The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-10-31
Death of Byrne and Injury
to Wilson Will Start
Agitators.
GAME S USEFULNESS
MAY BE FORGOTTEN
Has Many Good Points for Devel-
oping Bodies and Characters.
Langford's Def.
By THOMAS S. RICE.

BY 4hUMAS b klOE.
once again football viii be put on
trial for its life as an American sport.
The breaking of the neck of Midship-
man Wilson two weeks ago from yes
terday in the game with villa Nova, and
bis pitifuI approach to the brink Of
death since that time by sure and slow
degrees, has now been followed by the
Killing yesterday of Cadet Byrne, OF
West Point, whose neck was broken in
the West Point-Earvard game,
Either of these accidents was enough
Il. cause trouble. but following so close
" upon each other and, by a strange
coincidence, one being at Annapolis and
enc at West Point, they must Inevitably
arouse to the highest pitch al those who
make It point TO surge TO the front
with a propaganda for the abolition Of
any human institution that lays itself
open TO attack. Football must with
stand a severe arTaignment and must
suffer rebuns or suppression IN many
high places. but In the end 1t viii prob
ably come into It's own again.
Game VIII Be Knocked
That the Annapolis West Point match
at Franklin Field. Philadelphia, may be
called on this year because Of the de-
pIorable incidents just cited is more
than probable. and that excuse viii be
seized for the canceling of other con-
tests. or the complete doing away with
the sport at various institutions. The
adjustment of football at Swarthnore
two or three years ago because an ex-
cited benefactor left the school a large
endowment, with the proviso that it
should not be effective unless football
-
sample of how the roaring of non-cx-
perts may affect the popular mind.
OF course. with the usual opacity
which marks professional protestants,
whose general policy is TO attack any
thing on the slightest proVOcaTiOn. ire
spectiye Of whether the attack is war
Tanted by the facts no attention viii be
paid TO the relative proportions between
those who play the game and are
greatly benefited mentally. physically,
and morally. and the number OF perma-
nent injuries. II is an age OF mawkish
sentiment and a hystericaI craving for
cheap notOriety. Form and not the
substance, of a reform. is what is
brought before the public eye. Judg-
nent and discretion are not only IN
popular, but unknown, 70 those who
make 1t the prime object Of their lives
70 knock the existing order, and a
little matter like creating an Infinite
harm to accomplish an infinitesimal or
Unfortunate Coincidence.
A peculiar angle Of the strange coinci-
dence that q military and naval cadet
should be killed by football in the same
year IS that Wilson, the MILDLY, was hurt
Ia making an ordinary tackle, while
Iyrne. the soldier student was killed
in a mass play-as far as mass plays are
now allowable This win give addition
-.F
sport. and win furnish unlimited oppor-
tbnities for the wise shaking of heads.
1t must be admitted that for years
the contention was that the danger in
football came from the mass plays in
which several heavy men were hurled
a one or two, but throughout that PER-
led. those who studied the problem knew
that there IS nothing more prone 70
bring disastrous results 10 one or both
Iaen than an open field tackle The
code was changed with two objects in
view: one was 70 prohibit the Fiiing
10 Of players In an indiscriminate heap,
the other was 70 make the sport more
spectacular and relieve IL OF the inces-
SAINT croWding which made II extreme
IL difficult for all except a compare
lively few experts TO tell what was TAX
iHg place. Whether the number Of IA
tsltties under the modern system has
been less in proportion 70 the number
q men and boys on the grldlTOn, can
rot be proved definitely because Of the
iack Of exact statistics. but the popu-
lsrity OF football was certainly in
creased. and il is growing rapidly. A
game such as that yesterday when
Princeton beat the Naval Academy by
5Eto 3, could be enjoyed and appreciated
even by those who had never before
stem two elevens in action.
Evidence Fayors Football.
fThe prep0nderance Of evidence from
those who have played, and even those
Who have suffered, is that football is
ore Of the most useful methods 6ever
devIsed for developing the physical and
mental qualities Of a student. The
course Of training is long and arduous,
bnt sensible; the candidate with the
saghtest tendency toward coWardlce
ufhst overcome it: self-c0nfdence must
D. and Is, acquired, and the youthful
american learns to depend upon him
seif and his own haTdihOOi instead of
iIsstinctiveiy placing dependence upon q
katie or pistol or some method of Sc
Get revenge
These facts should be remembered IN
these days when co-educatiOu, pink teas,
female teachers, and paying calls are
blooming more and more the life history
q groWfng boys ia our nigh schools as