Life, 1927-11-10 · page 12 of 44
Life — November 10, 1927 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page presents satirical commentary on football spectator behavior. The top illustration shows a coach (noted as "former Hollywood director") instructing players, with the caption mocking enthusiastic but uninformed fan encouragement. The main content, "The New Penalties (for Football Spectators)," humorously proposes punishments for annoying stadium behaviors: using elbows in cramped seating, dirty looks, stepping on neighbors' toes, and cheering too loudly for Harvard or Yale. The penalties range from "death preceded by torture" to hospitalization. Below is a courtroom sketch titled "Near Enough," depicting a witness in a legal proceeding, illustrating the magazine's recurring theme of satirizing American social institutions and etiquette. The humor targets class pretension and the absurdities of spectator culture during what appears to be the 1920s collegiate sports era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Coach (former Hollywood director): ALL RIGHT, NOW, GLEASON, TRY THAT NINETY- YARD RUN OVER AGAIN. AND SAY, YOU OPPONENTS, PUT SOME in it! you GOTTA MAKE THE AUDIEN "RE AT LEAST trying TO TACKLE 1M! & THINK you'r The New Penalties (for Football Spectators) HE use of the elbows in the jam about the gates is punishable by (a) a sock in the eye, if you are lit- tle; (b) a real dirty look, if you are seat ahead of you on the back with he your folded newspaper just as the — ene fullback goes over the line gets you cither (a) a new lifelong friend, if is on your side, or (b) a mortal vy, if he is not. Failure to throw your hat over the crossbar after the victory is punish- middle-sized and strong-look- ing, or (c) a mildly dirty look, if you are larger than any one else. The penalty for stepping on the toes of every one in getting between the rows to your seat is anything from a deliberate tripping up to a calling-down by an acid- tongued female. Cheering for Harvard while occupying a seat in the Yale section is punishable by death preceded by torture. Depreciating the ability of a player whose father, Prince- ton, ‘04, was an All-American back and has the frame of a truck horse and is sit- ting next to you costs five weeks in the hospital. Inability to return to your seat at the start of the sec- ond half is punishable by hav- ing your girl go to the tea dance with some one else. Slamming the man in the Sweet Young Thing (as the boy friend fumbles): Goony! Goopy! HE DROPPED IT. NOW THEY WON’T ALL JUMP ONTO HIM. able by having some one else do it for you, John C, Emery. Near Enough AWYER (to somewhat il- + literate J Approximatel were you s} fendant? Witness (bewildered): Approx—! Appr—! Va Lawven (understand- ingly): Well, now, about how long were you speaking to the defendant? Witness: Oh! — Fifteen, aybe more, minutes. Lawyer: About were you speaking? : Aha! wish witness): how long aking to the de- what You mean N every one of our univer- sities, there are a number of aggressive, clean-cut young men who are diligently work- ing their dads through college. comicbooks.com