Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-26
RozeIIe Left
Choice to Fans
Rx MORRIS SIEeEL

UNTIL. HE MADE the fateful decision that Sundays
National Football League program would as pre-
Yousy scheduled, Pete Rozele highly regarded as
bright young with moxie enough to suspend pro
footballs biggest star for doing nothing more than bet
ting on himself.
Now RozeIle is being presented in different light.
Accusing fingers in number of those Of aterday
moraiss pointing to him treasonSt who trans
greSsed the laws Of responsibility and decency.
The prosecutors in their indictment Of Rozele, cite
the fact that the American Football League closed shop
out Of respect to late President and they ask why
Rozele didn't do the same.
Comparisons are usually odious and this case is no
exception How the AL commissioner, Joe Foss felt and
reacted has nothing to do with how Rozee felt and acted
THE MATTER OF ATTENDING the games was one
Of individual conscience and taste It not If gun
pointed at the heads of the FANS they not told
they must RoZele acted after much elaboration and
counsel from several who wanted to cancel In
manner he though in the best interest of all happen
to think he right
Reverence and respect cannot be legislated If Rozee
erred and disrespectu to the occasion not
ceiling the card, the thousands who attended.
e. Commerciaism and the grab for money were in no
way involved with his ultimate decision. don't think
watching football game made griefstrcken citizens less
mournful or less sad the loss Of the President
In many cases. it probably brought the great tragedy
closer to the thoughts Of the audience The moment Of
silent prayer and the singing Of the National Anthem
never were meaningful celebrated devouty
INFINITELY MORE DISTURBING than Rozele,s de-
cson was the hypocrisy Of several team spokesman One
who protested the commissioners decision said he would
not attend II
This, of course, his right However II he felt so
Estrongly-and his right to do so unquestionedone
wonders why he permitted his team to play
& There laws and we are in a league What else
could we do2" another who disagreed with Rozelles
ruling explained.
Rozele had the courage to make his choice it seems
to follow that the who disagreed so passonatey
should have been equally courageous and withdrawn their
teams.
" large segment Of public opinion was on their side
and this undoubtedly would have been weighed by Rozee
in the event Of punitive action against the moral mutneers
&e ~ $500
FROM THE ATTENDANCE at the seven league games
there is no evidence Rozee altogether wrong There
undoubtedly were thousands who failed to attend the
games either in protest against Rozelle or because they
felt 1t irreverent to do So
Again the choice theirs, Just as 1t was Rozeles
The commissioners of decency responsibility and
reverence win up to that any of his detractor
He easily could have postponed the games and nothing
would have been made Of the incident But he chose to
leave 1t up to the conscience of the public The people
not Rozelle, made the choice.
The tears of the fans who watched the games and
heard the prayers and National Anthem Just as sin
cere the tears Of those who did attend Their sense
of loss was not lesened because they attended football
game