The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-12
Professional Football Sure
To Gain Popular Appreciation
Many College Stars Enlist in
Pay Ranks; Menke ConSid-
erS Future Bright for New
est Of Sports,
BY Frank @. Mcnks.

NEW YORK, Jan. l2.-Proiebsionbl
football-watCh II grow
once upon a time II was construed hS
disorderly conduct for "A youth to cavprt
on pro" gridiron Tho very thought
OF accepting luCre for rlstiue ones lt"
and limbs In pursuit OF pigsldn was re-
pugnant to what IN termed THE true low
err of football" star colleginns. I'm the
main, ignored offers to become prOicA-
sionals after finishing their student ca
reers.
But all that belongs TO the dim amt
distant past The prciudicean ubjasi
one which always nfniriedG "prss foot-f
ball was removed duttns the 1916 sea
son when sOme of The best known cot
leRe players I'm America joined IN" pro.
fessionsl ranks Professional football, AS
played last fan through the middle west,
made u decided hit. And from now ou
henceforth and forever We may witness
an ever Increasing popularity FOR the
pro" game.
Ten and fifteen years ago pro foot
ball was tried out. II failed. That wa
the era when the interest IN the plgskin
combats was combined almost wholly to
college men--and their families. The hOl
polloi didn't understand the game. There
fore. It didn't turn out TO see tho pro
Combats. hut In the years thai hAv" fol
lowed. the common pecpul have studied
football, found II an exciting gam" 10
witness and are almost as Keen about u
as for baseball.
Many ColIeqlans 'Pros
Some OF the greatest football games
ever played In Americn were staged last
fall In ohio where three or four pro
teams operated Their lueups were cnn-
structcd Blmost~ontircly wlih former col
logo stars Jim rrarp. ranking AZ ON"
~ tho most marvellous ft...l 1llcts ot all
time, WAS tho particular bright star of
the pro" Ornament. SOucy ana King.
who played with Harvard Il year or two
ago and who made the All American
clcvens. also appeared In pro uniforms
Players from the University NJ llttT-
burgh Mlunesota. Illinois, colgate.
Georgetown. Notro Dame, Nehrnsiu,. Cor
nell. Chicago. Washington and JcffcrHoU.
aDartmouth MId u dozen ether -ag col
'loges mingled lw those pro ha it'rs
DO YOU wonder now why those pro
contests excited 40 much interest Wh}
they drew record crowds' why tho games
were thrllcrR from beginning to end
Every man that played wns star ~
stars and each PLAYED game that
seemed superior to that which he dis
played during his college DAYS
And those Collegians played With the
same spirit that imhued them during
their college days. They didn't play Just
because they got money for II, Most of
them are wealthy I'm their own names ~
come from wealthy families. II wasn't
tho money that lured them. but the
chance to taste again Of gridiron battle
To pursue the elusive pgskin, to crach
lines and circle ends.
what 1917 VIII Bring.
football player never loses his loN"
for the game. And he never ceases yenru-
Ing to get back into harness. Hercio
fore tho collegiate stars, at the height
Of thsir careers, have been forced 10 qull
footballng after graduation Many OF
them wanted to play af,crwhrd as pro
hut none really had the courage. uuti
this season, tu plunge into the sport
Hut more thbu forty former satellite
took the plpngc IN l9l6-and no VuS
% scoffed 10 any great extent. That has
vSvsn courage to tho others who have
wanted 10 play pro" football and dlt
not have the nerve toJisk cenrurr.
In 1917 we may expect 10 see pro
elevens recruited In many different sec.
uons of the country. Tn" bulk ~ then
will be made up ui N-collCglons, who
starred In 1918 and 1918 and therefore
s,ill are In their athletic prime. Ant
they'll be real, regular cumhhts.