The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-11
GUIDIRON NURSERY
OF GOOD SOLDIERS
Glenn Warner, Famous Coach,
Tells How Football Devel-
ops Military Qualities.
MAKES FOR DISCIPLINE
Develops Team idea, but En-
courages Brilliant Individ-
ual Action in Crisis.
NJ GLENN 9. WARNER,

~ WhHNN De " ARM Ets
tUnsversity Of Pittsburg Football Tean,.)
FrFrsBuRo, May 10.-An editorial In
one OF our leading papers during the
VISIT contained this comment:
II every American soldier learned to
play football our country would have
the greatest army in the world"
Gen. Pershing was quoted as saying
before the war ended that army organi-
nation was like a football team in
which every man Is trained to physical
perfection under strict discipline, but is
: capable OF brilliant Individual action in
1risis He added, I'VE want our men
trained the same way"
surely the war was q great vindica.
tfon, OF athletics, and of football In
particular. There is no question that
a. . class the athletes made the best
soidiers They were physically At and
mad the best equipment. both physically
, ana mentally, for meeting every emer-
gency and handling themselves in the
pmches. How many times have we read
Of distinguished acts during the war in
which II was stated that the soldiers per-
31rming the unusual feat or acts of
bravery were former athletes.
Hight In this. locality, in western
Pennsylvania we have had a number of
soldiers who have won distinction and
promotion who laid the foundatio of
their gallant war records upon the ath-
letic fields Of our western Pennsyl-
vania seats of learning. Here are q few
statements Of how football helps pre-
pare our young men for the time when
they may hurriedly be called to arms.
This. more than any other sport, aims
to coordinate the mental and physical
activities under the spur of command
signals. which are generally similar to
those OF preparation and execution COM
mands used in military work. It creates
ana develops the habit Of constantly and
unfalteringly obeying the initiative given
by q command when the person trained
10 IN immediate contact with the maxi
mum OF opposition. whether the Same be
offensive or defensive. and in this way
fortifies and habituates the mind in
obeying orders at the moments when d.
rect results may occur. Football offers
mental training under combat conditions
and under environments where maxi
mum energies are strained.
More than any other form of physical
training. football compels the player
to realize his individual capacity as a
part Of q large unit. There is hardly a
standard military work that somewhere
( In its treatment Of fundamentals does
not hold up football ideals as the
proper conceptions for men who wish
TO appreciate properly the work OF an
individual as q part OF a mass. Ger
talnly In no other sport II the idea Of
sacrificing oneself for the ultimate well
fnre Of q mass 30 thoroughly driven
home AZ In the case OF work on the
gridiron.
Football Is the only sport, except box
ing and wrestling. which, while exercis-
Ing the whole body. actually brings the
players into physical contact with their
opponents when with muscles and minds
tense they grasp under practical condi-
tons the fundamental factors underlying
combat. Coolheadedness under trying
conditions Is trained into the fibre of the
players. and the repeated keying UP of
mon to crises is In itself valuable train
inc.
Trains the VIII.
FOOTBALL not only trains all the mus
cles In q mans body and accustoms him
to hard knocks but teaches him how to
take care Of himself when confronted
with danger from the onrush Of oppo-
struction. and not only this but 1t Accus-
toms and hardens him to ward off or
Withstand that feeling of exhaustion I'M
dSr which large percentage Of I'M
trained men cave In when they first feel
Il under great stress. 1t also teaches q
man TO ignore minor injuries which to a
man unused to hard knocks might ap-
pear serious.
FOOTBALL develops generalship and
Imr.I Av tn. n
strGtegies used on the battlefelds of Eu-
rope bear witness to the similarities of
activities on the gridiron and on the bat
tlefield. In fact, the similarity OF foot
ball game to war Is very striking. as I
have before pointed out. Each scrim-
mage represents a battle in which the
opposing forces are lined up opposite
: each other one side defending itself
against the attack of the other. The
lines represent the infantry and the
backs can be likened to the cavalry,
quick moving and able to charge the en-
envy at any spot or to rush to the sup
port Of any position attacked. The
quarterback. or general, of the side maxi
ing the attack studies we'll the defence
OF the enemy and decides whether to
force their centre. turn their flank by
quick movement. deceive him with a fake
movement In one direction while the real
attack Is made In another spot, bomba I'd
them with forward passes or transfer the
battle to a more favorable spot by a
punt When the regulars are exhausted
the fresh reserves are rushed in to take
Their places and drive back any advan-
eago gained.
No more will we have to defend foot
ball from the attacks OF the dollhouse, IL
brery grown educators who have now
and then bodied up in the past and
- Al 49, a. Aa--NN