Eliot was an educator and the president of Harvard from 1869 to 1909. Under his administration, Harvard developed from a small college with attached professional schools into a great modern university. Several notable reforms were introduced during his tenure: the elective system was extended, the curriculum was enriched, written exams became mandatory, and the faculty was enlarged. Eliot opposed football and tried unsuccessfully to abolish the game at Harvard. Why did he object to the sport? Discuss