New Britain herald., 1919-12-29
CHAS. TAFT ANSWERS
 CRITICS OF YALE
former Lineman Has Some Things
 to Say in Alumni Weekly ..

New Haven. Dec, 2e.--Charlle Taft, lon Of former President William Howard Taft, iu the Alumni Weekly which appeared Saturday answers the nany critics ot this falls Yale eleven who claim that Yale lost because of Is failure to master tho modern game.
 Charlie 1Saft was 9 member or Capt, Cupe Blacks tean,> He and Sahe Allen, the right end on this rear's eleven, wero tho first two un- ergraduatess to enlist after tho Unit ed States went into the war, going as orivates to Fort Myer and later ovar- seas, whore each earned q conln1's- Bion though unde~ twcrtyono years The letter says:
 At the risk of making a post mort em on Q football defeat, something Male men don't like, may 1 offer q bries comment on the recent Yale Harvard game?
 My text is 8 phrase that appeared In various forms in many accounts of he gaule, "A Triumph of New Foot ball Over Old.' TO my mind the phrase is as inaccurate as it can we'll be- and leads to some very erroneous deas in thoso who read it without the Background of facts.
 New football first; Any one who has seen Harvard play for the last ten years and more knows that this year they put on Haughton football with noss on 1t. Moreover, the team had little of the precision, power or tac- ties which marked the great Haugh- ton teams. ..
 sThey followed the ball, and in the ,r;, r5nI 1,n eroring plays perfectly. But they had no punch except when q keen mind on the side lines sent in Horween to kick che field goal and F'eNon to pierce the only weakness that devol- 6ped in the Yale defense ill an hours fierce play. To say that they played new football is an adm ission that one has never seen West Virginia, Center or Penr State in action.
 "'Old football next. Ir 1892 Lorin Deland gave Farvard the famous fly hna wedge play. In 1893 Yale took the idea, improved it, and Butter worth S dive play won the final game lin that year. In 1889 Pennsylvania beat all corners with her guards back Formation. In 1900 Yale developed the tandem tackle from Penns' sug- gestion, and the success of Gordon Browns team needs no comment In 1906 Yale won the Harvard game 6 to by a thirty-yard forward pass and four-yard plunge.
 'The next year Yale invented the line divide and scissors pay that scored the last tcuchdowns against Harvard until 1916. The moral to be gathered from these statistics is that "old Yale football" won because Yale was always in the van in the develop ment of ths game. Any one who thinks it won over puny opponents by means of strong back, a weak mind and the old Yale fight had better think again.
 Was it old football that Yale played this year, or even in 1916? Ii shows lack of appreciation. of the old days to say so. The team this year was as good a Yale football team as the team Of 1916, both had as good spirit and as sound q knowledge o1 the fundamentals as any Yale team We lost this year because the breaks went against us. In 1916 they were at least even. ..r.
 .But old Yale teams of the kind have mentioned could win in spite o1 the breaks, because they had some thing besides the fundamentals, tht spirit and fighting captain.
 "They had an cffcnse develope; only in the last five weeks of the se; son, centering on one play or serie of plays, usually SC mething new. tha could b :, relied on to gain at least hal the total ground necessary. Moreover they taught the men the general the ory of the game and of the particula offense and the added knowledge 0 why play went thus and so an brought the de cisive factor of brain into the balance.
 What we want is old Yale iootba in tho best sense, a forward looking progressive attitude that seizes on tn best in the ideas of others and build from our own fundamental princi ples 9, new, brainy football that is on jump ahead. After all it is only tn application of common sense an business principles. A Yale man Wh learned in the old Yale school lai the foundations years ago for the sue den appearance this year of Cenlt college on the football map.
 "The Yale men that are now charge here can do it if they wi look to the past for inspiration ar to our contemporaries for furth' guidance, just as. the best Yale nc have always done.
 "CHARLES P. TAFT, ?d.'
 This letter is considered the cieare statement Of tho opinion of Yaie me who have for years followed Va football which has yet been publishe
 WILDE TO BOX BABE ASHER
 St. Louis, Dec. 29.-Jimnny Wild SEngiish hyweight champion, a,1 S"Babe'' Asher. bantam champion