The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-08
BIG NINE IS NOW BIG -FOUR
Conference College Broken Up BY New
Arrangement Of Leading
Colleges.

CHICAGO, Fen. S.-Western athlet-
| les received a tremendous shaking up
when the big Nine" combination of
colleges was practically smashed and
there sprang up from it's ruins the new
Big Four" Analysed, this means that
Chicago, Michigan, Wisconsin and Min
nesota are the aristocrats of western
athletics, that the smaller fry must
herd by themselves and that Michigan
will not break away and join the east
ern conference.
By the authority of a peace" con-
tract signed by the official represent
atives of the Universities of Michigan.
Chicago, Minnesota and Wisconsin and
| made public January 26 by the Chica-
| go senate, the big Nine" cOmplica-
tions, hanging fire throughout the foot
ball reform agitations of the past
year, are, to agreat extent swept away.
Under the terms of the new treaty, the
big Four with all it's quarrels buried
and football relations re-established,
rises into power as the leader of west
ern football.
Schedules for games among the four
schools for the next four years were
announced with the agreement, and
the action is considered the most i'm
portant taken since the memorable
| reform conference of last winter.
Chicago is to renew it's Old-time rival
ry with Michigan and Wisconsin.
Michigan buries the Ratchet with Min
nesota, and several other results of
the anti -championship ruling are abol-
ished.
Following is the schedule as agreed
upon for the next four years:
19O7-Chicago and Michigan: Chi
cago and Minnesota; Minnesota and
Wisconsin.
19OS--Chicago and Michigan: Chi
cago and Wisconsin,; Michigan and
Minnesota; Wisconsin and Minnesota.
19O9-Chicago and Wisconsin; Chi
| cago and Minnesota; Michigan and
Minnesota Michigan and Wisconsin.
1910-Chicago and Michigan; Chi
cago and Minnesota; Michigan and
Wisconsin, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
The agreement is an undoubted vic
tory for the liberals of the schools
concerned. Michigan, on the one
hand, apparently gets full satisfaction
out of the new condition, which she has
been loudest in advocating, and Chica-
go has the pleasure of benefiting from
the "big name" agitation pursued con-
tinually by Coach Stage since the no.
championship movement was passed.
Minnesota, although was firm stand
against change proposed by Chicago
and Michigan at the Big Nine" con-
ference in Chicago, has already form
ally notified the Maroon authorities that
she approves fully of the contract.
Michigan's position is equally firm.
While the Wisconsin faculty as yet has
it is stated that DR.. c. P. Hutchins
who was a party to the contract, was
fully authorized by the cardinal author
tiles.
Three big games were all that We're
found practicable for this year. Mich
igan, Chicago and Minnesota, zach
having one big game scheduled, could
not take on more than one other such
contest because of the five game"
rule, which will not permit of more
than two big games and in conse
quence the number of games has to
be held down.
The Chicago Michigan game was
the only one for the MarOons. as
Minnesota and Chicoga have had a
game scheduled since last fall. Mich
igan will have it's hands full to take
care of both Chicago and Pennsylvania,
it was declared, while Minnesota was
filled up with it's Chicago and Wiscon-
sin dates Chicago Minnesota and Min
nesota- Wisconsin will be the high
water mark of next season.