23 NOVEMBER 1951, Page 5

The spectacle of the Society of Friends applying its principles

to football has more than a passing interest. The story is told by the New York Herald-Tribune of last Monday, under the heading SWARTHMORE WINS GRID CLASH WITH SPORTSMANSHIP COUNTING The " clash " was between the two Quaker colleges of Swarth- more and Haverford (at the latter, incidentally, the late Minister of Fuel and Power received part of his education), both of them situated in the neighbourhood of Philadelphia. It was a two- fold contest, points being awarded in the usual way for actual scores, and separately for " sportsmanship," which included, it is stated, " such items as respect for official authority, bench conduct [this leaves me perplexed], player conduct, fan conduct, mental poise under pressure and physical fitness at the end of the game." On this basis Swarthmore scored 45 points' (out of 50) to Haverford's 43. The result might have been different if two Haverford fans had not so far forgotten themselves as to rush out on to the field at one point and shout at the referee.