The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-06
PACE IS TOO FAST
Prof. Smith Of Iowa Deplores Craze
for Victory in College
Athletics.
Says Present Situation Is Not Nor.
mal-Suggests Amendments
toithe Rules.

Professor Arthur G.. Smith, a member
OF the Iowa board Of control and until
last year presidential the athletic council,
suggests some changes in the present rules
governing the amateur standing of the
athletes. Professor Smith believes the
rules might be modified to permit any
bona-fde student taking full work to con-
test for the varsity. He also thinks
athletics might be bettered by removing
the admission fee to the games. II q
Protessor smith suggests code Of four
rules in regard to eligibility. In substance
these rules are the same as those proposed
recently by Former Manager McCutcheon
OF Iowa, whose views upon this subject
Were printed in T he j ournal of a
week ago. Briefly, the four laws are:
First, each, player must be bona-fide
student doing full work That is to say,
every athlete must keep up to the stand
ard In his class work during the time he
IS playing on his team, as we'll as at other
times. Second, a player must receive no
remuneration from any source for his
services on an athletic team. Third, no
man must compete more than four years
m the aggregate. Fourth, any candidate
Tor, a#cOllege team must have been a resi-
dent student doing full work for year.
I IN support of his proposed code, Pro-
lessor Smith voices some exceedingly per-
.tinent5 comments upon latter-da college
athletics He says: i,
2 Situation Not Healthy. 3
There is at the present time preva-
lent feeling that the athletic situation in
the colleges of the country is not nor
NAL and healthy one.
1.-The root and stock Of impurity in ath-
letics at the present time is the one idea
in the minds seemingly Of all, from the
faculty to the water boy at the game
that 1t is winning the game only that
counts. To the dictum of the wise man
OF old, that many compete and only one
winneth the prize has to-day been added:
and the. loser ought to be damned. -
5Hlgh-priced coaches are, hired. The
annual stock of high-school graduates is
;culled over by coaches and managers like
high priced tllorcughbreds ut 4 stock sale.
The strenuous. almost morbid, craving for
victory has given rise to a host Of un-
healthy conditions tx; !
when a representative of one team
will consent to act as spy upon another,
tit is time we should feel that the price
paid in :; loss of moral honor, of true
craftsmanship, is too high. The pace is
too: fast. :" = ..&<a~s' ( - .y'<
;, 'rnThe question is whether the present
rules apply to present conditions, regard
less of where the rules originated. Few
candid thinkers will deny that in a gen
eral way any student in college primarily
for study, and who is carrying out his
:dea, should be eligible to the athletic
tear1s of his college. &c.. :.
do not bar this man from a team be-
cause four years ago he participated in
a fat mans race and then play a man
who, during his last year in preparatory
school has been negotiating with the va
rioUs managers, trying to get something
on the side for playing upon the team.
Which of these two men is the real pro-
fessional? g. s.....ii.. :, : -, : :. 80: :
I'VE want the amateur in spirit, not
lack Of opportunity to become profess
sional. .:::- - - =. .-/
| while these rules would mot eliminate
all technical professionalism, yet they will
e]most, entirely remove the real profcs-
sional spirit and leave the amateur in
truth.
Zone more suggestion I would like to
make. 1T is this query: Would not,4the
ceasing to charge gate receipts, accom- :
plish almost everything dcsired?''