Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-12-28
FOOTBALL VALUE
IS PAPER TOPIC

NEW YORK, Dec. 28.-In an adj
dress on THE Value of Football" de-
livered at the eleventh annual con-
yention of the National Collegiate Ath-
letic Association here today, Prof
Raymond Gettell, of Amherst College,
said:
"a phenomenon of frequent recur-
renee in widely separated times and
places has been the intense general in
terest in games or contests manifested
by those peoples who held the leading
place in the civilization of their day.
The Olympic games in Greece, the
gladatorial contests in Rome, and the
tournaments of the Middle Ages alike
were characterized by the enthusiastic
zeal of those actively engaged, by the
presence of crowds of frenzied specta-
tors. and by the interest and attention
centered upon them by the public at
large. All these athletic carnivals
were subjected to severe criticism in
their age, yet they increased in pop
ularity in spite of opposition, and de-
clined only with the decadence of the
peoples interested or with changes In
culture that made them no longer pos
sible. In the modern world, Teutonic
peoples hold the reins of power, and
among them great football, baseball,
cricket contests inspire wide spread
interest and enthusiasm. One explana-
ton of this phenomenon, using football
as an example of the modern type, is
rere attempted.
AS might be expected, football has
been subjected to unusually severe
criticism. The danger to life and
lialb, the accompanying evils of
gambling, professionalism. or unsports-
n,anlike methods, the enormous expen-
ditures, the comparatively small num-
Der who actually take part in proper
ton to the numerous spectators, the
false standards created in the minds of
growing school boys, the oyer-emphas-
is on the athletics in general in coll
leges and universities-these are some
Oh the direct accusations that the
sport has been compelled to face.
Enafbon Dp.a Ev.s EoIE
"In spite of these criticisms and
these defects, however, football has
become during the autumn season, the
preeminent sport, especially in Amer
lean schools and colleges. The foot
ball star" is college hero; ambition
to make the team is chief desire in
the mind of many students. and pride
over football victories is a powerful
stimulant to loyal college spirit. Nor
does public interest in the game show
sign of decline. Each Saturday dur
ing the season, thousands assemble t.
witness the contests additional thous-
the country, crowd around bulletin
boards, which give detailed descrip-
tons of the plays or announce the
scores, and still other thousands turn
first to the sporting columns of the
Sunday morning newspapers. A gains
that inspires such widespread de-
yotions must rest upon vital underly-
0 ing principles of human nature.
n Football is not contest between
q individuals. 1t is a contest between
groups of teams. The union of clever
= men under their captain typities the
characteristic human factor of organ.
e ization. In no other game is tbs
e individual, as individual, of so littl,
moment, and the unit, or team, 81
closely integrated. The success of al
T., most every manure depends upon
detailed division of labor. distinc
i part being assigned to each membe
: within the machine; and the success
y OF team in competition with other,
s depends mainly upon the perfection 0
j, its organized teamwork. Football
then. demands cooperation, the subor
dination of the individual interest t
: the welfare OF the larger unit. 1t re
produces on small scale that process