Judge, 1931-11-21 · page 10 of 36
Judge — November 21, 1931 — page 10: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "Block That Convict" — Judge Magazine Satire This page satirizes a 1930s Herald Tribune headline about Sing Sing prison organizing football to improve inmates' morale. The satire presents mock "rules" that blur prison discipline with football regulations, exposing the absurdity of the scheme. The humor lies in rules that reference prison realities: players "hiding the ball under mattresses," "passing bad checks," being "put on the spot," or tackled "for ransom." References to "tear gas," "lockstep," and the "warden above the belt" treat convicts as both players and prisoners simultaneously. The cartoons above mock broader 1931 topics: Ruby Vallee's microphone feedback, Kate Smith's famous song, Judge Crater's unsolved 1930 disappearance, and youth delinquency. The "Fifty Years from Now" conceit satirizes contemporary trends by imagining their ridiculous future consequences—typical Judge editorial humor combining social commentary with absurdist comedy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
JUDGE Fifty Years from Now R' py Vatvee is fired by the broad casting company because — his catches in the every time he croons. beard microphone Kate Smith stops singing about the moon coming over the mountain. fil Samucl Seabury's descendants con- Hii clude their investigation of New York i City. Flyers, completing trip across the | Atlantic, are greeted at City Hall by the night watchman. Famous educator deplores tendency of youth toward wildness. Newspaper. editorial writer ders whatever became of Crater. Congressman introduces resolution in the House calling for light wines and beer. Sentimentalist old days of 1931, won- Judge refers to the good —Rk. C. O. 1. Hands and shoulders only shall be used as weapons of interference. The use of jimmies or blackjacks will result in a ten-year penalty. 2. Nitre erin shall not be used hole in the line of for serimn 3. The team must not discuss the bad food or long hours when in a huddle. t. A player running out of bounds, or continuing to run when over the goal line, shall be brought back for twenty y “I’m going to make a complaint these people undressing with their § cr is allowed to tackle the warden above the belt. =) My NNW eon May. oie in “They bump guys off fer knowin’ too much!” Ruces Svccesten py “Where are you preaching next Sunday, Rev'rend?” BLOCK THAT CONVICT “Sing Sing Football Teams Planned to Improve Convicts’ Morale” —Herald Tribune Jack Crverr 6, When a game he headJinc enters the shall immediately give his Bertillon measurements to the referee. substitute 7. If any player is caught hiding ull under his mattress he shall iven bread and water for a week. 8. A forward pass is considered in complete if it's made with a blunt- nosed instrument. 9, A player is off-side if he’s not found after the siren blows. 10. If the center is it passing bad checks to the backfield he shall be put in solitary confinement until after the game. 11, Center rushes and line plunges must not continue over the walls. 2. No player shall make a lateral a rd. voaching from the Rogues’ 14. If a player fumbles the ball he must not be put on the spot. 15. The signals shall indicate the next play and shall not be the com bination to a safe. 16. Tear gas must not be thrown from in front of the line of scrim mag’ 17. No player shall be tackled for ransom, 18. The interference shall advance in front of a runner in lockstep. . No person within the prison shall shout: “Watch that pass- comicbooks.com