Early deaths and head injuries threatened to get football banned. TR intervened.
http://twofistedreader.com/bookreviews/2013/1/20/jfyxpa29nqhzgrng8amb08i1yb39ov
The Big Scrum by John J. Miller
For most of us, the “old days” of football represent the NFL Films clips from the 1950s and 60s peppered with stories from Art Donovan. Some people can go back to Knute Rockne and Red Grange in the 20s and 30s. But really, American football has existed in one form or another since the 1860s. And it was a bit dangerous. I know with all the talk of concussions today, we think we know what dangerous football looks like. But, the early days of football were like a cross between Gettysburg and the fight from Cannonball Run. The game was nothing like its modern incarnation: it had no downs, no line of scrimmage, no overly sensitive SEC fans, etc. Broken bones were common and there were 18 reported deaths in 1905. John J. Miller, a professor at Hillsdale College ( the most conservative school in America and my sister's alma mater, btw), takes us into Roosevelt's life, his quest to save football and the early days of American sport with this very interesting book.
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