The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-28
BLOW AT HARVARD SPORTS.
President ElIot suggests Dropping Football.
Basketball and Hockey.

CAMBRIDGE, Nov. ~ TO discontinue foot
ball, basket ball and hockey at Harvard would
do no harm, said Presid ent Eliot in an int
view to-day.
Basketball is very obi ectionable. II is
too rough and there are too many chances for
cheating. The rules have been stretched so
that they spoil the game. II would be a good
thing to have basketball especially discon-
tinued. Rowing and tennis are the only
sports in which honorable play altogether is
practised. That Is what I said. or intende ed to
say, at last Thursdays crew dinner. You can
no more cheat in those two sports than in a
game OF cards: you would be crowde I'd out Of
society II you tried"
TO baseball there are many objections still
| would not advocate its discontinuance. be-
cause IL is 80 popular. Some forms Of track
snort are also obi ectionable. In 1t there Is
too much cheating on record.
Hockey is alto ether too rough. II requires
team work. and | must say that / have no use
for a game that requires that. 1t is not open
enough and. as in basketball, its rules have
been distorted.
Il have explained my objections to football.
| know il is popular but. as / have said. the
univ ersity would not suffer "A particle II there
we're no more football. Lacrosse has not been
played at Harvard long enough for me to X
press my opinion on its merits.
Il cannot say too much in favor Of r owing.
MOL Only III L0tIt iii hphFHCC VI bAAb
IL Is the most healthful. and interesting as well
as one OF the two most, honorable sports.
Tennis can be played with PROFIT by any one.
All IL requires in Individual skill and brains.
There is no underhanded team work to It,"
Thus President Eliot strikingly expressed
himself on every mPodTthain AM sp9T nn tn ai nr nHr ,am dS
an interview.
lis statement that the dis-continuance Of
football would do no harm is the most radical
he has ever made. File has objected TO inter-
collegiate football. but never before has he in
timated that he would like TO see. football.
even class football stopped.
Now that basketball Onis to take a
strong hold this winter In Harvard athletics
Or. Elliott attack on 10 may cause a great over
mark that basketball causes too much cheat
ing promise 90 to spring a big sensation. The
future of baseball at Harvard may be altered
by Or. Eliot's views. When he finds many OBJ
iSctiOnsro IL. as in the case Of football. changes
are likely to he deman ded.
4 revolution in .Haryards sports seems
imminent, " President Eliot persists in his
opinions. To say that 10 would be- a good
thing" for Harvard TO discontinue basket
ball is n statement that means a great deal.
President Eliot's power as enormous: he
stands az the absolute ruler OF Harvard Uni
versity. His opinions therefore have immense
weight.
explain them now" Was his reply, There
are many objections TO II. that's al I care to
say just at present
The statement by President Eliot last
Thursday that many dishonOTable features
prevail in all sports but rowing and tennis
has caused much comment in Harvard sport
ing circles. Most Harvard athletes strongly
diss gree with him, they call his statement
too radical and say that he has taken a view
too extreme.