Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-22

TINE Foot Ball Coaches Association
appears to have started some
thing when they went into this
l. Mexican business. If the Amer
lean intercollegiate game has
really caught the imagination of the
youth of Mexico as DR.. Michael S. Ben
nett of Sewanee says, and If proper
coaching can be furnished teams there,
lookout for real international gridiron
competition.
Any idea that the young Mexican is
not physically comparable to his North
ern brother should be dismissed. Lack
If weight and height may handicap him
to some extent, but compensation is
found in his extraordinary powers Of
endurance.
1t was not unusual during the days
of Villa and Madero to see boys of Il
march 90 miles in three days on few
handfuls of corn meal. carrying mill
tary rifle and 200 rounds of ammuni-
ton in addition to other equipment.
Fond of Sports.
Besides, Mexican boys have a real
| passion for sports. There are several
hundred regularly organized base ball
teams in Mexico City. Soccer is played
and played well by practically all school
boys. Most Mexican boys, especially
those of the country, play handball
about as soon as they can walk.
Any man who coaches at Mexican
college will have no difficulty in picking
| plenty of shifty backfield material who
can run, kick and pass. The main
difficulty will lie in the development
of line play and this difficulty is likely
| to be mental rather than physical
Physically there are hundreds of young
Mexicans of proper build-not tall, it
is true. but broad and solid, with
| splendid back and shoulder develop
ment, who would be as immovable as
squat brick pillars on defense.
| But the shock of bodily contact Is
an idea somewhat foreign to the Latin
American mind and it will be difficult
to train forwards to open the necessary
holes in an opposing line. But it can
be done.
| Have Had a Taste.
AS matter of fact, this foot ball ex-
pertinent has already been tried in
Mexico. In one of the northern mining
camps close to the border foot ball
| games have been part of the celebra-
tons of national holidays. There were
always some Americans who had
played the game and the teams were
pieced out with Mexican miners.
In one such game. played on a field
three inches deep in dust, there were
two Princeton men who had played
freshman and scrub ball at Nassau. a
fullback from New Mexico Agriculture
College. a back from Colorado Mines,
an end from Utah, an Indian from
Haskell and quarter from Columbia
to build around.
The two centers and the four guards
were Mexican miners. They looked
like brigands, but they we're the only
courteous players on the field. Not one
OF these miners weighed less than $50
pounds or was over five feet six inches
tall Neither side gained ten yards
through the center Of the line. The
miners could stop plunges but would
not attempt to open holes 1t was only
when both teams decided to run the
umpire and referee out of the camp
that the Mexicans became interested in
| offenSe
Most of the youth of Mexico has a
strong admixture of aztec and maya
blood and If anyone thinks that the
blood Of the aborigines of this CONT
nent is not foot ball blood they never
saw Jim Thorpe. Bemus Pierce, Metoxen,
Exendine, Hudson, Mount Pleasant,
John Levi and many another dark
| skinned gridderS.