New-York tribune., 1911-12-24

o. draw up Il set OF rules. players
though some OF them have been
But 10 show how, when their limita-
tions of time and space admit, they arc
oualfied to be ranked as experts, WIN
an intelligent appreciation OF footpaii
basIcs and logic, will render TO Cesar
the things that are his and say that' Ior
instance the first man I'm the country
to- propose the proper limitation or the
forward pass, just as have herein Sus-
gested. was Herbert, Of The Tribune
and the first man 7 know OF that sue :
eested seven linemen on the line at all
times was Touchdown" Of ""rhe Boston
Journal"
The Enemy Of the Sport.
The real enemy Of football, the man
who is probably chess or bridge eH-
pert (and, therefore, competent 10 sit
in Judgment on a SPORT, but VINO
reaches directly the solid men or vari-
Gus communities. the mothers-in snort
the component parts of public oplnlon-
Is the editorial writer Of certain class.
He is the man / would like to get IL
ioint debate, for he is not sincere; he Is
not impelled by conviction, but oft,
believe. because he finds ready sub
| ject Tor his trenchant pen In The Evils
of Football" Choleric, astigmatic ana
( dyspeptic for the most part, ! otten
think that he. collectively, must have
/ nf ~
ling quarters and must have seen score
/ of ruddy checked "burlies' attacking
great platters of roast beef and toast.
Instead of iron in his blood it is in his
soul
! As for the educator, he tells us we arc
not fit to govern the game. Faith, then,
how we must have fallen. for he trained
and educated us,
! II we went into his Greek class or his
chemistry class and started TO tell him
how his course should be run, how In
competent he was, we should start a
riot that would rock the whole educa-
tional fabric on its Carnegie foundation.
Yet. with almost no knowledge of the
game. he rushes to us and cries 'Bru-
tai! Brutal. Repent and REFORM
I remember one grave and reverend
professor who once came to me and In
all sincerity suggested that the game be
played on field strewn with nay and
that the players wear rubber air-infiated
suits!
Let such men get their advertisement
in other ways.
As to Caspar whitney, ! make the
unqualified assertion that his knowledge
Of football is so superficial as to make
his efforts at criticism pitiful. BY a
systematic process OF knocking every
innovation, every change and every
head that appeared, he has gained
reputation as an authority on sports
He is always destructive in his criu-
cisms, but never constructive.
For years he urged the adoption In
American sport of the English Idea,
the English cleanness," the English
craftsmanship" until the last Olympic
games. the conduct Of the Henley stew
ards and other recent cases afforded us
specific examples OF the English clean
ness" and English craftsmanship
For years he has attacked the individ-
ual in various sports. He has publicly
condemned individuals, and he has got
away with it, for those who know any
thing about any sports and who count
for anything in those sports know also
the very circumscribed limits to Whit
ney's knowledge. Those qualified 10
contradict him have simply regarded his
diatrlbes with amusement. Yet large
following has learned to accept his views
by his very iteration, and so again he
comes forth to attack gratuitously a
| definite, concerted movement for better
things and vents his spleen on the
coaches. would like TO see him try
ing to hold down the Job Of any coach.
I acknowledge that he is writer on
sports, but an authority, never!