Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-30

urst.
Ihe poorest tacklers grab their man
we neck or face or catch him above
me hips In their efforts 20 pull him
uoWn. While this slows up the runner In
suost cases u does not throw him of his
leeL Oftentimes l have seen the man
WIN the ball drag one of these "neck-ti"
.acklers 10 and Is yards when he should
nave been dropped in his tracks. The
OBJECT In tacklinR Is 20 throw the runner
70 the ground and prevent further gain.
SLOPPY tackling will not do It, so try to
master the clean-cut way from the be-
ginning
In tackllng. the player should be able
10 get his man from both Sides straight
ahead and from behind. This can be
practiced on n tackling dummy, but II
that Is not procurable practice on the
other player. Go slow at first and prac-
tice form The best way to tackle
man Is to get him at the knees. Crouch
low, get a good leg drive and hit the
runner with your shoulder Pin both OF
his legs together with your arms and
pull toward you, but make sure that
you get both legs.
II you get your man properly he will
drop Immediately and will not gain an
inch. In taclSling from the sde the body
Is depended upon more than the shoulder.
The player should hurl his body across
legs with the arms.
STRENGTH OF CARLISLE.
The Carlisle Indians are regarded by
many as the best tacklers playing the
game today. They seem to drop their
man every time. and they do 1t with lit
tie effort In fact, they tackle as II they
enjoy it.
One day last year I visited Carlisle
and spent the afternoon watching Glenn
Warner put the redskins through a hard
practice. Although II was late in the
seasonal few days before Thanksgiving
Warner rehearsed his men in the rudi-
ments of the game before running through
signals and scrimmage. First they fell
on the ball. then tackled the dummy and
the linemen pushed a heavy charging ma
chine up and down the field After they
finished this work. 1 asked Warner IL
constant practice on the tackling dummy
was responsible for the good tackling Of
his players.
The tackling dummy is all right" he
replied, but my men learn most about
tacckling when they run the gauntlet"
Running the gauntlet" was a new one
on me, but had the pleasure OF seeing It
worked before 1 left the field. Twenty
men lined up on the grldiron. 10 on each
side, each man about 10 yards behind
the other. There were two lines running
parallel to the side lines and were separ-
ated by a distance Of about 10 yards. Thus
sort OF a lane was formed between
the players.
The man with the ball started down the
field, running straight at the first man.
If the first man missed him. the player
on the other side went after him. When
the runner was tackled, he got up and
made for the next man, zigZagging his
way down the field.
While 1 was watching, the man with the
ball was thrown is times before he
reached the end. This is the hardest
kind of work. but 1t teaches the men
how to tackle and 1t also is the best
training in the world for a man running
with the ball. 1t improves his lodging
and use OF stifr arm and also explains
some of the brilliant runs pulled off by
the Indians in their big games. / was
told that Jim Thorpe repeatedly has run
the gauntlet without once being thrown
from his feet.
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET.
After the players learn the principles OF
tackling, / would advise them to run the
gauntlet about three times a week. II
will be hard at first, but there is nothing
that will do more toGimprove your tack
ling.
The training of a football player is
very mucn the same as IN Other INES OF
sport. The first thing to do is TO avoid
tobacco and alcohol Volumes have been
written about the bad effects of smoking
on football players, and several tons of
temperance tracts will tell you the evils
of drinking. This Is not a temperance
lecture. so 1 shall merely state that alco-
hol and athletics never have or never will
go together. Perfect physical condition
Is necessary, and this can be attained
only when nature takes its course. Slim
ulants are not necessary In football, and
while they might improve your work for
short time, the effect soon wears off
and you are in worse condition than be-
fore.
DIET FOR PLAYERS.
The food problem also is important.
Pork, veal, all kinds of pastry-in fact.
everything that is indigestible should be
taboo. Tea and coffee sometimes are
mutton and poultry are good things to eat.
and you can go as far as you like In the
vegetable line. Baked potatoes are very
good, and toast should be eaten at each
meal. For those who have not the ad-
vantage OF training table, my advice
is TO adhere to a simple diet, but eat all
you want. But eat your biggest meal OF
the day in the evening. Don't stun your
self before a game. A couple Of poached
eggs on toast, some potatoes and one
glass OF milk will carry you through a
hard battle without danger of getting
slow and doggy"