New-York tribune., 1912-02-19
Country Running Basketball Billiards Bowling Other

that time 10 go further and urged the tor'
nation Of an organization so broad in us
scope that a home could be provided IN TINS
city where sportsmen could meet and nave
ready access at all times to books ana reo'
ords bearing on the sports OF countr!
gentlemen. He still believes the plan q
good one, and an effort may be made at
the dinner tonight to put II into enec''
Just at this time thoroughbred racing is
In need OF all it's friends and while noun
ing may be done, something Is almost sure
to be said that will rouse the tagging IN
terest If such proves TO be the case the
dinner will not have been in vain
In nv mail on Wednesday ] found the
following letter: 81 heartily agree with
your comment of last Monday concerning
the criticism Of those who say that the
football rules committee Disseminated
against the smaller colleges in its revision
of the code. You were right in asserting
that It is not the purpose of any set OF
rules to bring together teams or players
Of varying degrees of skill, as handicaps
were devised for that purpose. | write this
because ! think you neglected to empha-
size that the rules OF last year really dls-
eliminated against the stronger team When
actually playing in its own class l mean
by this that the stronger team, even OF
two smaller colleges, did not have falr
chance to express its full ability oftensiVe'
ly because Of the slipshod rules This Wds
true also when teams OF the large col
leges mot. No fair minded sportsman
could ask for a game in which the weaker
team is catered TO because of restrictive
rules. Such was the case In the last TWO
seasons, and 1t is refreshing that the mem
bers Of the committee were so quick 10
profit by the mistakes Of the past ana TO
make an earnest effort TO bring about
better and more natural game. You nave
spiked the guns Of those who In their
short-sighted way found nothing TO cru-
else in the work Of the committee except
that the smaller college would not have
chance against the larger one"
Now that Zbyszko and RaiCevich nave
settled their differences on the mat, at least
one contender for the crown which Frank
Gotch appears willing to surrender has been
eliminated. Zbyszko has again proved him-
self q great wrestler. Few doubt his ability,
although his exceptional knowledge OF the
I
catch-as-catch-can style surprised many
He clearly was Raicevich's master on Mon
day. and the result OF the match only pore
out the statement made by a number OF
promlnen: grapplers that the massive Poie
is better than ever While his strength
lasted Raicevich proved a worthy opponent
In fact he carried the battle TO his bulkier
rival but when the Italian did secure
D he har &c
unusual strength came TO the rescue. The
fact that II took nearly an hour for Zbys-
zko TO subdue his rival speaks we'll for
RaiccviCh. The latter is champion at the
GrPco- Roman game which until few
years ago was Zbyszko's specially. Were
they TO meet at that style there might be
a different story TO tell, but the ambition
Of both has been TO become the worlds
champion catch catch-can wrestler. Pro-
vided Gotch. who has victories over Zbys-
zko and Hackenschmldt TO his credit. re-
fuses to be coaxed again from retirement,
Zbyszko would seem 10 be his logical sue
cessor Tom Jenkins-and Tom ought to
know-says that Gotch would catch tar
tar in Zbyszko,
Vital statistics compiled by DR.. William
clearly that participation In college sports
does not shorten life, as is contended by
some His investigation covered no less
than 1892 Yale athletes from 1875 10 the
present day, and he concludes an interest
ing report by saying: THE Yale athlete
does not die young. nor is heart disease a
leading cause of death. Lung trouble Is the
cause Of the greatest number, hut the per-
centage Of men dying from these causes is
not greater than among non-athletes." In
spite Of this those who have milk in their
veins instead of blood will continue to harp
about the danger Of athletics and, unfortn-
nately. will find plenty 10 believe in their
false theories.
II the delegates TO the biennial congress
of the National Trotting Association last
week had been women it is safe to say that
the dangerous hopples in light harness rae
ing would not have been recalled. 1t looks
like a backward step to satisfy those. who
look only at momentary gain.
HERBERT.