University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1912-11-07
TEAM WORK MAKES
ANY SPORT POPULAR
Success of All Pastimes De.
ponds on Cooperation,
Prof. Gibson Says.
FOOTBALL THE BEST
Ice Hockey Rivals the Grid
iron Game in Northern
Colleges.

=
College sports are ranked in five
classes on a basis of popularity, &C
cording to Prof. J. A. Gibson. The
difference in degree of popularity de-
ponds upon the amount of co-opera
tive effort they involve
I'm the five representative college
sports, said Professor Gibson, "you
will find that the one which involves
the least team work is the least pop
ular, and the one which shows the
most perfectly united effort is the
highest in favor. The quality of CO.
operation is the real secret of the
popularity of any sport 1t is learn
ing to work as an efficient part of a
united whole that makes the sport
most valuable to those who play, and
it Is the watching of mass of men in
organized effort that makes it fasci-
mating to the spectators.
Professor Gibson ranks college
sports in five classes, from lowest to
highest: track work. baseball, ice
hockey, football and rowing. On the
track the work is almost all individ-
ual. while in rowing the effort is in
complete unison.
You will notice usually that the
most important event in a track meet
is the team race. 1t is the one event
where there is opportunity for united
effort
Baseball really depends much
more upon cooperation than is gen.
orally supposed. While it looks like
a game of individuals it is really con-
cealed team work. Most any pretty
play you see pulled off in baseball de-
ponds upon more than one player, a
good double play or hit and run.
1t is not so apparent, but in a hit and
run play, three men handle the ball.
has been planned before
hand in game of baseball. If one
thing happens the player knows what
he is to do. If another thing happens
he must do another thing but it is
not on his own initiative. 1t can all
be worked out beforehand.
Ice Hockey In North.
I'm colleges far enough north for
it to be possible. ice hockey is be-
coming more popular even than foot
ball. Taking into account the bad
conditions which the specta-
tors must endure it attracts larger
crowds in proportion. People have to
be very enthusiastic about a game to
stand in the snow or on the ice for
TWO or three hours to watch it. But |
here is nothing prettier in all athle-
les than to see good forward stroke |
coming down the ice field in a hockey |
game.
Football comes next in popularity. !
Of course, it is really the most gen.
orally popular college game. but in
places where both are played. it
'anks second to rowing. But it's i'm
nense popularity is due almost en-
irely to it's cooperative organization.
Tou really never see a one-man foot
,all team, though you do her of them
sometimes. A good runner cannot
make football team. He cannot run
lnless his line is strong enough for
lin to get started. A man cannot
tick unless he is well protected by
he rest of his line. When a man car
les the ball thirty yards or more. he
My does so because the rest of the
men cleared the way for him.
when the spectators at game get
p and cheer some one man for good
lay. it is really good team work they
re applauding. Without the support
( the rest of the team, he could
ever have made the play. but those
Tho are watching the game often do
OF realize this fact. Cooperation is
he real secret of good football.
Row is Fascinating.
1.-The most perfectly organized sport
, rowing. An eight-oared crew is
cry nearly the perfect human ma {
hine. There must be an absolute I
nifty Of effort in a boat race. The {
troke sets the pace of course. but his I
'ork only appears in the result of t
lie the oars moving in complete uni
On. 1t is the sight Of eight oars '
oving as one that makes boat race t
lie most fascinating sport in the
orld, in my opinion. That it is one
{ the most popular is shown by the
lrge crowds that attend these races.
Rough they are held after the college
ear is over. and the student body has {
enc home. {
zone interesting thing about boat I
l. toh thai 4