The Game of Football

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1883, 13 September 1886, Page 2

The Game of Football

To the Editor of the Standard, Sib,— l feel that I mait say a little about the game of football. We have got pait tbe dajs of prize fighting, bat a brutal sport still remains in the game of football. I object to it not because 1 would see our young men give up manly pastimes, bat beoanss this game is fraught with danger to life and limfcw and because it works up to the highest pitch (while the contestants are straggling in the public arena) the passions of the mind. Look at the game played at Masterton on Monday, and say whether it was a game that the whole concourse of spectators applaud, seeing that two of tbe best man were cruelly disabled and rendered unable to follow their occupations for some time. I cry shame on the public for giving their presence to such brutal exhibitions, and I hope the law will yet step in to put a stop to tbe game. Some call it a noble game.” They talk of the “ development of muscular power " iu our young men ; but they forget that many of them are being maimed for life, and nearly all have soars aud bruises of some kind which they will never get rid of. See them on a muddy lieli -what a picture of mud, rags and blood. Why, if our little boys were to go out on a wet day and wrestle alter some tov they would be soundly thrashed and sent to bed without any sapper. Then look at the he»p of muddy and ton clothes. Who does the washing ami mending ? The hard worked wife or mother, or perhaps sisters. Yes, it is here again that the “ noble game " shines forth. Tha dirtiest article< in the wash is tbe big boys' togs. Then there is the bathing, bandaging and anointing of the dear fellows’ sprained limbs by tbe uncomplaining but vexed mother or wife.

I also object to the game Uoiuse I see it is the sole topic of conversation among tha young men who have joined these football clubs. They can talk of nothing else, their minds have no growth, no expansion, and they grow into mature years with as much sense in their heads as there is in the hall they kick about the field.

But, tJir. I want to ask yon a question— Can you tell me how it in that the Railway Department can ao insult the pnblie o( the Wairarapa as to put on a special train, on a Sunday too, for fifteen men to come up from Wellington to play a game of football ? Is it not a monstrous piece of business T We in the Wairarapa may beg and pray for au occasional special tram at cheap (area, and we cannot get it sure when there is a football match at either end ct the line This football business rules the Railway Department according to all appearances. If the official* can run a train on a Sunday for a few mad* brained fellows to kick an inllalot ball of leather from one end of a pidb.ck to the other, and try to kill each other into the bargain, why in the came of ail that is just and right do the authorities not tun * special train occasionally, leaving Wellington in the morning aud re.uroing next day, for the good of the public at large. Again, look at the stoppage of basinaes. In each of the townabtps of Wairarapa than waa scarcely any bnaineaa doing on|Monday,beeaaae a large camber had gone to aee the football match—to watch tha ’• fan ’’—the fan of broken and (Drained limbs. Times ars bad eooogb, Ood Knows, and we want a little more sticking to busineas aud leas gallavantiog about by soma people who, by so X>fng j mm othsr people's money, sod let their ‘•usTsess go to wreck. 1 hare spoken plainly, bat ] believe truthfully, and I hope the time is not far distant whan this game wilt be looked upon the same as the priae ring, and tshoosij aooordingly, lam, Ae., _ „ Oommom Susa, Carterton, Sept,