Harper's Round Table, September 8, 1896

by Various

(6.) If he plays very high, try ducking under his arm occasionally.

(7.) Strike your opponent on either shoulder; the one struck will either give way or meet you. If he does the former, you have the flat side of his body exposed; if the latter, the outer arm is exposed.

(8.) Catch him by the shoulder and twist him around. "Fox" your opponent. Keep him guessing as to what you will do next.

(9.) Rolling around opponent is sometimes used, but is a blind sort of method, and not of much use.

Tackling.—The object in breaking through is to tackle the runner behind his own line. Once let him reach the line, and he is bound to gain something. Tackle him behind the line, before his interference can get formed and well started, and he is bound to lose ground. There are two kinds of tackling—the lift tackle, and the dive tackle. The lift tackle is made by getting under the runner, or at least within reaching distance, pinning his knees together, and pulling his feet from under him, or, better, lifting him up and throwing him backwards. See Fig. 6.

The dive tackle is used almost entirely to down the runner in the open. Where the runner has any considerable territory, it is, in fact, about the only way to reach him. This tackle is made by leaving the ground, the same as a swimmer makes a dive into the water. The aim should be just below the hips. In that case the tackler is almost sure to reach the knees, because the runner is moving in the opposite direction. The tackler should be sure to get his arms well around the runner to prevent his hurdling, or twisting out of them. The dive tackle may be made in any direction. The straightaway dive is made when the runner is going in the same direction as tackler. The tackler should, in that case, chase the runner to within about his length, then take a sudden spring into him, getting his arms well around the runner. He has simply to hold on, dragging like an anchor, and the struggle or impetus of the runner in the opposite direction brings him down. In making the side dive tackle the tackler should dive so as to get his head and shoulders in front of the runner, or across the line of his direction, and get his arms well around him, then rolling over so that his body or chest shall impede the runner's progress if he should shake him. See Fig. 12.

Avoiding Injuries.—Injuries in football result either from unnecessary roughness or accident. Those resulting from the former may be easily eliminated. No school or college should allow a man who cannot control his temper, and who is not a gentleman, to represent it upon an eleven. The slugger or vicious player is of absolutely no use to a team. A man cannot play his game and play his opponent at the same time. He necessarily neglects his team-work, and reduces the strength of his own side by one. In other words, he is worse than a passenger. Keep such men off the team, and there will be no more injuries from brutality. As to the latter class of injuries, those resulting from accident, the writer has always thought that the beginner or young player might be, and ought to be, taught what the older player acquires by experience—the art of self-protection.

The first thing a player should do in order to avoid accident is to begin training early; get into good condition early, and keep so. Careful attention should be paid to football clothes. An effusion upon the elbow or water on the knee is often the result of not having sufficient padding on the elbows or knees. A dislocated shoulder or collar-bone often comes from lack of pads over the shoulder. A sprained ankle may be avoided by having well-fitting shoes, and keeping them well cleated. Shoes should have new cleats at least once in every two weeks.

Injuries resulting from interference, from being knocked over by an interferer, may be avoided by keeping the body angular, well forward, and arms extended so as to ward off the blocker whose business it is to put you out of the way. Never let an interferer touch you. Keep him off by using your arms. Injuries from mass plays may be avoided by never allowing such a play to reach you on your feet. If it does you are bound to go over on your back or be doubled up under it. Dive into it before it reaches you with your head and shoulders, and then hug the ground flat. Do not attempt to stop a mass play by standing up against it.

There is another class of injuries from tackling. The man doing the tackling will avoid injury by making his tackle sure and breaking his fall with the man tackled. If others pile on, he should remember to keep his feet and legs behind him. The runner need not be hurt if he will fall forward and upon the ball when he is thrown. It is only the man who is thrown backwards who is likely to be hurt.