The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-10-16
Bv John 3. Foster.

American football paid the penalty
81 ropularity by becoming impossible
t,om the viewpoint of more communi-
.;as and interests than one. It is with
-. murb ouestion the only one of our
0aor4s which has demanded recon
sifrnetion because of its unsuitability
10 all ages. and a persistence on the
..rt of all ages to take part IN It.
Had it been possible to restrict the
came to those who were Its original
nrogenitors and who, from the game
r. ruobv. devised sport which was
hitter adapted to the American tenn
nsrament than the English pastime,
With its less clearly defined character
;st;es Il is within reason to believe
that American colleges would be play
ina much the same game today as was
played ten years ago.
The sport has too much fascination.
L got completely away from the
colder boys" and was picked up by the
Younger generation. They were not
cited for It physically. Yet in spite
of ad1nonition from parents and teach
ers the SMALLER boys would play foot
hail and they would be satisfied with
No other game than that which was
nlayed at Yale, Harvard, Princeton and
Pennsylvania.
Unsuitable for All Ages.
Five years ago the writer called at
tenticn Ia The fact that the spread of
football would bring its revision. Some
agreed with him. Some did not. The
batter element could not conceive that
a snort which was absorbing the atten-
ton of millions more of persons than
II had in 1889 by its own publicity and
growth was more likely to invite re-
strietion than sport which was the
pastime of a few colleges. Indeed.
there were not few who failed to
realize the growth of football, and there
are some to this day who have no con
eeption of the hold which the pastime
has attained with young America. There
is no other sport in the country, with
the exception of baseball. which has
such a fm grasp on the boys from tf-
teen TO twenty years of age.
One NAV liken football and its Amer
lean career to that of some of our pub
lie men, In early youth, isolated in
their own Immediate neighborhood, they
have beer admired by their friends
and companions for their good qualities.
In later years, with vast attainment
In letters ana knowledge, they have be-
come the target for the criticism of a
nation. Increasing popularity not only
has gathered them friends, but has
created them enemies
No American sport has been obliged
to undergo so much reconstruction as
football. It's first overhauling was due
70 an endeavor to get rid of mass play.
ms was the outcome of the attack
Of two forces moving from two different
sfandpolnts, but both having a common
purpose.
Reasons for Attitude.
The smaller colleges attacked the
game because men had been hurt and
Aiiled Critics attacked the game not
only because of the injuries which had
arisen IN playing it, but for the reason
INA. 1t had resolved itself into a stupid
y slow pushing match.
II Is to be doubted whether it viii
ever De possible to play football with
pu' injury It is certainly never like
y 10 become game feasible for gram
nlafsehool boys, unless the boys are of
sAesPonally good physique, and to my
alind much of the criticism of football
: que to the fact that young boys have
uieu 70 play the game who had no place
vi tne football field. Some of them
s sho nave tried to play football should
Ia 1--we mad no place on any athletic field
"Aefe violent exertion was essential to
play perfectly.
:. 70 attempting to open the game and
=. 1ne same time obviate the POSSIBLE
.a Of injury to players, the commit
80 oI rule makers introduced into the
NJ H. at least one play which is ever
+ S 10 De bone of contention. That
- 'ne forward pass Ii is the hobby
ees'a,n college men, but it is not
.Oo'Dall play, nor is it ever likely to
Ss s.l'l9 football play. It belongs to
sa asAepoaii, which is a game entirely
sp&'t from football. and if is one of
wa. pays Of the new football which
MI MI responsible for the revision Of the
las. winch has been made within the
=
n, Il was the possibility Of the forward
ss winch so scattered the line of de-
tsa ase N the game that the stvle of at
b., a was devised to overwhelm and. EN-,
~ , "a opposing tackles. and so much
Tho. ' ). pay eentered around the tackles
All. was oaly the giants who were
10 stand up under the strain.
First Practical Use.
r. N the first year Of Introduction Of
basn ior"ard pass. before It's future had
fo,a n worked out to any extent. or be-
Of o. any one had grasped how much
vim %G element it might he toward the
Seen ,' as OF football games. little was
almos VI 1t IN satisfactory wav until
Ys]o The close of the season. when
| lop ono Startled the football world With the
tho ~ inward passes which settled in
r va hands of Alcot- and went far to,
Els - ,"lrn'ng the tide ia favor of the
n, IN Important gamcs
| thesa 37"SSeSton which was carried in
Other pays was so much elaborated an
sleva s year that a'moz- ararv football
At wo,I aal It's system Of forward passes
/ seas @ufS al the very borirrfnr, IF the