The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-11-26
FOOTBALL IS not
FOR FRESHMEN
BIG NINE CONFERENCE RULES
OUT FIRsT-YEAR MEN.
Coaches, However, May Try Out New
Men in First Three Practice Games
Without It's Counting as Year Of
Play Against the Men-Raised
Ratings for Carlisle and Haskell.

The big nine conference, by formal VOTE yes-
terday afternoon, barred freshmen from, foot.
ball. thereby virtually limiting the play of "a
student to three years. The action was taken
by the faculty representatives and in Chicago
is generally condemned. The Chicago authori-
ties hold that it will result in driving western
athletes to the eastern schools and will be a
blow to western football. Minnesota and Iowa
stood out against it to the last, but the other
representatives favored 1t and pushed it thru.
One Important ruling was made at the sug-
gest1on. of Dean Jones Of Minnesota. 1t was to
the effect that coach may try out new men
In the first three practice games of the season
and this will not count "year Of play
against the candidate. This Is virtual vindi-
cation Of Nose Strathern.
The practice Of protesting players at the
eleventh hour was frowned upon by the com.
mittee and 1t was restated in the conference
that no protests should be filed within two
weeks before games, at least While this is
not rule, as near as can be learned it ap-
pears to be regarded unwritten law Of
the body. In discussing the Strathern case, un-
officially, members Of the conference were out
spoken In condemning Northwestern's course,
but none cared to go record in the matter.
The conference, after deciding to rate all
schools and colleges according to the report of
the United States commissioner of education,
took 1t into their heads to do little. regulat-
ing themselves. They raised Haskell and Carl
isle to the grade Of colleges. This will cut of
johnson, Northwestern's quarterback, and Cayou
of Illinois Hereafter year Of play in Haskell
or Carlisle counts the same as it would in q
conference team.
To the outside observer the big nine confer
ence conveys the impression of meeting OF
gentlemanly sharks. Each college is repre-
sented by its most diplomatic gentlemanly,
suave and far-seeing professor who knows ath-
letics The meeting is a grave, courteous and
word of each member is accepted without ques-
ton, but whenever resolution is offered it Is
promptly skinned alive.
Each man looks under the surface, turns
h eiI
before he lets it get by him. Every new rule
offered is looked upon a fent-and every
body lodges. Every man on the conference
cretly thinks that the others are out to "do''
him and his school, On the surface all is as
serene as meeting of missionary society.
Beneath the surface 1t looks as tho each one Of
these gentlemen fguratively holding bara
low under his coattails simply waiting chance
to stick his fellow. -
There is nothing but courtesy and the best
OF feeling exhibited between the members. It is
even limited that when the verbal brickbats are
Wh1zzing behind the closed doors the smiles
are the most bland and the hardest hit smile
with the greatest unction.
There is growing sentiment of the con.
ference favor1ng the abolishing Of Thanksgiving
Day games. This is reflection of the feeling
In the east and while it was not decided yus-
terday to do away with Thanksgiving games
the sentiment was strongly expressed that it
would be best to do so in year So.
The big Nine" conference is deliberat e
body. 1t is as exclusive as it Is possible for
nine college professors to make it and that ia
considerable. 1t is a dignifed body and should
any attempt to enumerate the degrees pos
sessed by those making up the body the pro-
nunciation of the letters would sound like the
suffering of directory of st. Petersburg,
Russia. The meeting of yesterday was held on
one Of the upper floors of the Chicago Beach
hotel and so interested in the proceedings did
the professors become that they did not des-
cend to material things and luncheon until 80
o'clock. After luncheon they lounged about the
corridors and exchanged cigars and courtesy
until O'clock when they again retired from
the world, not to appear until 8 o'clock. Dur
Ing the afternoon Nebraska applied for admis-
sion to the circle. but this mornings press dis
patches fail to report its admission