Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-12-27
ATHLET|CSOLONS
HOLD ANNUAL
MEETING
WHICH PROMISES TO BE THE
MOST IMPORTANT EVER HELD
BY PERSONS INTERESTED IN
THE DEVELOPMENT OF col.
LEGE ATHLETES.

New York, Dec. 27.-With a meet
ing OF The executive committee. the
annual convention OF the Intercol-
legiate Athletic Association OF the
United States was opened here today.
The session promises to be the most
Important ever held by persons In
rested in the development and inn
provement OF college athletics. The
general convention will be called to-
morrow morning.
Seven of the fourteen members OF
the football rules committee will be
named at this meeting, but there is
not likely to be more than one
change in the personnel of the pres
ent committee. The seven men who
derive their offices from the Inter
collegiate Athletic Association are r..
X. Hall of Dartmouth, DR.. ]. A. Bah
bitt of Haverford, Professor C.. w.
Savage of Oberlin, Charles ID. DAILY
OF West Point, Professor Dudley OF
Vanderbilt, DR.. j. l.. Lees of Ne
braska and Dr. Harry l.. Williams
OF Minnesota. Every one OF them
has accomplished notable work in
furthering the interests of the game
and some of them have rendered con-
spicuous service.
OF the old members. w. r. Reid,
Jr., will be the only one replaced.
Joshua Crane succeeding him as
Harvard's representative. Walter
Camp, for Yale. Professor Fine for
Princeton, John c. Bell, for Penn
sylvania Prof Dennis for Cornell.
Paul Pashiell, for Annapolis, and
Lon Stage, for Chicago, are sure
to serve again.
1t is the general opinion that the
are not likely to be any very radical
changes in the rules of the play.
whatever the outcome of the present
meeting. The visiting football So
Ions express general satisfaction
with the tendency of the game. al
though some believe that great
many minor changes have become
necessary.
1t is improbable that the commit
tee will wish to abandon the for
ward pass, although there is strong
disposition to do so, relying on the
onside kick alone as a relief meas
ure. walter Camp, of Yale, is'not
alone in feeling that the pass has
been abused rather than used. Many
believe that the pass, in it's promis-
cuous use, has become anything but
an evidence of skill in all but few
teams. The possibilities of its mis-
use are so many that it is almost
certain that measures will be taken
to curb it, and if this is impossible
in the opinion of the new committee.
II is not impossible that it may be
abandoned. OF the present commit
tee at least six members have de-
clared that they will vote to abolish
1t If satisfactory means of prevent
ing its misuse cannot be found. Coach
Alonzo Sta 5g OF the University of
Chicago has gone on record as urg-
ing the modification of the forward
pass and changes in a number of less
important features of the current
gridiron game.
Another important question be-
fore the association is that of sum-
mer baseball. The pernicious inhu-
ence of the game has been felt longer
than the evils OF football which
called for such drastic reforms two
years ago. and 1t is expected that
the campaign OF the association
against summer playing will be as
successful as the football reforms
for which IL was largely responsible.
The executive committee has mad %
extended Investigations relative %
summer ball playing covering all the
past year. Data has been collected
TO show its prevalence and plans pre-
pared for ils control The commit
tee has formulated what Il believes
viii be means to absolutely end
the practice, and considers that I'm so
doing - viii work a great and last
ing benefit to college sports.