The Washington herald., 1917-01-06
PRO FOOTBALL NOT A
DEAD ISSUE LOCALLY
Game Thrived Here Until Ban Was
Put on Sunday Athletics.
BY JOHN A. DUGAN.

Professional football in Washington is
not dead issue and never will be as
long as the gridiron game is in existence.
Although the common sentiment of the
leading local magnates does not advocate
the movement which is being strongly
boosted throughout the Middle West to
organize and establish on a big scale the
professional game, this class OF football
has reigned here during the past eight
years and will always reign as long as
the local pigskin chasers can see a
chance OF getting a cut in the so-called
big games OF the local independent foot
ball season.
Although President BENJAMIN s. Minor,
OF the Washington Baseball Club is not
particularly in favor of the scheme he
has not passed real Judgment against
such proposition as professional
league. and when figures and facts of
the professional gridiron game of the
past eight years are presented to him
or the directors of the local bali club a
reconsideration of an assertion published
recently may be expected.
FINANCIAL figures Of the Vigilant Ath-
letc Club team until the season of 1915
show profits that would do Justice to
any athletic proposition ever attempted.
1t will be remembered by local sporting
fans that this Vigilant Athletic Club not
NAAy SAtohtu UP the pIOitsSlOnhl LOOT
ball ranks but made the forward prog
ress in semi-professional base ball here
when the Federal League Clubs invaded
this town to play team of these Vigilant
boys under the name OF r. P. Andrews
Paper Company.
1t was this Federal League in
vasion that has practically killed pro-
fessional football in this city. The IA
nous case of the Washington Baseball
(FlNNh rN11 TtFN1-
the American League clubs Is still fresh
in the minds of local sporting fans and
also the threat OF the staging of a Grand
Opera. The American League Sunday
game here never materialized but the
Grand Opera was held and the corpora
ton counsel Of the District then took ac-
tion and ruled football and other forms
Of Sunday amusement contrary to the
law.
This regulation and action OF the cor
poration counsel practically killed VIII at
little professional football Washington
could boast Of and the season Of 1916 wit
messed poor exhibitions in local ranks, as
but two out-of-town organizations visited
this city. under heavy expense. which
was losing proposition to the local pro-
moters.
Even with only a silver collection to
gather in the much needed finance the
game in 1915 thrived beyond expectations
and an organization of the local athletic
club moguls have a plan on foot at pres
ent to find the reason why the discrimina-
ton is made between athletics as a Sun
day pastime and theatrical acts which
are held on every Sabbath.
Last season no less than fourteen local
football gladiators on each Sunday in
vaded Western Pennsylvania, Ohio or
Michigan to play with some of - lead
ing professional clubs, and on Inc day
that Jim Thorps Canton Tigers defeated
the Massilion Tigers for the professional
championship OF the United States a trio
Of local boys were in the lineup OF the
Canton team while two others helped the
Massflion team to keep down the score
In their defeat OF course, assumed names
were used for these layers and it is now
ancient history Of who, why and how
they Jared
With such brilliant talent in local ranks
that can invade the West and make good
why should Washington be considered
out Of the professional football ranks Il
this idea Of q Chicago sport writer goes
through?
Local professional football has never at
tempted to compete against the collegiate
game and a close observation Of the pro-
fessional game throughout the West will
show that these games are at all times
held on Sunday, the same as the local
contests. and II the discrimination be-
tween Sunday theatricals and athletics is
terminated before next Labor Day it will
not be bit surprising to see Washing
ton fall in line as a professional football
city along with the other big Eastern
centers.