The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-02
HARVARD'S ATHLETIC STAND.
MANY OBJECTIONS TO INTER-
COLLEGIATE CONTESTS.


but Admits II Is Neither wise Nor ENs
pedIent TO Drop Competition Too
Much business and o. Little sport.
CNNBRIDGE, Nov. THE Rarrdrd Monthly
for November. appearing this morning, de-
voted considerable space to the question OF
the continuance OF intercollegiate athletics.
the question which Ia now uppermo~t In the
minds OF the undergraduates because OF
the recent appointment Of a Joint COMMITTEES
| from the governing boards of Harvard to
consider the advisability OF continuing inter-
collegiate athletics in Cambridge.
Henry A. Bellows. '06. eN-president OF the
Monthly and this year acting editor Of the
Graduates Moodzine. writes the leader In thu
! November issue, Harvard and Intercol-
legiate Athletics" and there is also an edi-
torial on the subject. Both articles ~criticiss
athletics as they are, but conclude that it ID
best to continue them with notifications.
Mr.. BellowAs article is in part as follows:
The action Of the board Of overseers In
| refusing to recognize the existence OF inter-
4 collegiate sports AFTER December I has brought
the problem OF intercollegiate athletics at
Harvard to a crisis. Their existence Is seri-
ously threatened.
The authorities cannot effectively put q
| stop to Intercollegiate athletics. IL seems
scarcely wise for them TO attempt II. Inter-
4 collegiate athletics are the central interest
OF the student body. They are activities
for the sake of whichla large number of men
willingly exercise self-denial. endure fatigue
and pain and display energetic interest,
our college courses. We may value athletics
too highly; but take them away, and many
OF our under graduates are left with no absorb
sIf Il is neither wise nor possible to abolish
intercollegiate athletics. what are we TO 90
TEN are constantly pointed out ana often
exaggerated there is one. however. that
TO let athletics here 30 on in their present
course. Out of n sport We have made a busi-
ness In Isot-leo5 the total receipts from
penses being over $50 900. The football
receipts alone we're over SOS. 900.
These mormon sums were due almost
entirely to the cost OF intercollegiate sport
as it il now carried on The same amount
on or SnsrtsSs 0G the cost and Il is doubtful Il
intercollegiate >athlettsS. at Harvard, COM
sidered as productive llbcr, are worth 100000
annually to the community. The financial
persecution of the freshmen. which has come
to be the recognized method Of supporting
minor athletics. il largely a product OF the
business system Of sport. and Is thoroughly
Objectionable and unfair, u,
but worse than all this. the teaching and
practising Of sport is fast becoming a business.
We have been slow in adopting. business
methods in coaching, and We have lost game
to 90 on with intercollegiate sport IL we were
always to be so handicapped hat We could
coaches. AZ yet we have done our best TO
avoid professional players; but here again
we are putting 9urieIDss fstt,a tTsdvsntaS .r.
is as least one college that sends out circulars
to its graduates asking for the names OF
reasons to attend a college where they could
be certain of scholarships. Clearly, we do
n TGeb play aS i Gn En- GianalfY S ssas srs t ssa give it SGr
players a fair chance. We must either adopt
our opponents method or force them to
The evils of. making a business out Of
what ought 10 be play are to most people
faculties. until the graduates of our fore
most universities. declare that their ineti-
t 1stics he sSi sTo RyriTisTi,iy . f2T eo% sPe liz un sss-
the professional coach, are entirely out Of
place in university life.
return at once to the old system Of graduate
coaching. or We may let things 90 on as they
tories. we are in a position TO dictate terms
to our athletic rivals. The first method has
grave disadvantages. We must put up viii
constant defeat: we must see our best ath-
Ietes struggling against insuperable odds:
worst o. all. We shall he able to do nothing
in college athletics throughout the country.
But on the other hand " for the present
w, play t 10 | sav aR MI B'a X. u certa Te nS tSst wen ven
shall he listened to: We have shown that
we can beat at your game Now beat us e
our athletics: W. can then insist that the
4 eXDpnSRS OF lTdlnlnR Nv fll ONH wv Jaw
refuse to sell tickets for our games to persons
who go 20 see Harvard play against Vale
exactly as they go to see a game between
two professional baseball teams. IL Ia praise
worthy but intolersble to suffer constant
defeat for the sake of an ideal. Let MS attain
a position. in athletics from which we can
dictate and then let us do our best to relegsts
athletics to their proper place .-
MoStRiv on its editorial page says:
Are there to be intercollegiate athletics
or are there not? This is the question that
graduate as he ~contemplates the ~inaction OF
the elusive board of overseers. Surely there
is much 10 be said in favor OF a 9. station 81
hOstilities for a few years, All letics all
over America are sadly in need o: thorough
"For MANY OF the colleges football has
new halfback than two new professors has
been the cry. For such colleges each victory
means a certain increase in registration,
and nv registration these colleges are wont
TO measure their greatness,
President Eliot and the board OF 0verseers
have. on the other hand consistently opposed
football. Far from desiring the notoTiety
which football victories give, they have ever
gone so far as'to threaten to abolish the game
The desire OF the hoard of overseers to
bring Harvard back TO the straight ana narrow
But it is not likely that stopping all. inter.
cole Riate contests will he at all the benefit
to the university which they apparently con
slider il. If the discipline and strict ~trainins
which a great number OF undergraduate
who try for the varsity teams Undergo every
whether the virtue and spiritual beauty 81
the community would experience a marked
increase. The theatres. and restaurants d
Boston would undoubtedly do a more thriving
business.
overseers take the undergraduates into theii
confidence, and rather than arbitrarily decres
this or that cooperate with them In some
measure that will be to the honor and lsstini
benefit OF The COLLEGE.