Life, 1923-11-08 · page 35 of 36
Life — November 8, 1923 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a promotional advertisement for *Life* magazine's upcoming "Football Number" issue, using sports metaphors to sell subscriptions. The "Varsity squad" lists actual *Life* contributors and editors—including cartoonist John Held Jr., writer Robert Benchley, and Dorothy Parker—presenting the magazine's staff as if they were football players who've "won their 'I'" (varsity letter). The satire works on multiple levels: it treats a magazine issue like a competitive sporting event ("game starts promptly"), uses football jargon metaphorically ("don't get caught offside," "charge low"), and frames purchasing the magazine as participating in this imaginary match. The closing tagline—"Football is the only thing left in the country with a Kick in it!"—suggests post-WWI disillusionment; only football, it jokes, still carries genuine excitement. The "Obey That Impulse!" section is a subscription order form encouraging impulse purchases at $5 annually.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Time Out! for the FOOTBALL NUMBER of if Game starts promptly on November 15th, at your favor- ite news stadium. QL Just to give you a sideline on what to watch for, here’s the Varsity squad —all of whom have won their “I.”— as announced at a late hour last night: Crartes Dana Ginson, Capt. R.C. Benchiey R.E. Sherwood H.W. Hanemann John Held, Jr. Rea Irvin P. L. Crosby Gluyas Williams P. M. Hollister son Hoover A.C. M. Azoy, Jr. Charles Forbell Co-Eps: Dorothy Parker, Baird Leonard, Alice Harvey Heap Coact: Louis Evan Shipman Assisrant Coacues: ‘Ollie’? Herford, Frank’? Casey Tens red-blooded one-hundred-per- cent All-American team is now hold- ing daily practice on our grin-iron, and as their individual abilities to knock gloom for a goal are well known, it is safe to say that, taken asa codperative whole, their scream-work will be all that can be desired.@Don’t get caught offside when the whistle blows for the first quarter. (Except that it won’t be a quarter; like all good players, we charge low.) Rush to the line-up at your news dealer's right away and drop him 15c, so that he may legally pass you a copy when it comes on the field. Surely the fairest of fair catches. FooTBa Lt fs the only thing left in the country with a Kick in it! Obey That Impulse! - Oh yes, and do you know about our Speciai Subscription offer as well? Heap Coacu, LIFE 598 Madison Avenue, New York City Dear Mr. Coach :—I expect to see your Football Number, and I am sure it will be so good that I'd like to see at least 20 other issues, for which I enclose at least $2. ($2.40 in Canada, 304 $2.80 in Europe.) comicbooks.com