The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-26

the game in those days had all the thrill
 of daring experiment.
 That an analysis of the games would
 repay many coaches who are prone to
 grumble about the new rules, would re- pay them in the matter of system of
 straight football'' so-called. There were faults in the game in these days, but the game generally never saw higher state of development considering the restric-
 tions imposed at that time. We have much to learn of football from that De- riod, and naturally considerable to forget
 Aside from the matter of injuries there
 were flaws in the temper of the players and undergraduate bodies-haws that
 have been largely eradicated-faws that
 the collegian has outgrown. There has been worse football than that | played in the early nineties. Let us hope
 that the new rules will allow us to go back to the really good things of that | time-will let us revive the free, swing ing play, while we bury the ill-feeling
 and the cumulative tendency of that pe- riod.
 A rumor that ''Ty Cobb' is suffering
 from trouble in his right eye will cause general regret. The ailment is said to
 be serious. and that it will interfere with
 the great career as a baseball player.
 Possibly the matter is a little exag-
 gerated, yet Hugh Jennings is quoted as
 stating that something has befallen
 Cobb's right eye which may result in the loss of his sight.
 If the physicians in Detroit fail to dis cover the nature of the ailment, or prove
 unable to rectify it, the Detroit club, so
 1t Is said. will send Cobb to New Yorl,
 for treatment.
 Unquestionably one of the greatest ball players, 1t would not only be a blow of the severest character to the Detroit club to lose Cobb, but it would deprive the national game of one of those types which stand for the highest skill in the demonstration of the possibilities of the American national game. When "Ty'' Cobb first began to nIav ball a manager sair he knew nothing about the game and never would 1 At first he did not get along much bet
 ter on the Detroit club than he did with the minor league. Jennings watched him and when he saw that Cobb did not pull well with some members, called every | body together and talked without mincing | words.
 He told Cobb that he could play ball if | he would not take to heart every utter
 ance of his fellow players. He told the
 players that Cobb would play better if l they let him alone.
 The result was that Cobb became paci- | lied and content and actually got to that
 mellow condition of mind that he could accept criticism and take jokes None will deny that he is probably the best l player in the American league. Wonderfully fleet of foot and elusive on the bases. he Is one of the best base runners in the history of the sport. He is one of the best batters that ever stood at the plate He was not always so strong at the bat as he has been in recent years. He practiced faithfully and by his patient efforts improved his ac- quaintance with different methods of pitching, so that some of his earlier faults were overcome
 William Mcdonald has been chosen captain of the University of California
 track team of 1911, and there is much speculation as to what course he will pursue.
 He, with the exception of Edwards, is
 one of the best murders the university has turned out in years