The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-26

First News
than from the sporting element, the
habitues Of the saloons, the cigar stores
and the gambling dives, now langulsh-
ing under the lid. Minneapolis has
had wave of municipal reform. The
city conscience has been exercised, and
vice in it's manifold forms has been
driven from the town, or suppressed
beyond the reach of the novice. There
are no curb men who now even dare to
announce in whisper chance games
going on inside, yet when the dignity
Of university is loaned to the prac-
tice Of betting, thousands Of dollars
are openly wagered in public on the
results of the larger games. Operators
on the board of trade boasted to me
of betting money on local and outside
college teams, and cigar dealer on
principal street exhibited a showcase
Of large capacity that had been filled
with bills put up on a big game. 1t
is public knowledge that football gam
blers need fear no municipal ban.
''This is all part Of the Minnesota
system of athletics, product Of her
alliance with commercial Minneapolis.
| Gays 1Ady04S AAeaAo d 1A44AAAAS.
"That this gambling spirit, accentu-
sted by the hunger for victory, has
exerted itself upon the. student body,
and even cultivated callous conscience
among the players, is proven by the
notorious gambling sell, in connection
with the Beloit game in 1908. At that
time, thru wagers with sporting men
about the city, who were allowing ten
touchdowns for Minnesota, Jimmie ,
Irsfeld and Earl Luce, who played
quarterback and end in this game, act
ing on almost certain knowledge of
what the exact score would be, made a
killing Coach Williams, who has ad-
mitted the truth on this account, had
instructed the team to make certain
score and then practice place kicks.
The information was enough for a safe
bet, and the money Of the players was
placed, together with that of several
students. The cry of unfair play
from the gamblers went up, but &C al
loused collegiate conscience suffered no
pang." 81
, Grsfeld says the statement that he bet
on this game is absolute falsehood. Dr.
Williams says he himself never "ad
mittel the truth of this account. ~
Discussing the employments Of spies
Mr.. Jordan charges that Walter Page
. was employed to spy on Northwestern
at Evanston last year and that his ex
penses were paid by the Minnesota ath
letic board. He also charges that Rob
inson( Minnesota substitute, was
caught spying at Madison i'm 1908, ant
} was thrown into the lake by the irate
) badgers. =
Jumps on Conference Rules.
Mr.. Jordan's article closes with tn,
, discussion Of the conference rules, H,
1 says: -.'.. i -.
}. "Arbitrary rules, one after the other
/ are sanctioned by the conference, bu,
the desire for victory remains as in
tense and the means Of evasion become
> more subtle. There is space for but
l one pointed illustration. 'Pudge' Hef
felfnger, the famous old Yale guard
: and an assistant coach at Minnesota
$ was commenting upon the decision Of
l Professor G. A. Waldo of Purdue, wht
declared Percy Brush, the Minnesota
l tackle, to be in legitimate standing il
'college athletics after he had partici
pated for four years at Manchester col
lege. The arbitrator is accorded
power by the conference which allow
him to designate an institution, a col
1 lege athletically' or college academi
cally.' that no injustice may be don
by the four-year eligibility rule. Hef
felfnger said: Il am disgusted wit
the Brush decision. Percy Brush is
: man who should never play on the Min
! nesota team as long as we have COT
n ference rules. These faculty men i!
y the conference have established 10
k Of rules, and now they are trying t
10 find a means to evade them. This ide
= of making distinction between a
n academic and an athletic college is a.
<, pure rot. These fellows are so Graz
t. to win that they forget what college
r are established for I consider this dt
It cision the worst blow yet given t
n amateur athletics. Manchester collee
is just as much of an athletic colleg
ID as Minnesota. Such decisions will ope
N up a field for proselyting coaches ths
IS will be unlimited'' ."
"a "President James Wallace of Caca
a. ester college declares the Brush deci
Is ion to be 'another illustration of tt
10 deceitful and scandalous methods tn;
IL are being pursued by college athlet
W authorities to creep around rules whie
10 L, they have made for themselves TT
"a "a statement Of 'Pudge' Heffelfnge
!" coming from an old player and coac
involves confession and charge th
" " is powerful. It should settle itself
y, the mind Of Minnesota, arouse her al
- her rivals to a comprehension of pra
~ tices that are leading to crisis. Wht
", coaches begin to talk of the ridiculo
fl extremes to which faculty men a
- going Just to win,' it would see
that the present voluntarily ignora;
attitude on the part Of faculties wou
nd become unpopular. !.
re "Victory that is gained thru met
mt DDS displeasing even to the rather cs
a loused conscience of football coa
;1v should not be the solitary athletic al
ye of college. It would appear possib
Pa that it will yet devolve upon t
rn coaches to summon up courage enou,
an to save sane and sensible football
tal task which, thus far, neither facul
ad nor president has dared to undertake.