Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-18
NEW FOOT BALL LEAGUE
Formed at Watervillc. Saturday, With Every
Prospect for Success.

terscholastfc Foot Ball League, SATURDAY
afternoon. an important step was taken
in the purity of school athletics. by Keep
ing them strictly in the amateur Class
and at the same time the Maine Inter
scholastic Athletics Association was
formed. , -,
Five years ago. steps were taken by
those interested in pure amateur athieti:
sports in the State to form a league 81
the foot ball teams in schools and acad
emies. Two leagues were formed, one the
senior and the other the junior iea8ue.
in foot ball matters was on between Ban =
COR and Portland. So great was the
rivalry that either team made no bones
about working post graduate players into
The school simply To take foot ball
course. The result was that whiie the
patrons of the games were favored with
unusual sport. yet there was great ueil
Of feeling among the different schools. IN
nearly every school of prominence IN Inc
State il was openly whispered that me
teams were paying certain players COM
cash for going 10 school during the 1901
ball season.
Certain rules were adopted that no man
should play on the teams unless ne Was
taking a certain number of studies. ne
result was that there was more doom
keeping and penmanship taught in me
State than at any other time during the
year. !,
gan 10 lag from the element Of profes-
sionalism. and some of the. teams were ~
hard financial shedding. The leagues dled
out and since that time. although spas
mOdic efforts have been made 10 revive
the leagues. there have been no definite
results.
citation took hold of the matter and al
vanced the idea of forming Maine In
terscholastic Athletic Association. The
matter was placed in the hands OF com
mitfce of which John +. Nelson. principal
of the Watervilie High school, was
member and the matter was practically
offered a pennant 10 the winning eleven
The idea then was to form Il league
among he High schools In the STATE
AS soon as the summer vacation had
progressed Principal Nelson began 70
send gu. letters TO the IlHtrchl liisu
schools. with the result that Il mce'las
was held a The High Scno"i m tiil9 80
Saturday afternoon. flve schools "cie
represented by delegates anu one Dy ict
Ter Those represented by delegates Wtrr
Auburn. Lewiston, brunswick. Gardner
and Waterville Bangor sent letter
stating that IL would To- Impossible l'
send a delegate but that they would Ilkt
to be- in the league.
but few II any OF IN" delegates had am
idea Of what would bc done "T hn" i9
"a IN work Anticipating this, Principal
Eelsnn had drafted a set Of BY laws and
constitution He explained tnat the del
gates need not feel obliged - adopt thr
cons titution, but that ne had l'Iin'u n
simply as guide board.
When the bylaws ana constitution was
read the delegates We're so iaN"rab'E I'm
pressed thai they At "nc" ad9p'rd u
after each point had been fully discussed
Even with everything prepared u was not
until after in the evening that the meet
ing was adjourned.
Under tn. bylaws and constitution
adopted provisions are made that ~ prr
son shall play on the team wh" ls MOI =
legitimate student in the school "hlth AL
team represents: that no on" v h" mas no.
a satisfactory standing ~ TN sluuIt
shall play on the cleyens; thLl edch stu
dent shall take. AZ the t!rlr nc lH ria!lh
three or more studies IN NJ s'h'Ql couiS'
that no post graouttc u4ratS Nhah play
on he teams: and that no player Snail
receive compensation fur playing fu
Their that before tatn anu rIrr! h %a,.
played, papers certifying to the AopS'
facts signed ~ tAr principals 81 n
schools the teams .'p:cSent ahd IA ln,,
managers ana captains oT eaCh team Shd.t
h. exchange w tine managers and cap
tains; that i'll case ans team refuses - I
produce such pai.!.a that team snail Tor
felt the game ana further ~ expciIeH
There was some objection on the part
of one representative to Complying win
AN th. articles If the constitution. but n
finally agreed with the other representa-
tiyes and the constitution was signed ana
agreed to by all the delegates. one OF
the greatest objections was made 10 tht
scholarship requisite. The objection -
that was that a man could be a gJ9d 1901
BAH player even if he was not in line tor
a part at the graduation. Those in favor
Of the constitution held that no man who
cn,iI MOI keep un in his studies had :.
right 10 play foot ball. as he Was not a (
FAIR representative Of the school.
When the constitution had been adopted
these officers were elected President. W.
q Clement Edward Little, Auburn: vice
nresiIant r. A. Stetson. Bruins @ick: hon
orary vice president. John II. Nelson.
principal WatvrVille High; secretary. {.
II. Haley. Gardner.
The. executive committee is 10 be- made
up Of the managers " each school team
represented in the league. In ease ~
disDute the managers OF the dlSputnS
teams shall not for the time being De
members Of the executive committee.
The first game l. 70 he pa! eu- cct. -
this being according to the schedule made
nrt. Two - hedules were made out. one
Including Bangor. in case that team eu
ters the leasae. ana ne othcr Wl t.t,,I.,
Bangor. This gives each team 4 game
each with tEc other teams in the league.
Provisions are made by WhiCh any
school may enter the league. In tact CIR
cui;,r letters We're sent ~ tach HlSh
scnuc, III iho State that il was though
would he liable To enter the ltdsut.
Through the formation of the foot bdu
league the lntersCholastic Athletic AsSn
cintijn i formed. The base ball league
was formed in the spring ana with the ~
derstandinG that ii a foot ban league
were formed in the fail The whole should
be merged int" one larger assoclauG.i'
Both steps have now been taken ana thr
The nennant. this year. IL 10 he fur
nishpd by Colby. Later ii other colleges
care TO offer remnants the schools VIII
contest for them. The main object Of the
league is that when the season u OWL Il
definite idea may be gained from the facts
of the case which team is entitled to the
claim OF champions