The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-26
IN DEFENCE or FOOTBALL.
CMr ord Pemberten. Jr., Replies 10 Crlti-
clsms OF Francis \. Ranks

The following letter has been received from
Clifford Pemberton. Jr., treasurer OF the
Athletic Association of the University Of
Pennsylvania:
"To THE EDITOR or THE SUN- Sir: A
portion OF the article in your paper to-day
regarding the football situation at Columbia
contains an announcement attributed to
Francis S. Bangs, chairman OF the Column
bia University committee on athletics. which
warrants a reply from the University OF
Pennsylvania. and as treasurer OF our athletic
association | am constrained to correct some
of the statements attributed to Mr.. Bangs.
In giving the reasons for the lack OF i'm
provement IN the relations between football
players and the university. and presumably
as a foundation for an argument on this sub
ject, there is a gross misststsment as to the
relation of the Pennsylvania authorities to
their football players. To quote from the
article OF Mr.. Bangs:
On the third point. the relation OF the football
player TO the university. nothing has been accom-
with Cornell the Pennsylvania football team has
gone to Winslow junction for q week: that In an
tlclpation Of the game with Princcon. and after
ward. the Yale team took several days of reorea-
tlon on the Hudson: that In anticipation OF the
game with Yale the Harvard team Is taking q week
near New London. Are these players students or
gladiators paid for their services with special
privileges? Is a game which takes young men
away from their university work and puts them
in training like prizchghters anything but grossly
Inconsistent with the nominal purpose for which
hey enter their universities
While I cannot speak with authority re-
gsrding what has been done at other uni
Versities. l can do so with regard to what has
been done and will be done at Pennsylva MIA.
Prior TO our game with Michigan last week,
IN order to get away from the excitement
of a large city. the Pennsylvania team went
to Winslow Junction and spent two days
at the Winslow Inn. Those students who
had to attend recitations during those two
days, came TO Philadelphia, distant only
twenty-five miles. and then returned to the
inn, This trip Is Of no more Importance
10. a Pennsylvanian than would be a visit
by a Columbia man to Newark or the Oranges.
the same, a desire for recreation and rest,
rath her than a means of obtaining e stimulant
for an expected requirement.
Instead OF our Pennsylvania team having
gone out of this city for a week prior to the
Cornell game = they are at this writing in
philadelphia, will play this afterhoon with
V%ilianoVA College and will stay in Philadel-
Dhia until Monday evening. when we expect
them again TO 40 to WINSTON junction and
TO stay there during Tuesday and Wednes-
day. We do not regard this as an especial
privilege given to our students nor do we
regard them as gladiators nor do we admit
that this takes them sNsy from their univers-
sity work nor that they are in training like
priZefighters. Such a statement we charge
TO be untrue and to be a false premise on
which TO base any argument prejudicial TO
the present condition OF athletic matters
generally.
1T is only proper for me TO say that Mr..
Bangs is regarded with high esteem by Penn
sylvania, our relations with Columbia having
brought us i'm contact with him regarding
rowing matters. We regret therefore all
the more that such errors in the article on
this subject should have been committed.
CLIFFORD PEMBEBroN, JE
PHILADELPHIA. November "a.