New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-05
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
THE HARVARD ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
OFFENDING THE UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE FROM
CHARGES OF CNFAIRNEss.

Offending THE UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE FROM
CHARGES OF UNFAIRNEss.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir In your issue Of June "a was an article entitled
The Dual League and the II. ~ A. This article
contained a number Of mistakes which placed the
athletics Of Harvard in unfortunate and unjust
light. ask your permission to correct these errors.
Your correspondent Colegan7 has attributed to the
Harvard Athletic Association functions which
tiTey foreign IT, and which belong in part TO the
Advisory Athletic COMMITTEES. The Harvard Athletic
Association Familiarity known as the H. A A. is not at
al what your correspondent has described 10 TO be.
The team Of athletes to represent Harvard at the
intercollegiate games every May. together with pres
dent, secretary, treasurer and two stewards from
each Of the four college classes. compose its active
membership. They are all students Of the university
The functions Of this association DO not extend beyond
field and track athletics, and all Their arrangements
subject the approval Of the Advisory Athletic
Committee. which Of three members from the
college faculty, three graduates and three under
graduates.
1t is this committee and not the H. A. A. which has
the general supervision Of all the college athletics
and which your correspondent has severely criticised
under the name of the H. A. A. The formation Of this
committee years ago is due TO the suggestion OF
one Of Harvards best athletes, who saw how uncon-
nected the various branches OF athletics were. The
aim and object Of the committee Is b. further the
interests OF athletics at Harvard but also to keep
tlem within bounds. So that they shall not become
over-impormnt and interfere with studies Every
team captain after making provisional arrangements
for games is required to present his schedule to the
committee for approval before they become final And
far from creating what your correspondent IS pleased
10 call the Dual League the Athletic Committee did
all in its power 10 overcome the late baseball difficulties
with Yale. The root Of the trouble cannot in any
way be laid at the door Of this committee
3 -ff fnn
that this committee is not bureau Of Obstruction
The cancelling q the baseball dates with Princeton
last ,prng is the only instance % its kind IN the
history Of the committee, and then the committee re
quested that other dates be arranged The resignation
Of Harvard from the football leaue year and hall
ago was the action Of mass meeting OF the students
with which the Athletic Committee was in no
wav concerned IN common justice. committee
cannot be called bureau Of obstruction Tor merely
| proposing a change Of dates.
Your correspondent states that the IL A. A., mean
ing the Athletic Committee tore up existing agree
! ments ignoring all but the most prominent Oh teiF
old.time adversaries." This cannot be- for with the
exception Of baseball with Princeton this spring al
arrangements have been adhered TO- He states again
that Harvard sent a challenge 70 Yale, which COMO
not with selfrespect be accepted He seems to have
ignored completely the fact that after Yale had can
celed the baseball dates tdis spring the Athletic Com
mtee sent a committee Of graduates TO meet dele
cation from Yale in order 70 arrive at some a1canie
! arrangement. The Harvard committee admitted that
Harvard had made an in drawing up the agree
| mcnt that possibly Yale did not know Of The
! existence Of the Athletic Committee, and II offered
many and generous terms, which we're all rejected.
The Yale representatives refused 10 consider anything
unless Harvard would first agree 10 play Princeton
But as matters had been already settled WITH Jnat
COLLEGE II became impossible 10 make such con-
cession Consequently after further vain attempts
/ On the part Of the Harvard representatives, the
negotiations were closed. nothing having been accom-
| pshed Furthermore Yale had By that time ar
ranged other games for the dates originally given ID
Harvard such facts do not bear ont the statements
Of your correspondent. either about the desire OF
| Harvard to play by herself about the issuing 81
dsrespectfuI challenges. Another statement Of YOUR
correspondent is that the reason for not playing faie
or Princeton was because Harvard had been beaten by
| them. That IS pure 5upp0ston, and Is contradcte1
by facts besides being contrary 70 al sportsmaalIe
spirit Of which Harv I'd claims fair shane no sUc
idea has had existence In the minds Of Harvard men,
Your correspondent has also made peculiar OBJ
servation about what is known as the New-England
Rule. That IS, that no team can represent h1rVAu
outside Of New England. lie thinks That exception =
made 10 this with the field sports because Harvard
ha, been usually successful i'm that branch OF athletes
and that the rule strictly adhered % in 0theI
! branches because Harvard has been frequently nm
successful in these. The fauacy Of such An ideG IS
shown by the fLcJ that one member ~ tAe AtheJr.
J games could be arranged so that an equal number
/ would be PLAYED in Cambridge OF elsewhere eXctp
tlOn % the rule would gladly be graItcu % Jle oUcl
can further assure Won that no one who has
known the former and the present state 81 Harvard
athletics Will deny that th9 Adyisory 4aetlc CON.
! not been bureau OF obstruction -
! New-Y0rk June %, 1851. HAYWARD