Omaha daily bee., 1911-05-27
WOULDPOPULGRIZE FOOT BALL
Former Harvard Player Says More
Should Enter Game.
DECLARES SYSTEM IS HARMFUL
High Degree Of Scientific speciaIi-
sation and Training Unsports-
manIIke ana Of no value
90 Students, He says.

90 students, He Says.
BOSTON, May 5-Foot ball as 4, is
played at present in American colleges and
universities is an exclusive rather than an
inclusive game according TO Roger A.
Derby, former Harvard Ineman. Inas-
much as the tendency Of the coaches is to
eliminate from the squads the physically
unfit and to concentrate their sole atten-
ton on the men selected to represent the
college elevens in crucial gridiron strug-
giles. Mr.. Derby believes that the game
should be revolutonlzed so that the greater
number Of men who need fresh air and
exercise be allowed to derGve the benefits
Of the fall game.
He suggests that agreement be made
between the big universities to postpone
the selection OF university squads until
November 1 and a system be inaugurated
whereby intra-university games be played
throughout October, the members OF the
varsity team being chosen from the num-
erous teams thus brought into the field.
Mr.. Derby Is OF the opinion that the club
system would tend to stimulate popular
interest in foot ball among undergraduates
and that IL would allow many more per-
sons TO play the game than is now per-
mitted, once the coaches choose their
squadS
Predicts Higher standard.
BY permitting more men TO engage in
the sTort Mr. Derby thinks higher stan
dard OF team work and more vigorous
players would be developed. The interest
Of the university squad coaches would be
diffused over these clubs and the players
would have the stimulus OF club rivalry
and the opportunity Of playing on team
with university players and deriving the
benefit of university coaching. The posi-
bility Of being selected to represent this
college in the crucial game. says ar.
Derby would have a tendency to create
greater interest among undergraduates.
Tho game OF foot ball as It is played in
this country by American colleges Is doing
more harm to the college man than good,
according to Mr.. Derbys IDEAS Only
few derive the benefits Of il. The rest
sit in the grandstand. he says, smoking
cigarettes and pipes. In recent com
munication the former foot ball player
points out his ideas and belief to how
the game should be played so that the av-
erage college man may derive its intended
benefit. He says in part:
Too Many on BIeachers,
II attempted to point out that, as played
in America. foot ball gives the players
minimum Of actual playing. fresh exer-
else and a minimum of preparation, black
board lectures and signal drills; that the
whole process savors Of the professional
and spectacular spirit, and that from
national viewpoint foot ball is developing
far more men strong in holding down
bleaehers and putting pipes and cigarettes
than strong in sinew. wind and limb,
oH.r I aaa haN m
agreement be made between three or four
leading American universities, say between
Harvard, Yale and Princeton. to postpone
the selection of university foot ball squads
until November j; that a system OF clubs
be inaugurated at three universities similar
In general outline. among which the series
Of intra-university games will be played
throughout October; that after this series
was completed the university squads
should be selected and the Internationally
be held in November as usual
The postponement of the university sea
son and the inauguration OF club systems
would tend TO stimulate popular interest In
foot ball among the undergraduates.
by shortening the length of the uni
versity season much of the high pressure
that is so demoralizing TO the university
at large would be reduced. and by popular
izing the game OF foot ball a higher type
OF game and higher type OF player would
be developed.
would Abandon Technique.
BY a higher type of players 1 mean one
retaining all the vigorous qualities CT
English rugby and perhaps a somewhat
higher standard Of team play, but the dis
pensing forever with signal drills, dummies
charging and blocking practice, blackboard
talks, complicated signals, rubbers, re-
tainers, doctors and the present expense. a
game that all play that requires skill
and ability 20 excel at and that affords a
maximum of pleasure and health to the
players The highest type OF GENE is the
one that does the most good for the great
est number. not the one that can only be
played by a specially qualified few.
But this change in the nature OF the
game is visionary, and / merely point II
out as a possible result OF popularizing
American foot ball and taking the pleasure
off the university season, ] realize, how
ever that the shouters Of 'mollycoddleism'
and hit-the-line-h ardism' viii rise in wrath
over my suggestions.
II should like to say this about the
'monyeoddle' myth. For ten years played
foot ball at school and college and for two
years was on the university squad and
PLAY ca IN l"o hlatSh games WIN Aa4e' ~
all that time l do not now recall more than
a handful OF men who, thought, needed
their sand developed or were unwilling to
hit the line intelligently and some who
were such awful brutes physically that they
never got hurt when they did hit the line.
Not Question of Courage.
Il have since wondered whether they had
really as much sand as the papers gave
them the credit for at the time and wether
they were not really analogous 20 the school
DULLES; but there was no danger then and
there Is none now OF 'mollyooddles' playing
foot bail, The 'mollycoddles' were all In
the bleacheras singing Down with Yale
and Smash EN- and Break Through when
they ought 20 have been out having their
noses rubbed in the mud OF Soldiers field
Il do not mean that everybody who was