Evening star., 1914-07-05

Warren Bovard the graduate director
OF athletics at the University of Southern
California. where they have just aban-
doned Rugby. says:
THE strenuous American youth. how
ever. demands something which is more
a test of strength. The British colonist.
biS-boned and hardy. wants rough
game. Rugby suits until pioneer days be-
gin to give way to the persistent city
trend of civilization.
THE New Zealand Ali Blacks ended
their recent raid in Canada. The visit
had tragic ending. Peter Ogden. full
back for the Victorian team. fell on the
b11' in front of dribb1ing rush and was
kicked in the head. resulting in concas-
sion of the brain. from which he died a
few hours later.
New Zealand is the Gibraltar of Rug
by. But even here have changes been
made The peculiar seven-man serum
was invented and perfected. The wing
forward position was created to utilize
the released forward. These changes
have heen objected to by England but
thev are within the letter of the law.
Referees unions during the Rugby
history on this coast have proved fail
ures largely because they could not Sc
cure united backing. They seem farther
from the goal than when they started
eight years ago. Rugby rules are in
definite and subject to the Interpretation
of each referee He IS absolute king of
the field of play and therefore must be
an exceptionally competent man.
"one of my Australian friends P J.
Higgins. of local fame always has a
quiet little laugh when mentions
what he calls the best little loke we
Americans ever put over on ourselves
Adopting Rugby as a gentle game SAYS
Pat Why, it is so much rougher than
American foot ball that there is no COM
pariSon.
1T was the conscientious opinion of
great educators in the north that the
American brand was beyond cure In
stead of abolishing it outright or giving
the eastern experts a chance to redeem
themselves. a substitute was showed into
the breach. Rather than give the king
of american intercollegiate sports a trial
under redemption rulings an English
game discarded uniting American
demands twenty-nine years previously
was wished on US We have been try
ing to digest it ever since.
The forward formation. which is the
last word in advanced Rugby play killed
Peter Ogden, fullback of the Victorian
team. This same formation used by
various teams against whom we have
played caused US four cases of concus-
sion of tine brain.
After the New Zealand visit no one
could say american teams of ruggers
were rough. because they didn't know
real Rugby. The master PLAYERS were
toughest of all. In the series with the
California varsity. Eazeltine had his front
teeth knocked out. While Meyers and Bo-
gardus were knocked cold with concus-
sion of the brain. Parish received a
broken nose. Fhe men received sprained
ankles. and Capt Peart had his left arm
dsa bled.
of the many points urged in favor Of
Rugby. international contests have proved
a rather doubtful advantage: club-college
contests are failures. financially. and
usually end in fight; the game is not
devoid of fatalities snor serious injuries,
and causes more minor injuries | am
not giving the popular opinion. but the
result of a comparison of statistics and
opinions given me by coaches trainers,
doctors and managers
Il do not intend to give names OF
men who do not like Rugby. but are
backing il as coaches, managers. rooters
and PLAYERS because they are loyal tt
their own alma mater, and that alma
mater has 20 play what is prescribed. 4
great many prominent Rugby hackers
feel that the game is in the wrong pew
They have told me so, but in most cases
confidentially.
After kicking me playfuily on th'