The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-21
Special to The Journal. !

Special to The Journal
~ HlCAGO, Jan. 20.-Football in the
conference colleges is doomed
unless radical and far-reaching
changes in the playing rules of the
gridiron game are made at once by the
American football rules committees.
Unless the national rules body, in whose
hands has been left the fate of the
game, SO alters the technical statutes
Of football as to do away with rough
ness and other Objectionable features
in the game, the sport may be deposed
from its position as part Of the ath-
letie program of the middle western
universities for period Of two years.
| This was the ultimatum given the
friends and followers of football this
evening by final action of the ssBig
Nineo college faculty. representatives
at the closing session of their "footban
reform conference at the Chicago
Beach hotel. The action was part of
mass Of radical recommendations in re-
gard to the college athletics made by
the conference professors. The resolu-
tion of the body depends only on the
final confirmation Of the various univer-
sites who sent their representatives to
the meeting.
| Football in the Balance.
/ Footballs fate will hang in the bal
z ance until the gathering of the rules
committee in the east next Saturday.
At that time the committee amalga-
: &ba ho1I
committee and the self-appointed body
of faculty representatives will formu
late the changes which may and may
not, be sufficient to secure the future
existence of the most popular of col
lege sports. While this body is known
to be friendly to certain changes, it
is not known how far they will be will
ling to go in the direction of revolu-
tionizing the game.
Possible adjustment was but one OF
the staggering blows dealt the game
as it has existed for years in the col
leges.
Radical Moves.
| Among the radical moves that will
come close home to the Big Nine, -
if the recommendations are carried into
effect, were the doing away with purely
professional coaches; the barring of
all students with college degrees from
teams; the limiting of the intercol-
legiate schedule of each school to five
games; the shortening of the, football
season by two weeks with the doing
away with the Thanksgiving Day game,
and the disbarment of freshmen from
competition for the period of one year.
Included in the recommendations
which the professors believe will clear
the faint Of professional spirit " from
the conditions surrounding football and
other college sports were provisions for
placing the entire financial management
in the hands of faculty members; for
the hiring of coaches by the university
trustees; for placing the gate admission
at so cents for students; for beginning
the football season with the regular
school year; and for putting the ban on
all such students as may not have
cleared themselves of all conditions, en-
trance and otherwise at the end of their
first collegiate year.
Fall Of Professional Coach.
The passing Of the professional coach,
!. if authorized by the colleges will per-
haps do more than any other one of
the new rules to change the football
map of the west, providing the game
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