New-York tribune., 1907-03-18
ATHLEr1cs AT HARVARD.

decision
ternational billiard championship tournament IN
Paris next month
ATHLETICS AT HARVARD
The undergraduates at Harvard are breathing
easily once more as the board OF overseere
has settled at last the long pending question OF
whether or not intercollegiate athletics would
be permitted at Cambridge. It would have been
cause for some concern in the college world II
one OF the leading universities had put the ban
on intercollegiate meetings. which are far more
beneficial than injurious Harvard has been
torn and twisted internally by all sorts Of opin-
ions on athletics for upward OF year
Against President Eliot's denunciation OF foot-
ball and general criticism OF competitive ath-
letics was arrayed the now famous molly
coddle'' speech Of President Roosevelt. defend
ing football, and the general demand OF the
undergraduates for the continuation OF inter
collegiate sports as their right. Out Of it all
came the adoption Of a comprehensive and care
fully prepared report IF the special committee
on athletics which while continuing intercol
legiate athletics provides for certain restric-
fions. for material limitation Of expenses. for
a curtailing Of the trips away from home, for
concerted effort With other colleges TO abolish
professional coaches and for the discouragement
Of colnmercialism by limiting the price OF ad-
mission 20 undergraduates for all games These
recommendations 8 a whole in the inter-
est Of pune amateur sport for sports sake and
should go far toward placing intercollegiate
athletics on higher plane than ever before.
The Yale News commenting editorially on
the COMMITTEES are mostly along well known lines
Of athletic reform. In fact the Harvard public
viii ind the proposition 10 abolish professional
coaching the only clause IN the report involving
radical change. The method Of selecting under
graduate members Of the athletic committee
would seem 10 insure the choice of the best men
10 represent undergraduate interests although
Il is OF course impossible 10 form any idea as to
how far undergraduate opinion will influence
further action. On the whole the committee
eeem TO have dealt with the situation in a very
broad and fsir-m minded spirit and the Harvard
Undergraduate body are 10 be sincerely congrat-
Olated that the results have been to such an
unexpected degree an approximation Of their
own expressed opinion
TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETICS.
The interests Of amateur sport will suffer ~
the Longboat incident last week should lead TO
a split between the Amateur Athletic unions OF
this country and Canada. 1t is hardly likely
that the breaking point will be reached, in spite
OF the fact that the New York Athletic Club,
and incidentally the union here. seem 10 have
Just grievance against the Amateur Athletic
Union Of Canada for fits action in suspending
Longboat, the great Indian runner on the eve
OF the New York Athletic Club games when the
special match race between him and Frank
Nebrich, the national cross country champion
had been widely advertised The Canadian
union cannot be criticised for suspending Long
boat IL there was any question concerning his
~ was hardly fair or sportsmanlike 10 delay the
action 20 the night before he was 10 run. par-
ucularly as HIS standing had been under ques-
tion for some time. II is farcical that allied
bodies should conduct their affairs on principles
90 inconsiderate. when the aim OF both Is pri-
Enarily the same. Friendliness and harmony
should be the keynote of their alliance. and the
action OF the Canadian union was not consid-
cred friendly 10 say the least and intensified bv
the uncalled for statement Of the secretary ths1
the union did not purpose 10 be dictated 10 by
the Amateur Athletic Union of the United
states. IL looks almost as II the Canadian body
was pioueo, and then suspended I.ongboat for
cause, no doubt. in order TO make its position
tenaole II would be well for President Sullivan
70 have an understanding with the Canadian
body, 70 the end that incidents OF the same
kind could not occur again.
The New York Athletic Club games were the
most successful held here in years and indi-
Gated clearly that track and field athletics are
growing IN popular favor. When Madison
Square Garden is not big enough 10 accomuo-
oate those VINO want TO attend, there can be no
question about general interest Harry Hill
middle distance runners ever developed in this
country. Each has beaten the other by The mar
roWest margin this winter. and another meeting
between them would be particularly interesting
BILLIARDS
Never before in the history OF amateur BILL
tards has the national tournament been produc-
tive OF such high class sport and sensational
happenings as marked the one just over. The
worlds high average record for l42 billiards
was broken three times-frst by Poggenburg
then by Demarest and finally by Poegenburg
again. when he placed the mark az 426-7. WHARF
it is likely 20 stay for some time 20 come. This
performance was Of such brilliant nature that