The Washington herald., 1907-12-04
GEORGETOWNS STAND.

AS a result Of tho observations drrng the
arrangement for the Thanksgiving Day game
q football this year. emphasized BY the IN
decorous happenings Georgetown field on
the occasion Of the game. feel constrained
to forbid the managers OF any Of the athletic
teams Of Georgetown University to engage for
any games hereafter with Georgetown Wash
ington University the grounds that there
is not sufficient comity between the student
bodies Of the two universities. nor such nice
appreciation Of the proIgieties Of a public
contest would prevent rivalry degenerating
into fcud. and conpetitiFe contests from
losing ;he characteristics Of a friendly game
between young gentlemen. "-Georgetown Exec
utiye Committee
GeogetOwn has severed all athletic rela-
tions with George Washington.
on Friday The Washington Herald pre-
dicted that there would be a breach within
a short time. but it was not until yes
terday that the Georgetown executive
committee took official action by instruct
Ing the managers Of the different teams
10 arrange no more contests with the
hNN iAAONA NAl4ht4SlAg. i l4E dGNlen was
unanimous.
The public announcement less than
month before Thanksgiving Day that there
was a possibility of the annual game be-
ing called off because of failure to agree
upon the division or receipts. followed by
the long drawn out squabble. at the end
OF which an agreement was finally reach
ed, caused the bitterest feeling between
the universities.
Decide to Take Action.
The Georgetown committee, considering
the situation. was opposed to having the
game played, and it was practically
agreed at that time that the contest
Thanksgiving Day would end relations.
The day Of the game the George Wash
ington students, several hundred strong.
marched 10 the field, behind band.
carrying signs that were so offensive TO
Georgetown men that George Washing
ton was told that they could not be
brought inside the grounds. Two of the
signs, one scofing at the vice president
of Georgetown. and the other question
ing the honesty of Georgetown's athletic
management, were not carried on to the
field. but throughout the game, in the
middle Of the George Washington sec
tion. was a large sign: ITO h. with
Georgetown After the game "A number
of Georgetown students went into the
east stand to break up the sign. and a
free-for-all fight followed until the police
interfercd. After this il was only 4
question of when the executive commit
tee would meet to officially bar George
Washington from appearing on George
town field.
Hardly ar athletic contest of any sort
has been played between the universities
in which there has been any sort of
sportsmanship, for instead of rivalty. il
has been decided case of enmity. On
Thanksgiving Day the game was un-
usually rough, and each team had a man
sent to the side lines for sIugging. Be
fore the slugging started there was no
end 10 the abuse in the line until the
officials warned the teams that unless it
was stopped the guilty players would be
disqualified.
GeOrgetOHn's Side of Question.
\ Georgetown undergraduate, who is
especially active in college affairs, in
speaking of the trouble last night said
that Georgetown's stand in regard Of the
annual game has never been understood.
1t appears that three years ago an agree
ment. covering three years, was drawn
up by representatives of the two universi-
ties to govern the football games. In this
agreement there was a clause calling for
an equal division of receipts and stating
that the game should be played each sea
son after November Il. but naming no
particular date for the game According
10 the undergraduate Manager Fitzgerald
never agreed on Thanksgiving Day, al
though it was thought at one time that
the game would be played on that day
After the beginning of the scholastic
year in September Manager Fitzgerald de-
cided to add another game on the schedule
in order to make the season as big a
financial success as possible. and wrote
to George Washington suggesting that
Saturday, November %, would be the best
date
georgetown was willing to play the
game under the contract with the equal
division of receipts. This George Wash
tH5lOH Was Unwilling 10 GO, so Manager
Fitzgerald then made a proposition of
50 and 40 per cent for Thanksgiving Day.
intending 10 bring an out-of-town team
here for the Saturday before the holiday.
This started the long squabble
AS things turned out. the game. from a
financial point Of view. fell far below
expectations. despite the fact that il was
generally understood that the teams Were
well matched and a close contest was
promised
What effect the breach viii have upon
the two athletic associations remains 70
be seen. although there is a general be-
lief that, considering the intense feeling,
It is one of the best things that could
happen
Spirit Between Real Rivals.
The biggest event Of the local football
season has been, and VIII probably con-
tinue to be, the Georgetown-V Virginia
game on the second Saturday in Novem-
ber The spirit between these institutions
is entirely different from the feeling
which existed between Georgetown and
George Washington. When the George
town team came onto the field in the
game last month the reception from the
east stand was almost as great as the
cheering from the west stand and the