Judge, 1896-12-12 · page 16 of 16
Judge — December 12, 1896 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page mocks the American obsession with football in the 1890s. The cartoon shows football's grip on society through exaggerated scenarios: **Key satirical points:** - Players suffer grotesque injuries (ears hanging by threads, repeated concussions) yet remain obsessed - A man uses a football injury to impress a woman into accepting his marriage proposal - Football "suggestions" mock the sport's brutality disguised as strategy - A character admits he can't escape football—he sees ambulances on every block **The satire:** Judge presents football as a dangerous craze causing physical destruction and social madness. Despite obvious harm, characters remain devoted, using the sport to court women and make life decisions. The 1890s context: American football was genuinely violent and unregulated, causing serious injuries and deaths. Judge's exaggeration highlights contemporary concerns about whether this new sport's dangers justified its popularity. The humor depends on readers recognizing football mania as absurd and excessive—a critique lost on modern audiences who normalized American football decades ago.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—"‘And what does that poor fellow imagine himself to be— Aun fing ibe world?" Guaxp—"*Not quite asbad as that, sir. Since be got kicked in de Carrain Scuarrs—"Cheer up, old boy! one of your opponent's nly imagines dat dere’s sixteen men on his cars is hanging only by a shred.” BSE tryiot ter git Se ball froca Bik Jack Hatvuack (sad/y)—" What's an ear more of less? I'd give both ears to have that bunch of hair back again that Puller got when T was downed.” (Bursts inte tears.) A football pointer — Come over an’ git a Bucking the (s)center. ‘rush’ le.” jo, I prefer to get on play * (ull-backs Why so?" “To avoid visitiog jocking the spots out Junce makes a few pertinent arm: tions foot-bal playersof today. }or suggestions for foot-ball Jack Haxvtackie—* Though she has thrown me down ten times, eoruae—“* Why so sad. Tom? Are you still yearning for th: I don’t see how Ethel can refuse my marriage proposal to-night, when doce hue case re doooee base poe re ne TANTO ov Ua she saw me make that ten-yard gain at the game to-day and come out ‘Tou Wiannain (bitter{y)—" Rorget how can a man forget foot- ball when he sees an ambulance on every block?” THE FOOT-BALL FAD. — ali COPYRIOMT 1896, 07 THE JUDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY OF MEW YORK comicbooks.com