South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-02
FOOTBALL DURING
1877 CLAIMS Z
Number Of Deaths Six Less
Than That of Last
Season.

Associated Press Service:
CHICAGO. Dec. Football the
toughest % American outdoor
sports. exacted a toll OF II victims
during the 1917 season, which eud-
"a with Thanksgiving day games,
According 20 reports 20 the Asso-
ciated Press today. The number
was six less than in 1916. and four
less than two years ago. In 1914
there were Is deaths.
Defenders Of the popular college
sport pointed 10 the fact that not
a fatality not even a serious injury
occurred In the big citys and col
leses where the game is conducted
under expert physical direction. All
OF the victims with one exception
we're either high school students or
players who. with little or no train
fng. participated in semi profes-
sional games. A majority Of the
cases showed that the players en-
tered the game without proper
knowledge OF II and without proper
physical condition for so rough a
sport.
Open Play Big Factor.
The open style OF playing, instead
Of the smashing game which rapid
iy Is being discarded. has elimi-
mated much OF the danger in the
opinion OF Fred l. Murphy, a for
mer Yale star, now coach at North
western university. The players. he
said, also are better protected
through Improvement in heavily
padded uniforms and head-gears
Lack OF proper training and ply
steal condition is the greatest
menace TO the game" Coach Muir
ply said today. High school stu
dents and semi-professiOnal players
as a rule. are not properly hardened
20 play the game. In the big col
Ieges and universities. the players
are systematically conditioned and
trained. In addition they undergo
a rigid physical examination. If they
have symptoms Of heart weakness,
they are not accepted"
A A Stagg. the veteran coach at
the University OF Chicago. said,
that universal physical examina-
ton and training OF high school
students would materially reduce
the number OF football deaths Some
OF the larger high schools now re-
quire examination Of all athletes,
but" he said, the practice has not
been put into effect in smaller cit
les"
The List OF Victims.
Roscoe Z. Battan. HASTINGS, Neb..
high school student; killed Nov. Is
By a Blow which produced heart
paralysis.
r,r-s. - - A.
geles. 20 years old: student at the
University OF California, died of a
brain hemOrrhage on oct. S. two
days after a freshman game.
Charles &. Persiani. jr. of Plants
Vile. Conn. 10 years old. student
at Pennsylvania Military college;
died Nov. IS OF a ruptured blood
vessel OF the brain.
Elvin Anderson, Trinidad. colo.
high school student. died oct. 80 Of
an injury TO his spine.
Roy GrOues, Wilsonville, Neb.,
hfsh school student. L years old;
died Nov 10 OF internal injuries.
Guy Henry. Athens. Texas high
school student, is years old. died
oct. Is OF internal injuries sustain
ed i'm a high school game.
Thomas RYAN of Alvardo. Texas.
died Nov. Is of injuries received
in high school game played four
days previously.
Henry Leldendecker. Champion.
III. high school student. il years
old. died Nov. Is. as result Of in
iuries in a game played two weeks
previously.
Harold A. Holtz. II years old.
died in Indianapolis on Nov. II of
injuries received in a semi-profes-
sional game.
Il. J. Boyes. halfback on the
charleston. s. c., navy yard team,
died Nov 8 OF conclusion of the
brain as the result of being tackled.
Ellis Hamilton of Detroit, II years
old. died Nov. 20 of injuries re-
ceived in game played the pre-
vious day.
Harry de I.one OF Detroit. 90 years
old. died Nov. % of injuries suf-
tered in a semi-professional game.