The Washington herald., 1911-01-08
ONE FOOTBALL
GAME WORLD OVER
Alex Knox of New South Wales
Has SCheme'For New Uni
form GridirOn Code.


"a football interests the world
over and to create an en-
tirely new game combining
elements of the American tntercol-
legiate contests and Rugby is proposed
by Alex Knox, former executive chair
man Of the New South Wales Rugby
Football league.
He desires the building Of a new
game which will be a sort Of Esperan-
to football played by American. Eng
lish. Canadian. South African. Austria
liam. French and possibly German
teams.
Mr.. Knox has seen several games Of
football as played by American COL
leges and has been quoted with cpin-
ions of the game in various cities. Nat
urally he believes Rugby is the better
game: but, unlike some other visitors,
he has no desire to hurl an alien form
Of athletics bodily into American in
stitutions.
It may become an international sport
like the Olympic games and Marathon
running" says Mr.. Knox.
Il have no idea of attempting to de-
wise a new game of football myself,
but have a plan to interest the gov
erning bodies Of football playing peo-
Piles in an international game. AS for
criticising American football, I am in
no position to do so. I do not like the
game as played here as well as I do
Rugby but it must interest Americans
intensely, for the big contests draw
thousands Of spectators. Rugby at
tracts in a similar way wherever 1t Is
played.
Important men are enthusiastic over
football as game. The German en-
peror has advised the young men Of
the nation to take up the sport. The
sleme: IS of football are beneficial and
inter ,sting. If game could be devised
which every country might play under
a universal code no athletic field could
hold the crowds which would gather
for an international championship
match. The game should have the
best elements Of all the present varia-
tions. A movement to form such a
game desire to start"
Mr. Knox has sent letter to the in
tercollegiate rules committee in this
country and a similar letter to the Rug
by Football associations of England.
Canada, Australia, South Africa,
France and California asking the bod
les if they are willing to attempt the
formation of new game and are will
ing to send a delegate to an interna-
tional convention for the purpose. If
favo BILE replies are received to such
a communication and the main foot
ball interests of the various countries
ar. willing to consider the plan Mr..
Knox is ready to take the first steps in
securing corresponding secretaries from
the organizations and selecting place
for an international conference.
The Australian who has been iden-
tilted with Rugby for many years. takes
a more favorable view of the American
game tan does Professor Edwin Lin
tt of Washington and jefferson COL
lege who has Joined the ranks Of those
who desire the adoption of Rugby and
the complete assassination of the
American game. He has been involved
in the faculty control of athletics in
Washington and Jefferson for some
time and has had an influence on inter-
collegiate athletics among the rivals Of
his college.
His recent attack on football reads
In part as follows:
why this insistence for a radical
change in the rules year after> year?
No such demand is or ever has been
made for any other game which is used
in intercollegiate athletics. Bluntly,
my answer is that it is because the
game as 1t has developed in this coun-
try has so many undesirable charac-
teristics that the only reform which is
possible is it's final and irresurrectable|
burial in the scrap heap Of the worlds
follies." |