The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-03
CLEAN SPORTS
IN FAVOR WITH
THE ''BIG nine
Conference Shows Discrimination
to NEEDLE With Present
Rules.
Football, Faculty Leaders and
Coaches Say, is a Good
Game.
BY o'Loush!In.

Special to The journal.
Chicago, Dec. 2.-Faculty members
of the "Big Nine' conference are, to
man, in favor of college athletics
Some of them are opposed to intercol-
legiate contests, theoretically, but see
no way to avoid them and still foster
the love of outdoor sports which is felt
to be necessary to the welfare of stu
dents.
There is, however, welldefned de-
sire on the part of these educators to
minimize, in the student mind, the i'm
portance with which intercollegiate
contests are now regarded. The mem
bers of the conference-most Of them
connected with the government of ath-
letics in their colleges and universities
believe that nothing should be done to
place ban upon college sports. On
the contrary they are held necessary.
The conference members believe that
the student of today places intercol-
legiate games upon too high plane,
in his esteem, gives too much thought
to them and magnifes the Importance
victory and places the victorious
Rthelete upon pedestal of no.
toriety or "fame'' of altogether
too high a construction.
The Public Voice.
The clamor for "reform'' in ath4et-
ics is taken into full consideration by
the members of the conference, but
they are steering a middle-of-the-
road' policy. The Wisconsin idea of
making requirements so stiff that the
athlete would be the exception rather
than the rule, was taken an indica-
ton Of the pendulum swinging alto
gether too far to the extreme. 1t was
not regarded with favor and gained no
Roadway in the conference. 1t was
deemed best to let the present rules of
eligibility alone but to hold up stiff
rule Of scholastic standing for men
playing upon varsity teams. ..
Some of the lesser schools thought
that the great sums taken in by Min
nesota, Chicago, Wisconsin and Mich
igan were a menace. They pointed out
that it permitted the travelling Of teams
on special trains and allowed the play
ers to stop at the best hotels. They
thought it gave the members of teams
so treated an idea of luxury linked
with athletic prowess, which would
have harmful result.
The big schools defended their posi-
ton by pointing to the heavy registra-
tion, the large number of students and
that the big receipts covered all forms
of college athletics. That football for
instance, furnished the cash for the
track, baseball, basketball and all sorts
of teams, opening up the athletics to
still greater numbers.
No Action Taken.
The matter was finally dropped with
the Barton resolution to the effect that
SO cents was sufficiently high price
of o1r 70
was merely a resolution not binding
upon any school, and is more Of an ex
preston Of opinion on the subject than
anything else. ..
The true effect Of the agitation re
garding college athletics, as shown b,
big nine leaders, is that there will b.
an attempt to make students look a
the contests in a rational way and t.
reduce the Importance of such sport
in the eyes Of the young men in tn
nine universities The men will b.
urged to 60 in for healthful out-doo
sports of all kinds for the persona
good to be derived from participate,
and not for the sole purpose of train
ing up to a point where victory is as
sured. There will be no rigid fo1
bidding of athletics, no radical change
in the sports, no ban upon any game
Sane athletics will be the aim. TIL
scholastic requirements necessary fo
participation in intercollegiate game
were not changed, but each school wa
left to do as it thought best. Their
was desire that there be close chez
upon the work Of the scholastic wor
of the men who do 60 in for interco
legiate contests. AS this rule ha
- barred some Of Minnesota g best foo
I'LL ~ ,bor lr
no need for any stricter interpretatio
Of the rules than has been in vogue fC
several years.
Avoided Legislation.
There was a feeling that it was be.
not to confuse the situation with an
= more legislation. The big nine ruiz
are held to be too complex at prese1
and committees are now appointed\1
straighten out some Of the tangles. ]
further this idea Professor Raycro
of the University Of Chicago, is no
preparing handbook of the conferen
which will contain the rules, ratings
schools and general information.
will be issued in few days.
Minnesota has always played prom
nent part in the conference workin
thru the activity of Dean F. s. Jone
He was /honored with the president
at the Friday session Of the organic
tion and was elected by unanimo
vote.
A. Following the business Of the co
ference took advantage of the stu
tion to query the varsity represent
tives, coaches and football men, up
their views concerning the quito
against football. It was found tn
general notice had been taken of t
public clamor, but the conference re
resentatives are friends Of the gan
- All agree that brutality must be elm
mated. All think that the game a.
rules are all right as they stand tods
AS to Football
FL The matter was considered in the e.
ference, but no action was taken. I