The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-07-29

When the Third Lanarks, a cham.
pionship soccer team of Scotland
and one of the best football teams
of a country which knows its Soc
GER as well as we know our base
ball, came to America to play foot
ball in July most Of those whose
knowledge of soccer Is soInewf NJ
hazy exclaimed. Football IN July
shockingly heating. shouldn't you
considerate temperament and were
nearer to the soil they probably
said: What dye think o. them
guys? Playin' football when it's
hotter'n an order O. Drowned In de
pan"
Col. ]. B. Wilson. who accompan-
led the Scots to this country and
whose love for football has taken
him all over the world, just as some
of our esteemed baseball fans have
followed their teams to the Amer
lean possessions of the Pacific and
to the Antipodes. was greatly i'm
pressed with what he saw of the
development of soccer in the United
States. He wondered II, in time,
it would become even one.hah as
popular as baseball, of which he
saw a little and for which he eS-
pressed some fondness, based, as
usual, on the experiences Of the play
ers.
Pitching Too Intricate.
To him the science of pitching
was Sanscrit- He could not perceive
the curve because he was not close
enough to the ball and he did not
get into the change OF pace, Tire
working Of the corners, the high
and the low ball, all Of which in
cumbent detail is so much mental
food to our students Of the "a ne.
He thought that he might digest 1t
In time, but after all he knew that
he would have to grow up to some
of II exactly as Americans will have
to grow up to soccer.
The throwing Of the infielders and
the manner In which they handled
the ball gave him delight beyond
measure. He enjoyed tao perfect
timing Of the fly hits ana did not
find fault because the ball was h"t
batted all of the time, criticism
which has been passed by some for
eisn folk who have observed Amer
leans play.
After looking at a baseball game he
had a greater notion than ever that
Americans not only should take up
soccer generally, but that they would
become very expert in the game.
ut seems to me-" said he, that It's
Just the game for the United States In
the fall. 1t requires experiences and the
bail PLAYERS have that. Your athletes
in all branches have 1t judging by
what we read and what l have seen.
It brings out the grace and physical
skill Of the contestants. 1t is game
which is filled with plays that are
thought out and executed by the
ba seball players. l don't know but
there is more Of what both Of our
countries call science TO 1t than there
Ia to baseball. The principal trouble
here is that you haven't been brought
up to play II. II you had you would
be lust as enthusiastic and enraptured
over II as we are, because II is an
Anglo-Saxon game. More than that
1t is a game which Is available for all
kinds Of international competition the
moment that the Americans perfect
themselves in It. 1t is played all over
Great Britain, played in Canada,
played in France, and when the Eng
lishs and American soldiers get
through they will have II well intro
duced in Germany, because they are
playing 1t constantly over there.
All Organizations Help.
81 know that you nave soccer teams
in the United States and that you
have a football association and that
there is to be a professional foot.
ball association and all that Every
bit Of II is helping % make soccer
more popular. but your baseball
players and your boys and your young
men would find the game OF soccer
one Of the most enjoyable pastimes