Evening star., 1927-11-03
BY LAWRENCE PERRY

NEW YORK. November 3.-Just
before the fool ball season started
Tad Jones announced that the prescn,
year would be his last as coach at
Yale. The resignation was confirmed
by the Yale Athletic Associa tion. The
writer has reason to believe that Ma
Stevens, a good man, is being chiefly
considered as his successor.
The drama of the present Situa ton
is three-fold. First, Tad loves foot
ball coiching not only because he
likes foot ball but because it brings
him in closest and most influential
contact with lot of -talwart boys.
Moreover, had he not been under fire
as withering as a coach ever faced, he
would never. the writer believes. have
thought of resigning.
The second point in the situation
is that a whole lot of Yale men who
believe in Tad and what he stands
for and who believe he knows and
can teach as much foot ball as any
man in the country Go not want f.m
to resign.
Third, in the face of his resignation
Jones turns to and developes a mag
nificent team. Even should Princeton
defeat Yale, it would be no reflection
on the coaching inaslnuch as Prince
ton-Yale games very seldom are sig
nificant in terms Of what the teams
have been taught. or personnel, or
anything that is definite in the way Of
form.
Yale Has Chance.
Just now no one may say much
about the forthcoming :at1c between
the Tigers and the Ills; but suppose
and it is by no means a wild Suppo-
sition-that Yale comes out on the
field on November l. and gives the
Tigers a real trouncing?
In such case are they going 10 let
Tad Jones resign from Yale? The
writer doubts it very seriousy.
Why even right now those who have
this years Eli outfit in one of those
empty inches in the Yale hall of
fame where stand effigies so gigantic
and illuStriouS that it is almost like
looking at the sun to contemplate
them-Pa Corbin's team; Meetings.
eleven and Vance McCormick's and
Hinkey's and Gordon Browns and all
those stalwart combination that made
Yale foot ball by-word. Those who
have assailed Jones in the past are
apologizing tacitly or actually and
wherever Yale men foregather. praise
for coach and players rises to a paean.
They may not know it. these re-
formed Jones critics. but what they
are admitting is that. given the ma
terial Tad Jones can coach 1t to the
highest degree of demonstrative ex.
cellence. can turn out as fine a team
as any coach And. after all, material
is one of the great essentials of the
fame of any great teacher. Rockne,
Warner or any one.
Bafled Critics.
II seems certain that some months
before he resigned, Tad had no in.
tention of leaving his coaching Job.
Howard Jones tells the writer that
when Tad was with him in California
this year the Yale instructor. evidently
had no idea of giving up.
And few know of that meeting which
may some day be historic between Tad
Jones and the leading wiseacres
among his critics. or at least some Of
them, who upon voicing their criti-
cisms of Yale's offense in recent years
were unable. when chalk was placed
in their hands and they were led to a
blackboard. to diagram any of Yale's
plays. They say that the Yale foot
hall committee members who were sit.
ting in judgment at this meeting be.
gan from that time on to think less
OF Jones' critics
Irrespective of Yale. there Is one
thing certain about Tad Jones, and
that is that foot ball needs him. He
does not have to coach for a living.
because he has a successful business.
Just the same. his departure form the
game VIC aid be a calamity. He in an
example to youth. and an inspiration
to older men. He has a place some
where. IL not at Yale, as a leader of
zen and teacher of foot ball. And
ti1e writer is not so sure that that
place may not be found still to be
Officials Are Severe.
Foot hall enthusiasts-especiallv in
Me Middle West-are complaining
over the comma hunting tendencies of
officials. The perfectly casual way in
whivh arbirtators of the fflidlands are
calling back touchdowns on the basis
Of minor technicallities has irritated
spectators and discouraged players.
In the Ohio-Chfcago game the Ma
rooms lost touchdown after play
that was perfectly executed had car
ried the ball over the line. The ruling
was that man who had nothing to
do with the play had been in motion
straight toward the side line instead
of veering toward his own goal before
the ball was snapped II the man
had been moving even slightly for.
ward there would have been justice
in the decision. but to say he was NOV.
ing precisely at right angles to the
side line and to kill a touchdown ac.
cordingly, Is drawing things pretty
fine.
In the East no one may be sure that
well kicked punt will not be called
back, because some mans foot was an
inch or two off side. The calling back
Of punts has got TO be stock feature
Of contests I'm this section. 1t hurts
the continuity Of the game, which, at
best. has too many Interruptions. or
course. rules should be obeyed and in.
fractions should be penalized. But
there is certainly such a thing as
drawing hair lines in the handling of
foot ball games