New-York tribune., 1906-03-06
COLUMBIA AND SPORT.
Radical Changes Lkely-Baseball
NOU ON the Rack.

There Is to be a radical change in the athletic
system at Columbia when the three committees
that are now considering the question get through
with their work AS yet there has been
nouncement made to what the changes will be
in detail, but enough has been said to show that
every branch will be affected. In the course pur-
sued the general aim will be to put athletics on
such basis that practically every student will
gage IN them in future
Every week the committee. composed Of grad
yates. meets and listens TO testimony from those
familiar with athletic conditions at Columbia
Graduates. members Of the faculty and students
called in, as we'll representatives OF other
universities who can throw any light on general
athletic conditions All the testimony that is heard
is taken down for future reference, and printed
ports are made of each meeting. When all the
testimony is in the committee will decide upon its
policy and in conjunction with the faculty and the
student committees. an announcement will be made.
Every branch of athletics. football, is under
discussion from three sdes-physcal, academic
and ethical. A great deal of time has been de-
voted to considering the question as to whether a
man in the School of Mines has time to engage In
athletics at ALL and at the same time do justice to
his studies. On the ethical side the question as to
whether certain games In themselves tend to lower
moral standards is being considered On the result
OF this consideration depends whether other games
besides football shall be abolished.
There are some men closely connected with ath-
ietic affairs at Columbia who believe that baseball
may have to go also, as therein lies one OF the
greatest evils in college athletics They claim that
professionalism is creeping in. and the standard Is
low that many players think nothing Of lying
for the sake of obtaining position on a college
team. A member of the Columbia athletic COM
mittee said yesterday:
Baseball is in danger OF becoming much Of
menace to colleges football Players are
constantly trying to violate the elieibity rules,
Last year sent in eligibility blank TO the
committee for approval Although knew that he
was a professional. he clearly stated that he was
amateur. OF course. his application was not
approved. When 1 asked him why he lied to me.
is going to fight against this There is more lkeli
hood that baseball will be abolished at Columbia
as an intercollegiate sport than that will in any
way give way to professionalism.
Another question that is being discussed by the
committee is that of limiting the members of the
university entirely to the college students.
The question has arisen to the possibility of de-
veloping from the college department alone team
which could hope to cope with the teams OF other
universities. II the investigation seems to show
that this is possible it is not at all unlikely that
and professional coaching is another that is receiv
ing the closest consideration.
There who believe that the professional
coach Is by any means a great evil In college
athletics. One old Columbia man, who Is connected
with the athletic committee, said yesterday that
there was a more honorable nor better class of
in the country that the out and out profess
sonal coach and college athletes could be intrusted
to no better hands.