The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-21
WILL PLAY GAME
AT ANN ARB0R
Minnesota Agrees to Change Sug-
gested by Michigan and So
Notifies Wolverines,
Michigan Board Takes a Positive
Stand and Gophers With, 80
draw Opposition.
No Criticism Passed Upon Manager
Luby-Latter Receives Some
Anonymous Epistles.

~o1AJ AAA0uS APAo0ASo'
The western football championship will
be decided at Ann Arbor.
This morning Jay Kennicott, president
of the Minnesota board of athletic con-
troll, wired the Michigan authorities stat
| ing that Minnesota would agree to Ann
| Arbor as the Mace for the Minnesota
Michigan g: n Thanksgiving Day.
The Minnesota Eo>,',I met yesterday aft
| ernoon. and discdaS>9,s nc question Of the
transfer OF the gTiale frusp Detroit. The
| consultation wa %. protraqte ona, and
| Manager Luby addi""N.'ed the boar' 1t
! some length explaini1r the position =;
had taken when at De,y:,it and Arm 81. :
| Dor during the early part of tie weeIk,
i After long discussion pro ans c,,,.
| in which all phases Of the question we're
| carefully considered, the board decided to
stand by DR.. Williams, and express it's
! opinion In favor Of Detroit in a decided
manner. At the same time, 1t was not
| thought by the majority Of the board that
Minnesota, in view of the other interests
affected, should take the position DE
| trOit or no game"
| At the end of the meeting the following
telegram was sent to Manager Baird and
the Michigan board of control.
Have heard Luby's report, and the
Minnesota board Of athletic control is Of
the opinion that the Michigan board of
control should stick by their choice and
play the game at Detroit
Diplomatic Hint.
This was intended not only as an ex-
preston of the attitude Of Minnesota, but
as diplomatic hint that Michigan was
not justified IN changing front at so late
a. day, after voluntarily and spontaneous
ly selecting Detroit
But Michigan was impervious alike to
diplomacy and plain statements of fact
Ti,l,s fr,,, 30, ,x,I
Arbor and considered the protests from
Detroit and Minnesota. In the afternoon
the board had taken a trip to Detroit and
inspected Bennett park, with view to
lascertaining whether it would be possible
to hold the game in that place. The de-
cision was in the negative.
Stands Firm for Ann Arbor.
The Michigan board, accordingly voted
unanimously to hold the game in Ann
Arbor, and made the following statement
Of it's position:
THE board of control of athletics Of the
University of Michigan desires to make
the following statement concerning it's
decision to / We the Minnesota Michigan
football game played on Ferry field in
stead of at Detroit. ~~s~@' r- '.
a~.First-The suggestion that has been
made that this plan is a slur upon De-,
troit might be passed over without com
ment because it can hardly be supposed
that any such intention was even remotely
in the minds of the board. AS a matter
of fact, the members Of the board In this
matter desired only the safety and COM
fort of the patrons Of the game, and were
influenced by the desire to have the game
conducted under the best conditions.
I'VE had not supposed that the civic
pride of a great city like Detroit would
be cut by the decision not to hold foot
ball game there. We must contend that
tl,o 70, tha+. nntrN q
field is perhaps her misfortune, certainly
not our fault
''Second-In reply to the statement that
this was shifted from Detroit to Ann Ar
Dor for purely mercenary. reasons, it
should be said that the matter OF re-
turns-monetary returns was not tax
en- into consideration by the board in
reaching it's decision. We had in mind
only the inadequacy of the Detroit
grounds, and that they were not suited
for taking care of a large crowd who de-
sired actually to see the football con-
test as it ought to be seen.
'Third-That the game was to be played
here to give our team the advantage is
certainly groundless and false. That
fact, if it be. a fact, was not even men
toned and was in no way considered.
Denies Broken Faith.
"Fourth-We have not in any way
broken faith with Minnesota or acted in
an unsportsmanlike manner towards her.
The game, according to contract, was to
be played in either Detroit or Ann Arbor,
and the proposition that it should be
played in Ann Arbor first came from the
Minnesota manager, the official repre-
sentative Of the Minnesota board. He
was entirely suited with the arrange
ment. There has been no stipulation as
to playing on neutral ground. We must
go to Minneapolis to play the return game
next year.
"Fifth-We cannot help saying that we
do not feel that those who state that De-
troit has a right to THIS game are entirely
justified in this assertion. 1t certainly
cannot be called matter of right, what
ever else can be said on this subject. 1t
Is certainly the right of the Michigan
manager to play the game where the most
people can be comfortably accommo dated.
ION the other hand we regret mex
pressibly the fact that by our action we
have the appearance of having disre-
garded the wishes of our alumnI in De-
troit and to be neglectful Of their SYM
pa thies and interests.
"Sixth-We have known since last Sat-
urday that there would probably be
large demand for admittance to the game.
We felt it our duty to arrange matters SO
that"as many people as possible could see
the game in safety and convenience. Many
thousands can crowd into Bennett park,
but. as a matter Of fact. without the ex-
penditure Of a great many thousand dol
lars in the space of a short time, the Ben
nett park grounds cannot be arranged SO
that people can actually, view the contest
in anything like proper fashion. T. =.
Money Not the Consideration.
"These considerations would not have
influenced us If we were DESTROYS simply
Of making money. We could have gone
ahead and packed Bennett park with peo-
pie and taken their money without giving
much, if any, satisfaction to them in
return, We have supposed, however, that
when the citizens from all over the state,
and alumni from the whole northwest, are
DESTROYS of witnessing the contest. we
ought to do what can be done to give such
as come accommodations that will actual
ly allow them to see the game properly.
"Seventh-Finally we have thoroughly
considered this matter in all it's aspects;
we have gone as a body to Detroit to make
personal inspection Of the grounds. 1t
is our conviction that the grounds are I'M
fit for such game as this promises to be
and that we would not be justified in
holding it there. In consequences, the
board has unanimously decided that the
sofa agreed to Ann Arbor.
Board of Control.
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