New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1925-10-22
PRO FOOTBALL IS
COMING TO FORE
Game Is Now at the Bar Of
Public Opinion, Will 1t Pass?
By the Associated Press.


New York, Oct. 22--ProfesslonaI
football is at the bar of public, opin.
ion, claiming the right to national
prominence.
The burden Of proof Is on profes.
sional football. College elevens have
fought one another on the gridiron
for more than half a century In the
United States until today the fall
sport has become great financial
project, so far reaching that various
faculties have demanded curtailment
IN order that the game shall not
burst from campus control.
a true football warrior will sac
rifice his limbs to carry the name
of his college to the high planes OF
the world of sport. He sees CON-
rades pulled from the field uncon-
sciousl with cheers their only recon-
pensc. When danger comes he casts
himself into it, head and shoulders,
for alma mater. The financial end
Is something with which he has
nothing to do.
Increasing Revenues
The steadily increasing revenues
go TO the erection of huge stadia,
improved equipment for the gladia-
tors better training table fare, the
athletic education OF larger squad,
increasing of athletic facilities gen
orally. Twenty years ago there were
few substitutes. Today the larger
institutions can call on four full
teams in combat and behind them
are scores Of other men. The scrubs
upon whom the full force Of the
mighty varsity is hurled for pur-
poses Of conditioning.
Money has given every college
athlete his chance to play football,
hut it has been revenue derived from
traditional riyalrics like that of
Harvard and Yale. There Is no
room for the outside public at a
clash between the Crimson and the
Blue, for their graduates join their
students in Viewing the annual battle
whether they are good teams or bad.
Professional Baseball
Professional baseball has gained a
firm footing, but the game was not
taken from the colleges. Rather did
the colleges adopt it from profess
sionalism, and baseball Is sport
which requires less of mighty mus
cles and more of an acquired skill.
Daily contests and a grip on the
public which have called forth in
Vulnerable columns Of advertising
have given the diamond lis prestige.
Now comes the professional foot
ball game TO seek lis place, backed
by increased financial support. 1t
has thrired in several cities of the
land for some years, but not until
this fall did it invade New York.
Bob FolWell, former coach of the
Navy elevens and of several eastern
colleges, was appointed mentor here,
and he gathered about him an i'm
posing array of talent-iiive Of his
players All-American selections
while in college.
The public, of course, has a right
TO everything that professional foot
ball can offer. The public wants to
be entertained and if the profession
al gridiron sport is desirable 1t soon
will prove itself. Public opinion has
been the judge of baseball, and has
ordered it to continue as the nation
al pastime.
National League
Nineteen professional teams in S
large cities are under control of the
National Football league, now In its
fifth year The cities arc New York,
Providence, Rochester, Buffalo, Phil
adelphia, Pottsville, Cleveland. Ark
ron, Columbus, Dayton, Chicago
(two teams,) Detroit. Milwaukee,
Kansas City, Rock Island Green
Bay and Minneapolis.
On the rosters appear such names
as Thorpe, Alexander Haines, Gar
vey. Eckstein, Kozlowski, Went
worth, Stein, Slater, Bullman, Son
ncnberg. Spellman, Shurtlef, ilamer,
Koppisth, Youngstown and Gwos-
den. The names speak for them
selves These men have been COL
lcee stars in the last few years and
they are capable of playing mar
velous football.
Tho public appears willing 10 be
shown with more than 10000 at
tending last Saturdays game in New
York despite the fact that the Army
and Notre Dame had played to a
capacity throng the previous day.
Americans like football and the
stars of the colleges are being put
into the professional game. So it is
up to the National Football league
to see that the thing is done right
always, that there is no room for
suspicion,
Professional football will succeed
il it can prove itself.