The Washington herald., 1914-08-30
YALE Will HOLD
Open PRACTICES
Coach Frank Hinkey, Of Old
Eli, Announces Reform in
Football Tactics.
SECRETS NOT POPULAR
Before the Big Games Certain Play
Should Be Held Behind
Closed Gates.

Good. More power 10 them, is what all
football enthusiasts. particularly the col
lege undergraduates, are saying to the
Yale football authorities because OF their
announcement that there will be no secret
practice at New Haven this fall. This is
one Of the reforms announced by Frank
Hinkey, the new head coach. Last year
Yale had 50 much secret practice that it
was a wonder the students recognized
their own men when they saw them en-
the gridiron. Princeton, under the direc-
ton OF eN-Capt Baker. last year held a
great deal OF open practice, and he
chances are that the Tigers will still fur
ther extend the reform this fall
There are times. of course when IL is
highly important that a team should prac-
tice certain plans in secret. but there
never was any reason for the daily work
behind closed gates that has been a fsa-
ture OF practice at most of the big uni
versities OF late years. Most college foot
ball coaches take themselves and their
work too seriously. Football is vsr-
much like baseball. The best baseball
teams are those whose members can do
the fundamental things perfectly. Like
wise. the best football teams are those
which know the rudiments Of the game
best. The Harvard eleven last year Won
the intercollegiate championship not on
trick plays worked out behind closed
gates, but rather on perfect end running.
perfect kicking and line plunging. All of
these things were rudimentary and many
times more effective than would nave
been a lot Of new-fangled formations.
The writer has seen nearly all the
football games Of the East
=, lNw-
l per cent OF the effective plays used
were the result Of secret practice In
deed. il a record had ben kept OF the
intricate plays worked out behind closed
gates and heralded as revolutionary" II
would be found that the great proper
tion OF them were absolute failures. Per
feet execution OF the rudiments Of the
game will win 90 games out of
100. The majority Of football games
are lost through poor kicking. inability 10
punt drop kick and handle kicks.
A Tonic for Players.
There IL no doubt that Yale will profit
immensely from Hinkey's new move. In
the first place the undergraduates will
return to the habit of dropping in TO see
the afternoon practice. The students will
get TO recognize their own players and
there VII be developed a feeling or sup
port for the eleven which cannot help
but be a great tonic to the players. Anv
team that follows Yale's example will
profit in the long run.
It will be Interesting to note this fall
whether or not there will be an i'm
Provement in the art OF drop and place
kicking. Last year Brickley. Harvari's
new captain. astonlshed the college world
by his skill He was phenomenaIly ac-
curate. But Brickley still maintains that
any man can develop similar skill II he
devotes himself to II. Brickley practicsd
the art the year around until II became
second nature to him. What Brickley
does other men could do IL they worked
at Il as he did.
Very few OF the big college coaches OF
the East have announced their positions
on the subject Of numbering their play
ers during games. 1t will be done in the
Middle West as an experiment for the
first few games. II this experiment sue
ceeds. as II undoubtedly will. then the
conference authorities will order It to be
continued for the entire season. The
sentiment in favor of It is growing
stronger In the East every year, but the
East Is notoriously conservative in such
matters. and will undoubtedly have 70
be shown the way by the more progress
i've Western teams.