The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-21
STAGE, DADDY OF COACHES, RE-
SUMES RIVALRY WITH PRINCETON
DATING BACK THREE DECADES

Chicago, Oct Z1.-IL Is oo-oue
years from the days that Coacf
Amos Alonzo Stage played football
against Princeton until tomorrow
when he sends his University OF
Chicago eleven against his ole
rivals. The intervening years have
made him the Oldest football coach
in the country. In all this time his
first aim on the gridiron has been
to make men"
with the right sort OF coaching
you can make men faster on the
sport" said Coach Stage in looking
coaching just before taking his
team east.
Football is a glorious game. It
calls for the highest in courage and
sacrifice, for the good Of the school
and to win It is a vigorous game
and in certain sense it is to the
glory OF football that men will play
the game in spite OF injuries that
quite often do come.
"One of the chief developments
of the last 80 years Is a recognition
of the worth OF football and of ath-
letics. The war also has helped to
make people see that they are
worth while in developing our boys
physically, mentally and morally.
Football coaches have greatly
improved in ideals. There are many
more of them today who see the
real value of the sport. Some still
are to be found who reverse it's
benefits by trying to win at any
cost-who play the game crooked
iy, who set false ideals before their
players, who encourage foul tactics
and bad craftsmanship.
I'VE shall never get the best
grade OF coaches, in my judgment,
until the coach is made a member
of the faculty. He needs to be set
above the necessity OF immediate
have the ideals of an educator. He
should not have his job depend
solely on winning games. l think
this has been the cause of much of
the poor tactics some coaches have
employed"
Is Faculty Member.
Coach Stage himself strikingly
illustrates the revolution that has
taken place in the coach's position
in the college world. for he was
the first coach to be made mem
Der of the faculty of his institution
When he was invited to come to
the University OF Chicago at its
opening in the fall of 1892, he was
made, at his own request. head of
its department of physical culture
and athletics. Up to that time col
lege athletics were entirely sep
arate from physical education and
the University of Chicago was the
first college to combine the two IN
der department This depart
ment also took over the manage
ment and coaching OF the univer-
sity's athletic teams Until then
all collegiate sports had been man
aged and controlled by the stu
dents.
Stage was Yale's great pitching
star from 1886 to 1890. the winner
of five baseball championships. He
was also selected on Camps ALL
American football team of 1889.
Entering the Springfield. Mass. Y.
NJ. c. A college in the autumn of
1890. he really started his coach
ing there.
The college had never before had
a football team and Stage started
to build one, succeeding so we'll
that at the end of the season it was
able to schedule games with Yale
and Harvard for the next year. He
played football there these two
years. and also organized the col /
lege's first baseball team.
This makes Stages actual coach |
ing record 80 years long. and in |
continuous service This year |
marks his 30th football season at |
the University of Chica goa record |
unique in length and continuity at |
the same institution.
Coming west in 1892, Stagg ar
rived in Chicago after the western
football season had opened Only |
Is men answered his call for the !
team, and he had to play a back /
field position himself. His position /.
1t Yale was end. J
The first game of the University |
Of Chicago, which tomorrow per-
naps arrives at its highest pinnacle |
Of football recognition in being the |
first western team to break into |
the eastern trio of Yale, Harvard |
and Princeton for home and home