New-York tribune., 1910-01-03
COMMENT ON SPORTS
DEMAND FOR REFORM.
Football Problem an Hands Of
RuLes Committee.

Rules Committee.
Out of e mass Of conflicting suggestions.
some good, some bad and scme Indifferent.
the football rules committee must now as
sumo the burden of struggling with prob
lem that is not easy of solution. If those
educators who have raised their voices
against what they are pleased to call the
unseenlly dangers Of the game OF American
. college football are to be satisfied. Ii has
been said by some-it has been thought by
others-that the Intercollegiate Athletic
Association, at its annual meeting in this
city on Tuesday, shirked responsibility and
accomplished little or nothing of a prac-
tical nature looking to a reform OF the
game. Nothing could be further from the
truth. It was not within the province of
the association TO revise the code; 1T was
not considered advisable even 10 tie the
hands OF the committee by pladging it TO
make certain notifications along the lines
suggested by West Point and recommend
&c by the executive committee; but much
was done to emphasize the demand made
in no uncertain way. for radical chaLso
sn the rules to bring about a safer, saner
sad more satisfying game.
Representatives from sixty-eight uni
-ersfiies and colleges from all parts of
the country were Of one mind that some
thing must be done TO save football. not
only from abolition on the part of many
faculties. but from restrictive legislation
on the part of some states. Those who
have the best interest of the sport at heart
have realized for some time that a crisis
had been reached, but It remained for
the delegates at the meeting of the Inter
collegiate Athletic Association TO impress
on - least some Of those whose duty it
Is to accomplish the delicate task just
how critical the crisis IS. 1t is absurd,
therefore, 70 assume that nothing Of a
practical nature was accomplished at the
meeting on Tuesday. Men who are well
qualified from technical knowledge to
wrestle with the question have been in
etructed TO bring about the much needed
reform, and they, knowing full well what
IS at stake. must be prepared TO DO their
part or accept the consequences.
II is needless to say, perhaps, that some
Of the delegates expect too much and are
hound 10 be disappointed. This was
clearly indicated by some OF the sugges-
tons offered, which If adopted would
change the whole character Of the game.
One man, and he had supporters. too,
solved the question TO his own satisfaction
amount to e game Of tag. He contended
that practically all injuries were due to
tackling; ergo. let the defending side tag
the man with the ball TO stop an advance.
This suggestion might be worthy of some
consideration II 1t was the purpose to de-
wise some new game or substitute pris-
oners base. Tag and prisoners base are
good games In themselves, but they are
not football and il must be remembered
that while the delegates almost to a man
agreed that some radical changes must be
made the majority also gave voice to the
opinion that the great virile game Of foot
nell, which teaches self-reliance courage
and self-control. is too good a game to be
lost If II can be made less dangerous.
In my opinion the game can and will
be made less dangerous, although it viii
always be a strenuous one. in which
injuries, because Of close personal con-
hict. are sure to occur. It is true per
haps. as Lieutenant Nesbitt, of West
Point contended. that football cannot b.
ranked e sport for the general up
building Of the average boy, inasmuch as
certain physical qualifications are neces-
sary to start with; but that is no argument
against the game, as there are plenty Of
other forms CT exercise to meet the re-
auirements Of general upbuilding. whereas
football fills the want OF those who de-
u1and and crave something of a more
strenuous nature than golf, lawn tennis
even baseball IT may be true. ALSO as
Lieutenant Nesbitt pointed out, that some
men play football more from a sense of
duty than from a sense OF pleasure: but
in nv opinion these men are the excep-
ton and not the rule. and consequently
the conclusion that football tends to COM
nerciaiisn is not a fair one, as IT is built
up from wrong premise. It would be
hard to convince me and many others that
the thousands Of schoolboys. to say moth
ing Of college men, who play football
during the season do SO from sense
Of duty and not from a keen desire to
take part In a game that tests their cour-
ege well as their strength and skill.
The element of danger has peculiar at
traction for many. and this is as true
now as II was in the days OF ancient Rome.
have friend who is an instructor
st Hill School, in Pennsylvania, and he
tells me that one hundred and fifty boys
played football there last fall throughout
the season with nothing more serious
IN the way OF an injury than one broken
arm Each form has a uniformed team
of its own anc a regular schedule Of
games was played. These games, he said.
aroused more enthusiasm than those played
hy the regular varsity team, and 1t is
snsurd 10 contend that those boys played
football from a sense of duty. This Is only
ono example Many others could be cited.
II is zfe 20 assume that the rules viii
he modified along the lines suggested by
West Point even though those suggestions
were not adopted by the delegates on Tues
hsy ss basts for reform They are much
the same as those suggested in The Tribune
. week ago. and were framed in thor
oughiy practical way, with view OF cor
recting many dangerous features without
changing to q marked extent the general
character Of the game Strange TO say,
little or nothing was said at the meeting
on Tuesday against the use Of a straight
arr 20 ward off taclziers, and this, in my
opinion. is one Of the first things that
should be legisIated against If one Of the
chief hazards Of the game is 10 be removed.
Much was said about the danger OF flying
tackles and mass plays, while the on-side