Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-11-03
WARTIME FOOTBALL THRlvEs.

WARTIME FOOTBALL THRIvEs.
Interest in Game Undiminished Despite
Loss Of Grid Stars.
Chicago, Nov. 3.-War-time footoall
Is proving a success In the middle west
despite the fact that attendance al
most the games has been below nor
NAL and that practically all teams have
gone into action minus the aid OF
stellar players who have answered
calls to the colors Or taken places IN
new Industrial organizations or war
relief activities.
The spectators have made up In en-
thusiasm what they hava lacked IN
numbers and less lavish expenditure of
athletic funds at the several schools
probably will result in balances at tns
end of the season sufficient to sustain
winter and spring sports at the close
Of their usual levels.
Preseason predictions that the quail
ity Of football would suffer because OF
the numerous scrubs" and green
players who would make the varsity
teams, have not been entirely borne
out. On the contrary. the loss OF
stars" has resulted IN improved team
play at several schools. the other mem
bers of the elevens showing less OF
let-George- do-it' spirit and getting
into more plays with their full in
dividual powers :
Coaches and experts who have noted
this tendency ascribe it to two factors.
One is the feeling Of some players that
they have a better chance now to be-
come stars themselves. The other Is
the realization on the part of most OF
the men that with the team weakened
by the loss Of sure ground gamers or
dependable forwards, each man must
make up the deficiency.
The fact that the rules committee
has seen fit to allow the game to stand
practically unchanged for several sea-
sons accounts in considerable measure
for the enthusiasm. Of the depleted
crowds of rooters, according to Off
Gals of the sport. They point out that
the finer points Of the open. passing
system have become familiar to the
spectators and that players OF rev
seasons back can get many or their
old time thrills as they watch the
teams struggling thru formations ana
under exact conditions that co9fronte"
them. The sport seems, in Tact, to
have built up new following OF fans"
following which was superseded
some years back.
Reports on 1917 football conditions
as received by the Associated Press
recently from various members of the
I"Big Ten" follow:
Ohio--was has caused slight fall
ing off in attendance at football games
at Ohio State University, but 1t has
not diminished in the slightest the
spirit of the rooters. The attendance
at the first two games was about the
same as at the first two games last
year, but the spectators at the second
two games were fewer-and this In adj
dition to the fact that Ohio State has
a. championship team this year and did
not have one.1ast year. The falling of
in attendance, however, has not been
great. the university athletic officials
state.
Illinois-Football Is thriving as a
wartime sport at the University OF, I'LL
nois. Attendance at games so far this
year has been smaller than in previous
years due to the decrease in registra-
ton and the adjustment Of the popu-
lar season admission books, but stu
dent interest in the team is as keen as
it has been in the past years. Refusals
Of railroads to run special trains or
give special rates to Illinois students
who wish to attend tbs Illinois Hhicago
game at Chicago today will no doubt
act as slight damper on the en-
thusiasm Of those who had planned to
accompany the team as rooters.
Northwestern - The Northwestern
eleven has had only one home game
thus far-the annual practice tilt with
Lake F'orrest-but student Interest IN
the fortunes Of the team is as intense
as usual and when the purple finally
appears on it's own field the attendance
is expected to be up to the standard.
Observation-Disclosures at the Unlver-
sity of Wisconsin have not shown the
interest this season that has been man.
ifest in former years Crowds at the
first two games this season were small
and rooters have not turned out to
cheer their team in practice. Whether
this condition Is wholly due to the war
Is a question. Dnlistments md the
draft cut attendance less than 20 per
cent so there Is still large enough
! student body to give the team good
backing II they would. The team Itself
has labored under the handicap OF
scarcity in material. Barely two full
teams have appeared for practice on
several occasions.
Chicago-There has been only n
slight falling of in student attendance
at the games on Stagg field but the
general public has more than balanced
/, this by turning out in unexpected num-
Ebers. The early showing OF the Maroons
exceeded the most sanguine hopes for
the eleven and the roofing has been
hearty The "big" games probably will
attract enough spectators to pack the
spacious stands almost as completely
as in former seasons.
Iowa-The war has had no apparent
effect on attendance of football games
In iowa. While the team has been
somewhat handicapped by the call to
the colors, interest in the game APP
pears to be normal and on the whole
the sport promises to be as prosper
GUS in wartime as in peace.
Indiana and Observation-Disclosures at
football games In Indiana thus far this
year has been slightly below the aver
age. Part Of this is ascribed to tho
effects Of the war. which has cut down
considerably the attendance both Mt
Purdue and Indiana. and part to the
fact that thus far only practice games
have been PLAYED at Lafayette and
Bloomington. What the spectators have
lacked In numbers, they have tried to