Evening star., 1939-01-05
BY JOE F. CARR,
President National Professional Football
League.

fIeSluent Natlonal professional Football
League.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 5.-The
1888 national professional cam
paign was the most successful in the
leagues history, from the stand
points OF artistry, attendance and
spectacular play, and am looking
forward to an even better season in
1899.
Climaxed by the "story book" game
In which the New York Giants de-
feated the Green Bay Packers to
take the championship, the season
presented practically everything ever
witnessed on gridiron.
The fans, responding to the hard
fought and spectacular play,
thronged the parks in such num-
bers that the attendance was more
than 100000. an increase of IS per
cent over 1887. The championship
was witnessed by 48, ,12O, a new single
game high mark for the playoff.
Records galore were broken, as was
to be expected. The cream of the
country's gridiron crop can't be con-
centrated on few fields without
that happening The wide-open
game employed by the teams. ex-
tended use of the field goal because
the goal posts are on the goal line
instead of 10 yards back and the rule
permitting forward passes from any,
where back of the scrimmage line
added much to the enjoyment of the
fans.
Draft Helping League.
So evenly balanced was the league
this year that any in the lower
brackets, given a few breaks, could
have emerged with the title. Our
selectlve system, permitting the
lower-berth clubs first chance to
negotiate with graduating college
players, will maintain that balance.
The selective system, now in its
fourth year, started showing results
last season, and as time goes on
Will tend to keep the competition
on more even plane.
For next season we are planning
more pageantry, more colorful uni
forms for the teams and officials.
entertainment of various kinds for
the 1ntermission between halves and
the hottest football games in the
land.
Rule changes will be few. The
goal posts will stay on the goal line
and passes will be allowed from any
spot back of the finish line. Well
continue to play wide-open ball, with
the emphasis on forward and lateral
passes and kicking, for the fans
like to see the ball at all times and
don't want 1t hidden under masses
of players.
Season Sees 2,030 Passes,
I don't believe a team ever will
dominate our league to any great
extent. In 1888 Green Bay won the
Western Division title with 8 VIC
tories and 3 defeats, while New
York's Giants lost 2 and tied l in
II contests.
The league teams tossed 2,O30
passes during the season, and com
pleted 824 for 40.5 per centage. The
10 teams tailed 1,484 points. Gaynell
Tinsley of the Chicago Cardinals
caught a pass from Doug Russell
for 98-yard touchdown gain, and
Don Hutson of Green Bay caught
9 touchdown passes. Ward Cuff of
New York and Ralph Kercheval of
Brooklyn kicked field goals each.
Cleveland, which won 4 and lost
7 during the season, figures to do
much better in 1899. The addition
OF Dutch" Clark as coach should
be a big help to the club and the
Rams will have plenty of new ma
terial for him to work with.
Our friendly relations with the COL
leges will continue. We will sign
no players until their class has
graduated, thus guaranteeing the
colleges the use of players until the
last possible minute. We don't want
players who are willing to desert