The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-01-12

Harvard College, Cam bridge, January 10.
To Mr.. Charles Z. Donahue, Manager
Portland High School Football Team:
Dear Sir:-Having learned by newspa-
per dispatches that "the, Boston donors
of the NILS. A.A. pennant we're con-
WINGED of the validity of Portland's
claim. and had allowed the pennant
to 90 to Portland, saw Messrs. Wright
& Ditson, the donors, and learned from
them that they, guided by the associa-
iton. would not award the pennant they
had offered. They had, how
ever, receiv we'd letter from you, as the
manager of the Portland High School
team, asking the price OF pennant, and
later Portland gentleman bought at
half price the pennant which was In
tended for the NJ. /. S. A. A. championship.
They had expected to keep it until an
other year, but there was danger from
moths. You, no doubt, have perfect
right to buy any pennant you may wish,
but caution you as an associate school
of the Nj. l. S. A. A, against receiving or
making any ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PEN
nant purporting to be trophy or en-
blem of championship of the NJ. IS. A.
a. or M.I.S.F.B.A. am very sorry
that Portland has broken the agree
ment made at Augusta December 22d,
and that it is necessary to reopen the
case.
At the advice of certain.rss Boston men
the pennant was awarded to Portland.
Bangor then entered a protest, and
conference was held at Augusta to adj
lust the matter, and to avoid, If posi-
BILE, long fight before the executive
committee and the association. AT this
conf srence, between Portland, Bangor,
and the association, certain facts came
to light which very naturally affected
Portland's claim. The penDant had
been awarded on the face of the returns
to Portland, who had now won two
regular games, while Bangor had won
one. 1t appeared at the conference, how
ever, that Bangor had won another
game with Watervil1e), which had been
thrown out on technical point, and
through no fault of Bangor; also that
Bangor had tried to play Cony, her only
available association opponent, and
claimed credit for a vic tory, according to
three points were expressly and definite
Iy admitted by you for Portland at the
conference):
lst.-That it had been officially under
stood between Portland and Bangor that
the Portland-Bangor series were to be
pennant games by mutual consent. even
though the papers were not made out.
and, That you, the manager of the
Portland team, had stated that it was
lust as we'll that the papers had not
been made out, as aside from the Ban
gor games, Portland was sure of the
pennant This was your excuse for ne
gleoting the papers.
3rd,-That the third Baugor-Portland
game was called within three minutes of
time, not on account Of darkness, but
really because the Portland management
was unable to keep the crowd back far
enough for playing to continue, lowing
to confessed poorss arrangement on your
part in providing:sfor police.
Although Bangor had very strong
claim for the pennant, and was clearly
champion, being the uDdefeated champi-
on of the previous year, and EayiDg
shown superiority to Portland, she con-
sented TO withdraw her claim, feeling
that it would be best for amateur ath-
Ietics not to award the pennant at all.
Regretting :sthat Portland's attitude
has made it necessary for me to state the
facta. so unfavorable to Portland, which
brought about the compromise, and
warning you that this fragrant breach of
faith on Portland's part nullifies the
Augusta agreement, and now leaves Ban
COR free to claim the championship,
which she thus SO gracefully consented
to waive for the good of amateur and
school athletics, I remain
Very respectfully, yours,
(Signed)
FRANCIS WOODBRIDGE,
President Maine Inter-Scholastic Ath-
letic Association.