Life, 1907-08-08 · page 9 of 20
Life — August 8, 1907 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The cartoon illustrates a heated debate about American football rules, likely from the early 1900s. A figure labeled "Rollo" (appearing to be a coach or administrator) addresses what seems to be a congressional body or convention of university leaders in the White House's East Room. The satire centers on football's violence and chaos—the text mentions "twisted ankles," "bruised" players, and injuries so severe that surgeons attend games. Rollo argues for rule standardization to make football safer and more civilized, comparing it to removing cockfighting's brutality. The cartoon mocks both football's violent reputation and the absurdity of needing high-level governmental intervention to reform a sport. The joke: football enthusiasts treat the game with nearly governmental seriousness, yet it remains dangerously chaotic despite such efforts.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-LIFE-: 181 He at once be; At this Jonas began pushing his lawn mower very hard and the President's story of the Bad Lands was lost in the whir of the machine. When he had thus disposed of the anecdote, he stopped the machine and said, “I used to play football on the Village Green when I was a lad. “What kind of a game did you play?” asked Rollo. A dirty, slugging game, or a fair, open, gentlemanly game?” “Oh we played avery simple, pleasant game,” replied Jonas. “The crowd of boys divided themselves into two sides, then the ball was kicked off; no one was allowed to run with the ball tucked under his arm. A point was scored when the ball was kicked over the adversary’s line’’—— “Were the rules established by a Congress of Experts?” asked Rollo. “No.” you play in the presence of forty thousand spectators in a concrete stadium ?” “No; only a few people ever cared to look on.” “Were there expert surgeons in attendance?” “No, for no one was ever much injured—a twisted ankle or a bruise were the worst injuries. “Did you enjoy the game?” “Very much.” “Then Lam sure it was not football you played, for no boy enjoys playing football. It is an ordeal which he undergoes for the glory of his Alma Mater and for the Gallery. Itis nota sport.” “Well, I must resume the duties of my office,” said Jonas, as he started the lawn mower a-whirring. “The Convention of Head Coaches awaits my coming,” cried Rollo, as he rode off. ie cats bee) ie ‘The Convention of the Head Coaches of the Leading Uni- versities was gathered in the East Room of the White House. It was the most important assembly that had been called together in America since 1789. The game of football had finally resolved itself into a dogged struggle between teams composed of giant youths. Each Eleven was obsessed with the idea that it must carefully conceal the existence of the “pigskin”’—as the ball was called —from the spectators and from the other Eleven. The fierce teams locked horns like contending oxen and great was the pushing and pulling. No one of the spectators knew what was going on in the confused scrimmage when arms, legs and bodies writhed in mass plays. Now and again, as a stalwart form was carried away from the field by the surgeons, an agreeable sensation was sent down the spines of the onlookers, such as the Romans knew at the show of the gladiators. Something was wrong with the game. “Open it up,” was the cry, and after a mighty debate among the people, the Congress was called ‘The Coaches arose as Rollo entered the room began his addre: “Conscript Fathers: How long will you continue to abuse my patience? You call me Chief, and it is right that you call him Chief who for years has watched you play upon the arena “You have met to consider the advisability of adopting new rules to govern the game of football. Before you begin your debates, I would make a few remarks. “FoorBat 1s War—and you know what General Sherman said about war. It is war, but it should be civilized war. Down your opponent if you can, but do not jump on his wishbone after he is down. Rip through the line, but do not mangle your opponent when you think the Umpire is not looking. In the scrimmage when the players are piled together in one red and blue burial blent, do not bite. I feel sure that even the excite- ment of such a moment does not justify biting Rollo paused fora moment to take breath. One of the Coaches was so affected by the suggestion of biting, that he fainted away. A fellow Coach sat upon his chest and revived him. Rollo continued “The American public is eager to have football continued It loves the Strenuous Life. It loves to take its exercise in watching others contend in games, but let us remember that we have removed the cock-fight and the bull-fight from our in. sular possessions, since it scems impossible to frame rules which the contestants would observe. Remember this point when you come to deliberate in your Convention.” When Rollo ceased speaking, there was a round of applause and the Convention went into secret session, and out of the chaos came the Forward Pass and the Ten Yard Gain, as Harvard will discover just as the rules are changed again. John T. Wheelwright. (To be continued) He at once Nature Story HIS is the true story of the lion and the man who took ‘The man was one of four rivals The lion, penctrated with the thom out of its foot. for the hand of a certain -lady. gratitude, ate the other three men. Its benefactor married the lady Showing that a lion doesn’t know much, after all comicbooks.com