The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1902-12-26
UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

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| UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
There promises to be more thor
ough campaign during the next few
months by western universities for
athletic material in the prep" schools
| than was ever before known. For
years the alumni of eastern large uni
| versities, who have moved to the west,
have been urging the leaders in col
lege athletics to exhibit more solicit
tude for the prep boy" In some in
stances the leaders in football and
track athletics in the big western uni
versities have held back with the re-
mark that it did not seem legitimate
to go out among the preparatory
schools with a lasso to get material.
But the light is breaking in on all
of the directors of athletics. The Uni
versity of Chicago, through Coach
| Stage, has announced it's intention to
wage competition for material. Cor
respondence bureaus will be estab-
lished in other universities and an eff
fort will be made to accomplish as
much as the enthusiastic alumni of the
eastern institutions do for their alma
matters. The ethical situation has been
thoroughly canvassed, and the most
exacting critics no longer hold that it
| is reprehensible to use every legiti-
mate means of persuasion to induce
| young athlete to attend university
where his athletic merit may help out
track team, baseball nine or football
eleven. missionary work" is what
Trainer Conibear, of the University of
Illinois, calls it, and he has done
enough of it to warrant the assertion
that the Illini field and track athletes
next season will be prominent enough
to sweep away many points not only
in dual meets, but in the annual con-
| ference meet.
So many of the most promising foot
ball men have been lost to the big
nine" teams that the coaches will be
| called upon to do a little scouting
themselves. The recent championship
contest between the Brooklyn Poly
technic high school eleven and Hyde
Park high school eleven, champions of
their respective territories, although
the "Polys' were beaten in 1902, while
the Hyde Parkers were undefeated in
their class, is regarded as an opening
wedge for future East-West champion
ships. The college men are delighted
over the arrangement of the contest,
and expect much good will come from
! it.
One of the most widely discussed
prep boys in the west played in this
contest-Capt. Walter Eckersall, of
Hyde Park. Three big universities
Wisconsin, Michigan and Chicago, are
planning to get the young athlete,
heady captain and speedy quarterback,
to say nothing of his punting abilities.
1t looks as if Eckersall would wait I'M
til he can deliberate over the several
advantages to be gained and take the
university that will offer the best
chances for degree and the widest
latitude in the athletic world. Chi
cago has the inside track, although
Eckersall has given Michigan consid-
cradle encouragement. The schools
that fail to get him among the new tai
ent next season will advance the argu-
ment that there are few instances in
the west where the prep schools
have continued their brilliancy when
planted in the university orbits. Ralph
Hamill and Bert Ahlswede are we'll
known exceptions, as are also Art Cur
tbs, the former Wisconsin captain, and
others whose names have become
gridiron memories. The cold, sober
truth is that this is going to be hard
winter for the men of the universities
who are going to drum up talent from
the prep" schools. The promising
athletes will profit by the campaign,
will be more than ordinarily alert to
but the faculty board of the big nine''
keep out all traces of professionalism
E. G. WESTLAKE.
Development of German TogoIand.
During the years 19O0-1901 Togo
land may be said to have been fair
| 1xy DrocparouS The ayport Of ,,aI,,