Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1912-11-02

bill for football
suits, etc, would run far above the
million dollar mark"
Let US go over the Quitting piece
meal Of three grades of players-the
one WHO is buying as economically as
he can, the one who spending moder-
ately, and the one who is buying the
best. Exclude altogether from oalcu-
laHQp those fnicky players whose
Numbers are by no means small who
have suits, shoes, and guards made
u order. / have known players whose
trousers have cost them SIS, shoes
1910, and so on.
The first item in football players
outfit is his trousers. A pair of these
made of white drill and padded can
be bought for S5 cents. But it will be
an exceptional player who will buy
them. The usual kind are those that
cost $3.50. If made of moleskin the
price is increased to 81 and IS.
The vest is not so much used as for
merly, particularly by college teams.
This is not big item, however, run
ming from the cheapest, at 40 cents, up
to a specially reinforced one that
costs $1.50.
The jerseys, which are necessary to
all football players, range in price
from $3.50 to SO. The sweater,
though seldom worn on the gridiron,
but drawn on the moment the over
heated player leaves the field, is re-
garded as being as necessary as the
jersey. Sweaters vary in price from
$3.50 to 81 and Sc.
While some players use ordinary
stout shoes, the great majority get spe-
cial football shoes, which range in
cost from 81 to $3.50. Stockings cost
from 60 cents to $1.75 per pair.
These items complete the actual
football suit, but there are a number
of guards that are considered almost
an integral part of the outfit. There
is scarcely a gridirOn player that does
not protect his shoulders and elbows
with these heavy leather covered pads
of felt. A pair of shoulder guards
+" costs so cents, 81, or $3.50; a pair OF
elbow pads SO cents or 81.
Head guards and shin guards also
! are worn by many players to pro-
tect, those exposed anatomical sec
items. Head guards vary from $3.50
to SO and IS; shin guards from 40
cents to $3.50 and 81.
. Then there are ankle braces which
cost so cents pair and nose masks
$3.50 each. Add these items up and
you will be surprised what football
outfit costs. Figuring on the lowest
priced basis and allowing nothing for
shoes, nose masks, or ankle braces,
you get total of $8.75. But the play.
ers who do not have special shoes and
whose trousers have not cost more
than IS cents or their sweaters more
than $3.50 form a small, almost neg.
ligible number.
The player who purchases the me-
dunn priced articles and who provides
with the exception of the nose mask,
will find that 1t subtracts $21.75 from
his pocketbook; while the man who
buys the highest priced articles that
are regularly catalogued will pay
1925.
A conservative estimate of the aver
age price paid throughout the United
States by high school and private
academy boys and by college men
would be about $15.
Football has been taken up by the
navy with great enthusiasm, and there
is great rivalry among the crews Of
the various ships as to which one can
turn outthe best team.
The army sometime ago unofficially
followed the lead of the navy. At the
various army posts throughout the
country there are about 1000 play.
ers.
The totals may be summarized as
follows:
College players .........................17, ia
High school and academy players. 40, O0
Town and athletic club Players. 3,OQ
Army and navy players .............. 1,7W
Total players .....,.....-..".....62.2A
Now, if the average cost of each
football outfit is SIS, it makes a total
cost of $936.300
Allowing the usual male preponder
ance shown by the census. we have
about 100000 primary and grammar
school boys. Remembering the dis
trict schools of the backwoods, where
none of the pupils play football. and
the private school. where a majority
of the scholars play the game. we may
say that there are among these young
sters about $4,000, or per cent. out
of the 100000
There are sporting goods firms who
make a business of catering to the kid
trade. A number Of these firms ad
vertise prices of these 100000 suits,
the total bill which the United States
..o.ta g.. gta eookkam a. k.o,,.ht 80.