Campbell, All-American in '02, Prefers Razzle-Dazzle Style

David C. Campbell '02, thrice All-American end who captained the 1901 football team that climaxed a season of 12 straight victories with a 22 to 0 defeat of Yale, said yesterday that in his opinion the wide-open game is superior to the old game of mass formations and "quarterback under."

Formerly a coach here under several different regimes, Campbell is now in charge of Hemenway Gymnasium.

He is not one to sigh for the good old days of bonecrushing flying wedges. The introduction of the forward pass and the development of the lateral has made football far more interesting for both players and spectators he said.

Football Tougher in 1901

"Football was simpler, but tougher, in my time," Campbell stated. "We couldn't throw forwards, and didn't Garo use laterals. Straight line plays were the whole story. And when you got hurt, you either kept on playing, or the team had to get along without you."

The 1937 team, Campbell said, was probably the best since the War and the introduction of the wide-open game. "Dick Harlow did a superb job with almost no natural material."

Modern All-American teams cannot possibly represent the best players in the country, Campbell stated. "When I played, football was just barely starting in the West and South. Now selectors have to take into consideration hundreds of teams all over the country. Naturally, they're bound to overlook good men in small colleges."

Professional football will never supplant college games in popularity, Campbell predicted. "The tradition and atmosphere of college games draws the crowds as much as the playing itself," he said.