Evening star., 1912-07-21
WAS ONCE A COACH
Woodrow Wilson Helped Pre-
pare Princeton Eleven.
INVENTED TWO PLAYS
Was First to Suggest "Criss-Cross'
to Others Of Tigers
Coaches.

girt few days ago was Parke H Da-
Wis. known widely throughout the inter
collegiate world as Princeton'S foot bali
tactician and rule maker. Mr. Davis
is a lawyer in tho Lehigh valley section
of Pennsylvania. and enjoys. as a conn
panion diversion with foot ball an active
interest I'm democratic politics having
served several times as local chairman.
as secretary OF his state committee and
frequently as his party's nominee.
As the veteran athlete sat in a corner
Of the plaza Of the Little White House.
as Gov. Wilson's cottage is known. re-
calling his companions with numerous
anecdotes and "reminiscences concerning
the governor he drew from his capacious
store a long forgotten chapter in the YER
satile life Of Gemocracy's presidential
nominee.
1t will surprise the present generation
of foot bali men" said Nj. Davis. to
learn that Woodrow Wilson once vas AN
active field coach at Princeton. and re-
garded as exceptionally clever tacti-
clan That was twenty-five Years ago
this fall Gov Wilson was then Prof
Wilson. and had just taken the chairs OF
Jurisprudence and political economy in
Princeton : faculty. Il was a trying time
for foot ball. Graduation had left only
ship eleven OF 1854 one of these Was
our captain famous Edgar Allan Poe.
now torney general of Maryland. AMI
another was Jeremiah : Black. recently
a candidate for lieutenant governor of
Pennsylvania. But If players were scarce
coaches were scarcer.
The professional coach at that time had
not developed and the players were
wholly dependent for coaching upon their
captain and a few volunteers. Ii there
fore was a welcome sight one afternoon
early I'm October to see our young pro-
fessor Of jurisprudence come out upon
the field and take his place in the Line
OF coaches who were whipping the eleven
UP and down the field. Ii required only
few minutes to demonstrate that this
new acquisition to the staff was br.mful
of ideas about team play. And ideas
counted then. for interference and other
tactical devices were just develop ng.
Prof. Wilson Immediately began to point
out to old stagers like Alex Moffat. Dun
can Edwards and Tracy II. Harris.
famous fellows twenty years ago. new
possibilities for team play. At the con-
clusion Of practice that day Prof Wilson
was roundly cheered by the undergrad
uate body and invited by the foot ball
men to continue his assistance. which he
did. not only the next day. but every day
throughout the entire autumn.
Those We're the days when coaches and
officials, English fashion. affected a cane
while d.scharging their duties Thus II
is that many students at Princeton in
that period fondly carry mental picture
of Woodrow Wilson as he appeared to
them in his coaching days--clad in a cor
duroy jacket. collegians cap. shoes og
the then new-fashioned red waterproof
leather, swinging his cane and following
the team day after day, up and down.
in sun and rain. suggesting. correcting.
praising. mildly admonishing and Loyalty
doing his utmost in turning out the
VARSITY.
1T was Woodrow Wilson who first sug-
sested to us the 'ciss-cross,' a common
place feature Of foot ball tactics today
known as double pass. He may not
have been its inventor, but he certainly
was the first at Princeton to foresee its
great power. Unfortunately the other
coaches rejected his suggestion. deemng
the pay too revolutionary and freakish.
Today every eleven carries in its roper
toire of plays a dozen variations of the
old criss-cross. There is one famous
play. however, that ] am sure fairly may
be credited to Woodrow Wilson its
inventor and that Is the rotation This
was series Of plays whose order the
players committed to memory. When
team came within striking distance o. Its
opponents goal the captain suddenly
,lapped his hands and the series instant
ly began to rotate. The opponents at
| once became disconnected because one
play mysteriousiy followed another With
out any signal and the rapidity of the
action never failed to beat an adversary
back.
The idea of the rotation Gov Will
son once told me. occurred to him in 1882.
In that year he was professor of history
and political economy at Wesleyan.
Here also he assumed active part IS
field coach and produced an eleven thar
won notable victories by its advanced
tactics. As a student at Princeton Gov.
Wilson was not a member of the varsity
squad, but he was an assiduous campus
player I'm the informal games of his
time When the tactical feature of foot
ball began to develop ii evidently ap-
pealed to Gov Wilson's mathematicat
mind just as this element Of the game
appeals today to every chess player.
AT the close Of that memorable sea
son Prof. Wilson's practical services and
intense popularity won for him the posi-
ton In the faculty Of chairman OF the
committee on outdoor sports, a most inn
portant assignment since the relationship
Of that Office to the student body made
Its occupant usually the most influential
member OF the faculty with the under
until he became president Of the univer-
sity.
"Schoolboys in England fondly recall
the fact that King Charles Ill was
famous foot bali captain and player. and
collegians here In America proudly point
to several governors. senator's. justices.
arlba ssadors representatives and other
high public officials as products or col
leee gridirons. II looks as though these
breeding beds are now bidding strongly
for the privilege Of furnishing a Presl-
dent