Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-01-10
BY J. W. Heisman.


whence we look back on a
dead and gone football season an
equal distance with that which in
tervenes between US and an ap-
preaching baseball campaign.
Withdrawn as we now are from
the heat and partisanship OF either,
when fairly in the seasons midst,
we are in good position to compare
and contrast the two sports.
A score Of times each year / am
called upon to answer the question,
or to settle q discussion, as to
which Of the two games is the more
scientific; and 1t occurs to me that
this IS a good time In which to com
NIT my views on this subject to
print for the benefit Of any who
may have had wondering thoughts
but little real information on the
subject
Is there more science in baseball
or in football? Just what DO you
mean by science? II one means
by science such points as hand
skill in throwing a ball or eye ac-
curacy in handling a bat there is
very clearly more science in base
ball than in footbaIl-certainly in
the matter Of these two particular
kinds Of skill at least. But there
are so very many different kinds of
skill involved in the successful
playing Of any athletic game.
Take football itself; surely 1t re-
quires more foot skill 10 punt and
drop kick a football we'll than Is ever
called for by any exigency in base
ball. And great skill Is required to
tackle, to interfere, to ward off, to
dodge, and to do quite a many pc
culiar and important things in foot
ball as are ever required in base
ball. In a word. the basebalnsts
skill in catching or throwing a ball,
or in handling bat, would help
him not a rap In executing fine div
ing interference, or in tackling a
1S0-pound Mercury and bringing
him down on the spot.
There are kinds and kinds OF
skin. and just as many kinds in
football as in baseball, with posi-.
bly, just few more.
r OUGHLY speaking, a scisnce is
the search for, the discovery
and tho raktg,, o,,+ 90 t...i.t
connected with given subject. An
art. however. is the practical appli-
cation of those principles TO a given
end.
Now. in both games we have to
apply principles already discovered.
and, so far as l can see, the one
game Is about as much an art as
the other. Some folks naturally
like the one game better than the
other and would, perhaps, be dis
posed on that account to argue that
their favorite was the more artistic
sport of the two. That. ! would saw.
is a mere matter of individual
preference.
'ASAA - 1OAAAN' ~ ply Sltdl OF
athletic skill-which, by the way.
is neither art nor science am in
clined to think. that there is more
high grade and technical skill re-
quired in baseball than in football
My reason for this opinion is That
any three out Of four good strong
young chaps may become good
football players after from three to
tive seasons playing experience.
and some of them become ton
notchers in the same length of time
even If they never saw football
before that time. In baseball. on
the other hand, very few ever be-
come good players in that length OF
time; and certainly no man ever
became Ty Cobb. Wagner or a
Mathewson with that amount of
baseball practice and experience.
Another point Of difference is
that one may become good foot
BAN player, no matter that they
have already attained their major
ity without ever having gone out
for tho game, RhI., do not believe
ior moment hat amy man who