The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-12-11
FOOTBALLS DEADLINESS.

\ current item in the Eastern press
states that Eastern colleges have
started reactionary movement in
football circles. They want some Of
the old rules revived. There is a
strong suspicion abroad that the un'
dertakers' trust has something to do
with IT, -
On last Tuesday The Tribune had an
editorial on the subject of football IN
its less deadly features IL seems that
the bootball season recently closed was
unsatisfactory in the East, apparently
because only eleven men were
killed in the season S games. And
there is clamor to restore The old
rough game, which allowed of the kill.
ing of thirty or forty players IN the
course of the season. In this couuec-
tiou we are glad 10 print tho follow
ing article from 2 valued corrcspon-
dent.
Garfield, Utah. Dec. S.
Editor Tribune:-Anent your editorial
above in The issue OF Tuesday last ono
colleges In the East are clamorlne for a
return OF the old type of brutalzed foot
ball, where victory went rather 10 the
team possessing more beef and brute
strength rather than clcYcTnesS. The big
colleges in the East are not now winning
their games by mammoth scores as was
the result q few years ago, hence the aSl-
tation by tho coaches for a return OF the
old game with all its obnoxious features.
In my opinion a death roll OF eleven Is
too high n price 10 pay for such a eamc.
More football games arc played In Eng
land i'm one month than in the United
States in three saving the least.
There the season lasts fully eight months.
and during mid winter hundreds Of
matches arc played on hard slippery
frost covered grounds, vet no one ever
hears of a fatal accident whether on Rug
by or Soccer Hundreds OF school boy
matches are played annually by teams Of
of severe. let alone a fatal accident
There are FAR more football clubs in Eng
land alone-not counting the whole of
Great Britain-than there are football
afternoon is a half holiday in labor cir
cles whether skilled or unskillcd, the
whole OF the young manhood have prac-
ucally donned their football toss, as
pa rticipant in the game. Yet the record
OF fatal accidents FOR tho last twenty
years falls short OF the American record
for the season just ended. There Is ample
food for thought for American parents in
local parents should be thankful TO the
local "Soccnr Boosters club on having
succeeded IN getting the FACULTY oI inc
public schools 30 give a trial 10 this. tho
best OF all football games. the game That
requires far moro skill than the inter
collegiate one. n game in which the little
fellow has an equal chance with the hie
fellow II takes far more years TO turn
out a crack soccer PLAYER than " does 10
turn out a star in the intercollegiate
game by n crack player, | mean one
who would be accepted by league
on the other sde--acceptcd on q
professional baSis-whcreas In the college
games arc seen oiS husky players, some
OF whom hardly saN football prior
TO entering college. turned out stars
inside Of two seasons, which shows that
the chief qualification for a star Is
ample aNoVtlupois. Such player would
he laughed AT In Soccer, and would hay"
no earthly chance ever IN individual play
against II PLAYER barely half lis weight
Soccer is no ladies' game: YOU get hard
knocks in II and plenty OF them. Any
football game is bound TO be more or
less rough. but Soccer is so open that
any undue rough tactics arc speedily de-
tcctcd and player guilty OF such is at
once ordered of the field and his place
cannot be filed by substitute, So un-
due roushncss in the end is only harm
ful TO the side guilty of participating In
it. II is to ne hoped n protest loud and
long VIII be made against tho re-adup-
tion Of the brutalLzed football which so
disgraccd the American intercollegiate
game a few sea sons back
JOHN MORGAN.