to stop
the advance of the ball is foolhardy
and unsound. The tackler loses COM
mand of himself as he hurls his body
at his adversary. and if he misses him
is wholly out of the play. If. on the
other hand, he attempts to body
check the player, he is likely to make
his tackle successful at the same time.
When the cause of four or five of
the injuries of recent occurrences on
the football field is thoroughly
analysed it is possible that it will be
ascertained that mass play is not so
much the reason for them as
faulty method Of tackling.
So far as young players are con-
cerned, the diving tackle should be
absolutely prohibited. and if there is
no other manner in which to prohibit
it a penalty should be charged against
a team one of whose players offends.
1t is not at all difficult to tell when
a player makes a diving tackle.
Should Be Penalized.
If older players dive at a man now
and then in a last resort to stop his
| advance with the ball it is not good
football and there is no reason why
they should not be penalized for play
that has little to commend 1t. There
seems to be no reason why system OF
tackling which is foolish cannot be
| expunged from the game as well as
| other faults.
In the meantime, if statisticians
will take the trouble to investigate
the matter with some thoroughness
they may find that it is not mass play
which is SO much the cause OF foot
1
| 1t is just as well in football as in
other sports to instruct beginners. and
some who have not had the ex-
perience of others. that it is useless
to attempt the impossible. 1t usually
results in nothing but disaster for
| those who attempt it.
The theory of mass play in football,
| as it had worked out. not so much to
| the physical injury Of players as to
| the utter lack of attractiveness to the
1 80 H. 49, hot
was making it an exclusive pastime
for the giants, as opposed to the men
of average physical build, was built on
the foundation of retention of the. ball
at all hazards.
Not a Real Mass Play.
When one man. under the new
| game, essays to carry the ball he is
not surrounded by three or four
others. who form wedge or a chisel-
shaped group. which seeks to crowd
| the opponents to earth.
| He usually runs along. One of his
| companions may seek to block a GER
tain player and another companion
seek to block another player. A third
navy essay to get in such position
| that he can ward off the runners who
| try to seize the man with the hall. A
| fourth may try to get into a position
! where he can prevent the back from
checking the advance of the ball
That isn't mass play. 1t is running
IOrmallOn ana us purpose Is 10 SCAT
| ter the defense and not let it be
welded into a compact body, because
another compact body is trying to
break through the line. That was
what resulted under mass play in
| other days.
To attempt to stop a running for
nation on the football field by diving
head foremost at the player who has
! the ball. and whose interference is
ranged on both sides of him. seems to
be taking a risk which is not war
| ranted and which is not theoretically
| good football