The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-21
IN A FOOTBALL ROW.
Kansas Men on Pennsylvania Eleven
Under Fire.

Cambridge, Mass, Dec. 21.-Results
of this years football games are likely
to have an effect upon intercollegiate
athletics totally unlocked for. It has
made Harvard see that Princeton, and
not the University of Pennsylvania, is
the logical third in the big triangle and
viii possibly bring about the severance
OF football relations with the QuakerS.
For Justification of such an action Har-
ward would have to make public certain
documents now in her possession which
it is said, conclusively prove that Penn
sylVania has been playing upon her
eleven men who have had more than
the limit Of four years experience in
intercollegiate football
The first case is that of Overfield- He
came from MeshOppen, Pa, and is a,
graduate of a normal school, where he
made his reputation as a football play
er- He is the person who attempted to
get the ball after the game with Har-
ward on Franklin field. His career at
the University of Pennsylvania has
been varying, and he has figured as a
special or regular student in almost ev-
cry department of the institution. He
has not spent more than one year irs
any of these and this raised a serious
doubt whether he was a bona fide stu
dent
Within a few weeks after entering
college he appeared in the best Of
clothes, which, he said, were the pres
ent of the alumni
The second case is that of McCrack-
en-. He is from Sterling, Kan, and his
course has been most regular. But it
has been attested by no less an author
ity than Secretary Polk, Of the Univers-
ity of Kansas, that he took part in reg
ular intercollegiate sports at Lawrence,
Kan, prior to his entrance at Pennsyl-
Vania- He then represented Cooper
Memorial college.
Shrotly after he entered the Philadel-
phia institution, having taught school
meanwhile. The rules require that be-
fore representing a university in ath-
letics a student must have resided for
one academic year in the university as
d regular student.
This disquaIifies McCracken on two
counts, it is claimed, for his name does
not appear in the Penn catalogue for
the first year C96-'9O that he spent at
that place, yet the very next he played
against Harvard and he was also on
the regular football eleven in other
games.
AS on the testimony of Secretary
Polk he was in intercollegiate sports at
least one season prior to that of '96-'97
and as he played on the Penn team eV-
cry season since, this past year makes
his fifth at least in such sports. And
that is one more than the agreement
with Harvard allows.
In the case of Outland, a resident of
Glen Elder, Kan, whose residence, by
the way, has been changed at least once
since he entered Penn, his course of
study has been almost as wild as that
of Overfeld. Outland has played three
authorities were able to obtain from
Secretary Polk a statement that he
played one year on the University of
Kansas team. Outland, it is said, play
ed at least one year on the team of u
college in Iowa prior to his playing
on that of the University of Kansas.
This would make the present season his
fifth at least. And that is one more
that the agreement with Harvard al
lows.
The proof of this is said to have been
furnished in a signed statement by Ed
win NJ. Wilson, to whom Outland ad-
mitted the truth and who is a member
of the faculty of the HaverfOrd college
grammar school. Mr.. Wilson will make
affidavit to this and says Outland will
not deny it's truth.
The result of all this is that negotia-
tiOns are now pending secretly for a
game between Harvard and Princeton
next year. And that may mean that
Penn will not soon again play with the
crimson, the blue or the orange and
black.