" I wonder if I'll get just one more headline in The Oregonian, as I did so often years ago," whispered Royal F. Niles, known a few
seasons ago to a multitude of northwest football followers as "Tubby" Niles, Whitman college fullback, as he lay on his deathbed a few
days ago. "Tubby" Niles died at the home of his brother, Ralph W. Niles, in Oregon City Sunday night. Over this story is the
headline it was his last wish that he might have.

"Tubby" Niles was one of the gamest and greatest fullbacks that ever played in the Pacific northwest. Through four seasons, 1910,
1911, 1912 and 1913, his name was often on the sports pages for his wonderful playing. And each of those four seasons he was elected
on the All-Northwest football team, one year as its captain. That year every writer in the northwest was unanimous in giving him the
honor.

He weighed in those days between 185 and 190 pounds. He followed Vincent Borleski as a super-star in Whitman college football, but
he would have been a star on any football eleven in the world. Playing always on a light eleven against heavier opponents, his
terrible line plunging never has been surpassed.

But when he died the "Tubby" of those days had fallen off in weight until he was a pitiful shadow of the once great athlete.
Tuberculosis was the cause. He contracted the disease as the result of influenza while with the American expeditionary forces in
France.

Niles enlisted in the army December 10, 1917. He became ill with influenza on the army transport taking him to France with the
31st field artillery in 1918. He didn't have much of a temperature and the hospitals were all crowded, so he slept with his comrades
in the mud. Tuberculosis was the price to him of this neglect. When he was discharged in February, 1919, his voice had gone so that
he could speak only in a husky whisper. He sank from then until his death Sunday, at the age of 32 years.

Since the death of his mother a month ago, the end had come fast. His brother Eugene said yesterday that his greatest comfort was
The Oregonian, especially the sports pages, which he read and re-read. For the past month he had been unable to read himself, so each
morning his brother, always turning first to the sports news, read to him every story in the paper.

It was just a few days before his death, when he realized that he was sinking fast, that he expressed the hope that his name might
be in one more headline of the paper that so often had chronicled his athletic feats in years gone by.

The funeral will be held this afternoon from the First Congregational church in Oregon City.

Royal F. Niles, familiarly known by his friends as "Tubby" Niles, died at the family home near Mount Pleasant, about two miles from
Oregon City, Sunday night. Niles answered his country' call during the world war. It was while he was a member of the 8th brigade of
artillery and on board the transport Mongolia, that he was stricken with influenza. Just as he was recovering from the disease he
arrived at Brest, France. Here he was obliged to sleep in poorly constructed headquarters and to undergo many hardships which helped
to weaken his condition.

Niles received his discharge form the service on February 20, 1919. After his discharge he returned to Oregon City, where he had
since resided at the Niles country home.

He was born in Portland December 20, 1888, and at the age of 1 year his parents moved to Walla Walla, Wash., where he received his
education. He attended and graduated from Whitman college.

After completing his studies at Whitman, Niles engaged in teaching, and was among the leading instructors of the state. Among the
places where he taught were at Marshfield, Klamath Falls, and La Grande. It was while engaged in teaching that he was called to the
colors.

Niles was a member of the Congregational church. He is survived by tow brothers, Ralph W. Niles, employe of the Oregon City
postoffice, and Eugene B. Niles of Coburg, Or.

His mother, Mrs. Jennie Vinson Niles, died in Oregon City, November 6, 1920. Niles was the nephew of Mrs. E. J. Swafford of Salem.

The body is at the Holman & pace undertaking parlors. Funeral services will be held at the Congregational church in this city,
tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock. Rev. Herbert Crocker, pastor, will officiate. As Niles was a member of the Willamette Falls
post, American Legion, the organization will assist at the funeral services, and the young ex-soldier will receive a military burial.
Interment will take place in Mountain View cemetery.