Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-16
COLLEGE ATHLETICS

The fever for the possession of stadiums
for holding intercollegiate athletic contests
Is growing at tremendous speed. Princeton
Is the latest institution to announce its In
tention to build an immense athletic field
and the Tigers have surpassed all their RI
vals with their gigantic plans. No stadium
to seat 10000 or $1,000 even WILL suit the
Tigers. Their stands are to be built capa-
bic OF seating $1,000 spectators If the IT,
gers plans are successful their field will
undoubtedly be the largest In the world.
Heretofore Harvard has held the record
with stands capable OF seating about 81. 600
and the University of Pennsylvania next,
Its field being suitable for the accommoda-
ton OF approximately 1900
Stadiums are now either in the possession
Of. Or being prepared for. five leading east
ern universities. These are Harvard PENN
syivania. Syracuse, Cornell and Princeton
Pennsylvania and Harvard are the only
ones which have them already completed,
but those at Syracuse and Cornell are well
under way and expect to be I'm readiness for
next spring at the latest. Contractors are
already on the field at Princeton, and it is
believed that work will be under way short
ly. Princeton's immediate need grows out
or her securing the army-navy foot ball
game, which heretofore has been played
annually In Philadelphia. 1t was removed
from Franklin Field because the cadets
OF the two academies could not secure
enough seats from the Pennsylvania man.
agement for the accommodation of their
friends. AS things now stand, Princeton
has no more seats at the cadets disposal
than had Pennsylvania, but the Tiger au-
thorftfes propose to erect temporary stands
to take care of the big crowd this fall. the
expectation being that within another
year the new stadium will be completed.
1t Is interesting to note that the money
for the construction of these stadiums has,
to large extent been furnished by the
university athletic association, being the
revenue received at their foot ball and
other games. The amount of money re-
eeiyed each year from the foot ball games
alone is something enormous. and the prof
its are great enough to enable the universe
ties in question to erect magnificent stands.
1t is not improbable that another year
will see the intercollegiate rowing courses
both at Poughkeepsie and New London
shortened to three miles. Coach Charles
e. Courtney of Cornell has come out openly
advocating the reduction from four miles,
which, he claims, is too long for any youth
to be put to the limit of his endurance.
Two years ago Harvard University advo-
Gated similar reduction for the New Lon
don course, but Yale refused to listen to
1t and the four-mile course was maintained.
II Harvard still wishes this reform she will
have material assistance In the arguments
of the Cornell coach.
Courtney has been coaching longer than
any other man in America, and his words
are sure to carry great weight with the
board of stewards which will be asked to
make the change. Courtney's principal ar
gument in favor of the change is the fact
that four-miie race exhausts a young
man to such an extent that serious injury
is liable to be done him. A race Of this
length is certainly a greater strain a
man than is a fourmie race for track
athlete. runner engaged IN a four-mile
race is able to set his own pace in ac-
cordance with his endurance and his con-
dtion. He can go fast or slow, or stop al