The San Francisco call., 1909-12-05
SCHOOLS TO PLAY
RUGBY NEXT YEAR
Decision Against Old Style OF
Game Gives Advantage TO
Lowell and Mission
BY HERBERT HAUSER

Now that the story is out that the
local board of education intends TO in
sist upon the schools playing Rugby
next season the students of both Lowell
and Mission will have a years start
over the other schools in the knowledge
of the so called new game. Lick has
practically decided TO take up the new
game, so that the schools that play
the American game next season will
be few and far between. Oakland high
is in a quaEdary as to what to do.
The students prefer the old game.
but as the trend all over the entire
country is for a different style of
game with less injuries the next two
or three years are apt to see the old
game entirely eliminated
/ have talked over the football sit
uation with an athletic authority who
is familiar with athletics in all sec
tons OF the country and he tells me
that in the east the people are turn
ing toward soccer football. Large
tournaments are being held and not
few colleges are taking up the game.
Soccer has replaced Rugby in Eng
land 10 great extent, and inter
county games draw enormous crowds.
Even the games here are drawing
larger crowds all the time. but as
far as the high schools are concerned
here it looks as if the only thing for
them TO do is 10 play whatever game
California and Stanford play
The old intercollegiate game has a
great hold on old timers. as was seen
IN the number of old sridiron stars
who witnessed the Century-W Winged v
game and the Alameda Polytechnic
contest. though the latter was a dis
appointment TO nearly every one who
attended.
The Sunday Schools athletic league
is preparing for the coming season
and will open permanent quarters at
Van Ness avenue and Geary street
where a basket ball court Will be con-
structed. As soon as the court is COM
20 teams from all the Protestant
churches in the city will be started
The league has also planned some
games for Christmas morning at the
stadium
The Pacific athletic association bas-
ket ball committee met Thursday even
ing and decided TO recommend to the
association that a tournament be held
according TO the weight system with
classes at 10, 120, $50. 145 and unlim-
tied weights. The only change in the
weights from last year are in the 145
class, which has been raised five
pounds, as the committee found that
the range of weight from 40 pounds
10 the unlimited class might be too
great.
Owing to the great expense OF last
ears tournament the committee will
not guarantee expenses TO visiting
teams. but at the end of the season
II there is surplus il viii be divided
pro rata according TO mileage toward
expenses of those coming % miles or
more Most OF the games will probably
be held in the gymnasium of the Young
Mems Hebrew association. The asso-
citation would do we'll TO hold some OF
its games on the Oakland side OF the
bay. as the games viii draw better
there than here.
The Oakland church league started
its tournament last night and great
interest is being taken in the contest
for the championship.
The game between the Alameda and
Polytechnic high schools for the Aca-
demic league football championship
next Saturday afternoon at the Pre-
sidiO athletic grounds viii draw n
record breaking crowd. for the pro-
ceeds viii go toward a very worthy
cause, Father Crowley's Youths Di-
rectory being the beneficiary. Both
teams are receiving plenty of coaching
and far better game will be played
than when they met Thanksgiving day