The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-25
CRAFTY SCHEME TO
KNOCK OUT FOOTBALL
Minnesota Alone Stood Out and
Spoiled a Very Clever
Plan. -. -.
Journal Special Service.

cOnSln ana chicago, WILL nOt MeeI Gull
other in football next fall, if a plan
now being worked out by the faculty
representatives of these three leaders
of western college athletics is agreed
upon. According to the new scheme,
which is aimed to supplement the work
of the recent "reform' conference and
give the gridiron game final blow, the
schedules Of the three big universities
must be made up Of contests with other
institutions.
The deal is being engineer independ-
emily Of the regular conference commit
tee Much of the work has been fin
ished, and only few details of the plan
now remain to be completed. The facts
were made known yesterday, when a
member of the Midway faculty adj
mitted that the plan was being formu-
lated.
Michigan Prime Mover.
Michigan, it is declared, started the
movement. and had no difficulty in
| gaining the support Of Chicago and
Wisconsin. The action was proposed by
the late Professor A. H. Pattengill of
Michigan, who was active in it's behalf
up to the time Of his death, a little
more than week ago. The wolverine
school will stand by Professor Patten-
gill plan, it is understood, as it has
found favor with powerful forces at
Ann Arbor.
Michigan's part in the new proposal
came as q. direct outgrowth of the "pro-
fessional COACH embroglo, which so
embittered western intercollegiate re-
lations during the football agitation
period and threatened to disrupt the
whole "reform'' movement. It is In
tended as a partial substitute for the
original professional coach' clause
: advising the abolishing Of non-faeulty
coaches.
The "reform'' leaders at Ann Arbo,
, were deeply disappointed when the
Michigan regents voted to keep the pro
fessional coach, it is said. Therefore
the plan to make the schedule of minor
) interest, and lacking in sensational
| games, thereby curtailing the coach OF
) obievtional glory and Importance, was
hit upon. This was believed to be the
/ best substitute for the original pro
posal.
IL Wisconsin has strong reason fol
: agreeing to the proposition. Owing tt
t the disorganized state of athletics al
, Madison, the announcement that Wis
. consin would abolish football altogeth
Y er would not come as a surprise to foot
e ball fans. It is believed by most o:
q the school. from the attitude of thu
badgers, that they have such an an
: nouncement up their sleeve, and will
3 spring it in the near future.
The plan to do away with competi
e ton between Wisconsin, Chicago an
: Michigan comes only as a move towar
, the suspension Of the game for good
t according to Wisconsin alumni. Unde
l.. the new plan Wisconsin may Withdraw
from football gracefully, and still be i
a friendly position with both Mlchlga
= and Chicago. - ~. -,
> All three Of the schools are infr
enced by one major consideration. Tha
3 is. that athletic rivalry between them
Z selves has developed into bitterness
y and animosity, and that the only wa
: to cure this evil and remove the gam
: from the professional spirit such a cor
, dition brings about is to cut Oft foot
: ball relations for a while. At presen
! none Of the representatives hav
planned to suspend gr1dlron acqua1n1
e ance for more than one year.
y Minnesota Held Out.
:, Minnesota was at first looked to as
. possible addition to the Chicago, Wiz
eonsin, Michigan triumviate, accordin
;, to the maroon report. Minnesota, how
q ever, was not ready for such radics
>, plan of action. It is figured that if tn
. gophers would come into the agreemer
- "Big Nine' football would be all th
more effectually knocked out.
sh Those who have heard of the propos;
X in the maroon camp regard it as
ct crafty move on the part of the profe
II sors to do by independent action whe
r the regular conference was not willin
er to do for all the conference schools
to kill the game for good. Under tt
ureform'' recommendations, as the
re have been adopted by most Of the co
e. leges, each team would be able to pla
a. at least two big games. Even with ii
IS shortened time of preliminary practit
it Chicago could keep its contract wit
Michigan and take on Wisconsin b