Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-10-22

home series, were played .gainst
Chicago high school teams.
stagg recalled with a smile that
Chicago's second football game
was played in a public park where
mounted policeman kept the
crowd from the field, md that in
scoring touchdown he had been
charged with using the policeman
and his horse for Interference.
"The game has grown immense
ly more complicated since those
days" he observed. ~ suppose
the forward pass has added 33 1-3
per cent of its intricacies.
"Yet it is basically the same
game as when / started to play
One noticeable change from early
days that I well remember liz that
the center used to snap back the
ball with his foot. He stood
straight UP with one foot on the
ball which he caused to hop back
by downward and backward
pressure of his foot. Centers and
quarterbacks used to practice and
practice because this was difficult
to do without frequent fumbles. A
good center and a good quarter
back were especially valuable for
that reason.
A Scientific Game.
Development in the complica-
lions of the game has been thou
sand-fold. Football today is the
most highly scientific game there
Is,
Spectators do not see a hun
dredth part of what is going on.
They are able to follow the ball
on many plays. but on the masked
plays where the formations are
close--plays for instance where the
quarterback may feint pass to
one player and then pass to an
other--it is impossible for persons
not conversant with the game to
follow the different moves, much
less to understand the blocking
methods employed by the lineman
and backs to checkmate the op-
ponents.
attack has advanced wonder
fully in the past thirty years. Prog
ress has resulted from long, hard |
thinking and the most carefully
worked out campaigns. At the
same time the defensive has kept |
pace with the offensive. Otherwisl
you would see the result in absurd
" large scores.
The Scouting System.
~ wish that it were possible for
cam to meet team without havina |
heard much of one another. That.
IF course, is impossible. The scout
ng system has come to stay.
"But with no scouts the coach
With inventiveness and original
olans of campaign would have fu
opportunity to prove himself. AS II
s, it is almost impossible to keep
| new idea you own. Your team
s constantly watched and here q
he western conference every game
cunts so heavily for position that
'ou can take but few chances
new in no time becomes
common property and your oppo-
tion is drilled to meet 1t. Tn
Ter the scouting system with two
cams equally matched. the inven-
iveness and broad grasp of the
,ame held by one coach may be
offset by another coacn
lot possessed of these qualities but
warned beforehand"
Secs No Important Changes.
Originality, + might be added. Is
generally regarded in the football
world as one of Coach Stages chief
because 1t is wei
,nown that he has had to offset
is lack of material by unique
Methods.
IT do not think the inventive
Possibilities Of the game are near
Y exhausted" Stagg observed.
and yet there are not likely to be
ny startling developments of new
ystems of attack and defense.
"The game itself I believe Is es-
ablshed. think there will be no
changes in It. l do not
nyself see any ahead"