The Detroit times., 1908-11-09
BEST MAN
|NEL|G|bLE To
PLAY FOOTBALL
TACKLE HAS BEEN
AT 1T FOR SIX, INSTEAD OF
FOUR YEARS - HOLlENBACK'S
cAsE-PRoTEsT UNLIKELY.

ANN ARBOR. Mich. Nov. THAT
the University OF Michigan Is IN pos
session OF facts which will make pos
barring OF one of the University CT
Pennsylvania best players II not It's
very best man Is a matter generally
known in the inner football circles OF
the school all season. That the ell
dence should be formally presented 10
the University or Pennsylvan!a's ath.
letic authorities soon in the way OF
protest against the players participa
ton In the Michigan game OF next Sat
urday Is the only logical conclusion 10
be drawn though, on this poin'. there
seems a certain amount OF hesitation
which Is extremely mysterious.
The player in question is Draper,
All-America tackle and the most prom
inent figure of the Pennsylvania sys
tenn OF offense, as well as one OF the
leading Quakers In the carrying of The
ball.
Evidence unbeatable.
The evidence against Draper is so
strong as TO appear perfectly conclu'
sive. In fact. the wonder is shat
some Of PENIS minor opponents have
not taken action in the case. What
sort OF athletic standards prevail at
the Philadelphia school. enabling
man TO compete In football another
year after acquiring such record as
the one Draper leaves behind him is
a matter that must puzzle any student
of sporting ethics.
A reference to any complete metro
politan newspaper file Is sufficient TO
develop the fact that Draper is now
playing his sixth year of ntercolle-
gate football. He has been in Writ
ually all the games OF this season.
played in 1906 and 1907 against Mich
igan and in the other big games, was
a regular occupant of the tackle posi-
ton at Penn in 1905 and came to the
Quaker school with record CT var
sity play at both Swarthmore and
Springfield Training school. He Is
admittedly In his thirtieth year and is
playing football against the average
run OF schoolboys, while himself at an
age when most men would be well ad-
vanced In their respective business or
profession.
Astounding Effrontery.
The Draper case Is almost unique
In the history OF football. Players
have been protested and barred from
iaany teams in the past, but never yet
has a case been developed IA ahich a
school with the standing of Pennsyl-
van.a ras attempted 10 play man on
one Of It's teams whose record includ.
ed at Hast six years of play against
teams of the vety first rank AMI all in
the same section OF the country. Pro
fessionaiism, summer ball and all the
Ciher Gfienses against amateur eigi-
h.lhy paie into insignifcarce Lefore
he Monumental effiontery OF ne
Penn authorities in the Draper ease.
That. in case protest is made, there
is but one course for Penn 10 pursue,
Is obvious. Draper must be barred.
The inexplicable hesitancy OF the
Michigan authorities in making q pro-
test over the man is his only saliva
ton, beyond doubt The evidence Is
SO simple and the mans guilt so OBJ
yious that no defense could possibly
be made.
The Rules in the Case.
To understand the remarkable flag
rance OF the Draper offense against
athletic standards one must be thor
oughly conversant with the intercol-
legiate rules on the subject of eligibil.
ity. The limit allowed any player NJ
any OF the schools of standing. even
including Carlisle indians. is four
years OF play, and each school pre-.
scribes one-year residence rule.
thereby preventing a player from GO
ing from one school TO another for pur.
poses OF engaging In athletics, One
year OF sport may include every game
on the schedule or one minute OF any
one game Yale, for instance, barred
Foster Rockwell. It's grand quarter.
back. after three years of steady play
because. In year preceding. he had
taken a small part In a minor game.
Michigan has, In several cases, barred
men on similar scant causes. None
OF these cases apply TO Draper. how
ever. His participation in college
sport has been so notable as to- make
him a shining mark In every onesof
his six seasons.
Protested Long Ago.
Three years ago Draper was protest
ed by Harvard. and Penn's failure TO
bar him cost that school her annual