When Theodore Roosevelt Saved Football Analysis

According to the article, “when Theodore Roosevelt saved football” written by Bruce Watson, Roosevelt’s intervention help changed the rules of football to make it safer. Football is considered a dangerous sport and has caused severe injuries to players and even death. Football was becoming corrupted, players started hurting others to stop them from playing for good. President Roosevelt realized football was turning into a problem, with the request of the headmaster, he decided to get more involved. Roosevelt first attempt to saving football was a meeting with the coaches and directors of Yale, Princeton, and Harvard to confer the brutality of football. The first attempt was ineffective due to the fact that the coaches of Yale, Princeton, and

Harvard argued the nature of the game and rules were made to be rough. The violence prolonged, more players were killed while playing football. The controversy continued as coaches of different colleges wanted to ban the game. Roosevelt stayed persistent, he used the controversy to his advantage and demanded punishment to cheating and attacks on the players. While at the Army-Navy game, Roosevelt conversed rule changes with Woodrow Wilson and other officials. As a result the NCAA was formed to make changes that will save football and players lives. Later that year, major changes were made, first downs had changed to 10 yards to avoid collisions amongst players. Gang tackling was also not permitted on the field.