Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-29
CRISIS IN FOOT BALL
AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY

Foot ball is approaching real crisis at
Harvard University. At present the game
IS still SUSPENDED and no one knows when
the ban will be lifted. The undergraduates
alarmed over the prospects of losing the
game altogether, have begun a petition
asking it's retention. The Daily Crimson
has taken up the eudgels in its defense,
but so far has accomplished nothing.
There is a last resort which may save
the game for Harvard. At recent meet
Ing of the board of overseers, after re-
buking the athletic committee for its action
In sanctioning the game under the new
rules. suspended the sport until the new
rules had been fully tested. Now It is pro-
posed to have spring practice under the
new regulations, that the members of the
athletic committee and the board of over
seers may see what reforms, If any, have
been effected by the committee. Then II,
in the opinion OF the board OF overseers and
the athletic committee, enough Of the old
evils have been eradicated the game may
be permitted under certain restrictions.
But, in the meantime, the period of
schedule-making is fast slipping away and
Harvard has made arrangements for none
of her big games. Both Yale and Pennsyl-
yania are anxious to know what their big
rivals from Cambridge propose to do.
Furthermore, they make no secret of the
fact that they do not intend to wait on
Harvard much longer. 1t may be stated on
authority that both Yale and PENNSYLVANIA
have approached each other relative to re-
Stunning foot ball relations In case Harvard
drops out or does not make up her mind
IN time. Pennsylvania and Yale have not
met on the gridiron since 1893, but both
are willing to forget the past if another
big game IS needed. 1t is said that Har-
ward has been asked by both Pennsylvania
and Yale to state her position, but the
Crimson has returned most unsatisfactory
answers In each case.
There is good reason to believe that an
other new foot ball alliance is about to
be formed. The recent decision of the
University of Wisconsin not to play Michi-
gan or Chicago this fall has resulted In
both of these institutions opening negotia-
tions with Pennsylvania for a game this
fall, TO be played on the Franklin Field
Philadelphia. Pennsylvania has not given
a decisive answer to the western institu-
lions. and will not do so until the propo-
sition for games with Harvard Yale and
Princeton have been settled. 1t may be
stated, however, that If Pennsylvania plays
any western institution II will be Michigan
and not Chicago. The Quakers are not at
all partial, but the Michigan men opened
negotiations first, and they will naturally
receive first consideration by the Red and
Blue
With the decision of Harvard to hold a
sort of spring practice all the big univer-
stiles OF the east Will soon have completed
their test of the new rules. The foot ball
rules committee failed to carry out its
original scheme for field laboratory. and
the different teams will have to make their
tests independently. It had been planned
that either the West Point or Annapolis
teams should try out the new rules with
the committee as spectators, but this was
decided to be impracticable.