Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 274, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 November 1911 — MAR FOOTBALL GAMES [ARTICLE]

MAR FOOTBALL GAMES

Right to Question Decisions Belongs to Captain. Nothing Is More Repulsive to Spectators Than Constant Squabbles Between Competitors and Officials During Contest In football aa well as in every branch of sport, nothing is more repulsive to spectators than constant squabbles between competitors and official?. To question the decision of judges at a horserace, or a footrace, automobile, or trotting race simple is a waste of time, and these decisions cannot be reversed unless there is a wrong interpretation of rules which govern such contests.

If coaches would enforce a rule that only captains of elevens could question or ask an interpretation of an official's decision football certainly would be placed on a higher plane and one of the most distasteful features of the game so far as the spectators are concerned would be obliterated, writes Walter Eckersall in the Chicago Tribune. Football officials are selected because of their known impartiality, their thorough knowledge of the rules, and their sense of honor.

The men, all college graduates, officiating in gridiron this year have been put to many severe testis, and in few instances have they erred. Spectators never should condemn an official for levying a penalty, for the arbiters of the game are in better position and understand more thoroughly the exact interpretations of the rules. Use of hands in the interference, coaching from the side lines, holding in the line, offside play, and a number of other infringements of the rules are points which the average spectator does not see, but when an official inflicts penalties for such breaches of the rules he generally meets with criticism from the stands.

Those who have played football and have been in many hard fought contests have had fouls called when they did not .believe they were guilty of any infringement. In such cases, these players have been so carried away with the excitement of the contests as to be unconscious of any breaches in the rules they made, but when apprised of the conditlops by officials they have admitted their guilt.. In the large universities, where it is part of the preparation of an eleven to teach the players the rules and their possibilities, the players seldom question an official’s decision. The members of these teams are so well versed in the rules as to know when an arbiter’s decision is right or wrong and for this reason few disputes arise. If the colleges in the eastern, western, and Missouri valley conferences would follow the precedent established at West Point, one of the ihost distasteful features of football would be done away with. Discipline reigns supreme at the army institution. The captain of a football team controls his men the same as a colonel of a regiment or captain of a company. If any member df a West Point football eleven questions the orders of the captain he must report to higher officials as soon as the same is completed if the captain files charges.