Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-09-22
| feature which has done so much to hurt
| foot ball. is certain 10 double the interest
| in the game


foot ball. is certain to double the interest
in the game.
firing of English Rugby Foot Ball.
Reports from the Pacific coast are to
the effect that the leading universities
there would welcome return to the
American style of Rugby foot ball. For
about a half dozen years the University
of California and Leland Stanford have
been playing English Rugby as a sub
stitute for the American game. The
English game was introduced there be-
cause a number of educators came to
the conclusion that the American game
was demoralizing to intercollegiate
sportsmanship and attended by too
many dangers. Inasmuch as the Eng
lish game had been played through
out California for number of years it
was not a very difficule matter TO pop
ulariZe English Rugby in the colleges.
For a time the game f1ourished, and on
several occasions drew almost as big a
crowd as the American game had done
before.
But within the last few years the SEN
timent has turned against the English
game and demand has been made for a
return to the American type. This senti-
ment has been helped along by the fact
that the American game is played to d
large extent in the preparatory and high
enter college they do not like the idea Of
abandoning the American for the English
game.
Another reason is that the new rules
have so largely reduced the danger of in
jurieS as to eliminate one of the strong
est arguments against it. If the new
game increases the interest in foot tall
that it is expected to do without increas-
ing injuries it is almost certain to win
back the support of the Pacific coast uni
versities.
In this connection a report from Co
lumba University has it that this insti-
tuition hopes very soon to get back into
foot ball. The new graduate director,
Harry Fisher is very keen for the game.
and although foot ball is not permitted
at Columbia, he has frequently acted as
an official at the games CT other colleges.
and hopes to secure repeal of the rule
forbidding it. What he accomplishes will
depend to a large extent upon the sue
cess of the new game, particularly as it
affects injuries and intercollegiate sports
manship.
Vigorous Coaching at Cornell.
Apparently Dr. Albert H. Sharpe thinks
that the Cornell foot ball team needs
strenuous work, for he already has had
q number of severe Scrimmages. The
Cornell men must admire the way that
Sharpe has gone about the reorganiza-
ton of the foot ball system at Ithaca.
First of all, DR.. Sharpe has given the
candidates a most decisive shake-up.
After looking over the candidates for the
various positions he started shift which
sent line men to the back field and back
field men into the line. How many OF
the changes are permanent only the sea-
son itself will tell
Sharpe has evidently gone about his
work with the determination to make
good this season and not wait another
season. Primarily he wishes to defeat
Pennsylvania and Michigan. Cornell vic
tories over these two teams will stamp
the 1912 team as an unqualified success.
While Sharpe has probably not said SO in
public he thinks that previous Cornell
coaches have not made much out OF
the candidates as they should have done.
Naturally it is too early in the year to
compare Pennsylvania and Cornell, but
on paper the outlook seems to favor the
1thacans. Certainly they have more vet
Grams back and, in addition, they have
the greater incentive to make good this
year.