The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-18
Bragg Tells Why AIabama'S Proposition Was Rejected
TWO LETTERS ENCLOSED
Denies that He Made Statement that No Southern Man Is Competent To Umpire a Football
 Game.

NerSlty or AlaDdInd as 10 why AlaDalna and Auburn will not meet on the gridiron this fall.
 After the publication of that article. The Age-Herald wired Thomas Bragg, graduate manager of Auburn, as to whether or not the Alabama's s statement was correct.
 Today his answer is published.
 MT. Bragg, in making his statement, in- closes correspondence between Dr. Pol lard of Alabama, and himself, which is ! recommended to the readers as the milk in the cocoanut.
 1t is to be noted that Alabama of- fered contract calling for 20 men, at SS per day, and a southern umpire to be chosen by joint committee of Alabama and Auburn alumni.
 The statement of why Auburn declined that proposition follows:
 Bragg's Statement.
 The athletic authorities have heretofore refrained from giving anything to the press with regard to the Alabama-Auburn disagreement. as they are opposed to air ing these controversies in print, but the communication of Messrs. Pollard, Prich- ard and Turnipseed which recently ap- reared in The Age-Herald Is such an ex- parte statement, and is so inaccurate, that it cannot be allowed to pass unanswered.
 In the first place, I will take up the statement of the Alabama committee with regard to the number of men allowed by the contract of 1907, and with reference thereto, 1 would state that the contract which I sent to the Alabama manager in the spring of 1907 allowed 19 or 20 men, it being presumed at that time that the game would be played at West End park, where, with the less number of entrances, smaller number of men could look after the gates than would be required at the Fair grounds. This contract was changed by the Alabama manager and a return copy was sent to me which allowed only II men. l reluctantly accepted this con tract rather than engage in a controversy over the matter, and at that time l did not anticipate the increased expense which would be attendant upon handling the game at the Fair grounds.
 Some weeks prior to the game of last November, in a conference which I had with pr. Pollard, tcoach and treasurer of the Alabama Athletic association) I calle1 attention to the fact that the number of men which Alabama had allowed us in the contract was entirely too small to permit us to avoid considerable financial loss, and he agreed with me- saying, We contract"
 As regards the g per day hotel rate per r.an, in the contract of 1907, I would say that 1 only signed the contract for the rate mentioned for the reason that 1 presumed l could secure a special low hotel rate in Birmingham, as l had done in Atlanta for several years previously. in this l was badly mistaken, and al though l made efforts to make special rates at some of the leading Birmingham hotels, l was unable to do so and our hotel bill per man ranged from $3.50 to $S S.T5 per day, the meals on the "a la carte" plan being particularly high.
 It will thus be seen that the 1907 con- tract occasioned a loss of from $1.50 to $1.15 per day per man for practically two days, and while this was an absolutely necessary and legitimate expense, it had to be paid for out of Auburn's share of the proceeds of the game.
 On account of the importance of the game, Auburn carried no less than 16 players and substitutes, and in addition it's coach and manager, while at least six men were required to look after the gates, since by mutual agreement the sale of tickets devolved upon the Alabama man. agement, the tickets being taken up at the gates by Auburn men. In this way Au- burn incurred an expense account for at least "A men, or seven in excess of the number allowed by the contract.
 In reply to tine statement that Alabama had offered to furnish additional men iu the place of Auburn men to look after the taking of tickets at the gates, l would say that this would leave Auburn without equal representation in the business man agement of the game, a principle which we have contended for in every important city game we have ever played, and this same right or privilege is generally con ccded in intercollegiate games through out the country.
 On account of the proximity of the uni versity of Birmingham, it is to the inter- est of the Alabama management to keep down to the lowest limit possible the num- Der of men allowed each team, for the reason that Alabama can carry all the additional men that may be required at less that half the rate per man at which Auburn can carry it's extra men,
 So far as the s3.50 hotel rate is con- cerned, I would say that l stated to Dr. Pollard both verbally and in letter, that we would be willing to make the S35O rate the maximum rate and if the actual hotel expenses could be reduced to les ser figure, we would agree to charge on our expense account only the amount of the bill actually incurred.
 It will be seen from the above state ment of the case that Auburn's position in this matter was taken not with a view to making any additional profit out of the game, but simply to avoid unjust financial less in the future.
 About Southern Umpire.
 With regard to the committees asser- ton that MT. Donohue and myself stated that there was no man in the south capable of umpiring an intercollegiate contest, I would emphatically deny that we made any such statement. We sim ply stated that we did not know of a satisfactory available man to officiate as umpire in the Alabama Auburn game, and