Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-07-11
BY ]. V. FITZGERALD

With the intercollegiate track and
field season over, the current athletic
season of the big universities is at an
end. The Yale-Harvard boat race
and the big regatta at Poughkeepsie
dropped the curtain on colleg
late athletic activity until next
fall.
During the academic year just end
ed there was much discussion on the
various branches of sport featured by
the colleges. Not only were the rule
makers busy with remodeling sever al
of the games, but students and facul-
ty were also active in making sug-
gestions as to Just how the contests
should be played and what restric-
tions should be placed on objection
able features.
Football and basketball were per-
haps the keenest sufferers from this
move to do away with rough play.
Both games are severe physical tests
even their most ardent devotees adj
NIT. When all is sifted down the
agitation against certain rules will
not injure the sport, followers of the
game believe.
Action on the part Of the authori-
ties In several Of the big colleges OF
the West resulted in a shortening of
the football schedule, and during the
coming season the majority of the big
colleges Of the East will also play
fewer games than has been the case
since the introduction OF football rs
a major sport. The action Of Presi-
dent Eliot, Of Harvard, in criticizing
the length of the schedules arranged
by the different Crimson teams re-
suited in a move toward reduction in
sport. and the head of the Cambridge
university was warmly commended
by some of the leading educators In
the country for his stand.
In the West, where the move fol
the abolition of the big schedules wa,
first felt, much antaGonism was
aroused among certain of the col
leges. Perhaps the strongest univer
sity to take stand in favor of the
old system was Michigan. The VOL
verines did not agree with the con
ference that the new schedule ant
eligibility rules would improve con
ditions in sport. AS result, the re
lations of the Western colleges wal
not harmonious, and In the end Mich
igan broke away from the confer
ence.
But for all the unfavorable tall
and criticism football has aroused
the movement to do away with tn
game inaugurated several years az
has not been successful. In fact. til
advocates of the play have game
very few converts. and the importan
universities where the game has beel
abandoned can be counted on tn
fingers Of one hand. u s.e.s.sr --s'g
Columbia and Swarthmore are tn
only colleges in the East where foot
ball has been dropped. On the Pa
cific Coast Leland Stanford and Call
fornia are the single advocates Of ali
clifton. Several colleges dropped tn
game for a year. but they were a.
back in the fold last season. North
western University will have an ele,
en- next fall. and now there renal
but four Survivors of the abolitio
movement.
The Pacific coast colleges were |
no hurry to follow the lead Of the bi
California institutions, and In the Ia.
none OF the more important univer
tiles tried to get in line with Colun
bia and Swarthmore.
For three seasons Columbia stoo
alone. At the time the game W;
dropped at Morningside Heights II
Blue and White did not rank with II
best. President Buffers students ha,
been agitating a movement for the r
turn Of the sport practically ever sin,
the game was abolished. Last year
number Of internationally games we,
played, the first time In three yea
that Columbians as Columbia me
played football. Whether the sen
ment will be strong enough to resto
the game remains to be seen.
Just 50 long as Yale, Harvar
Princeton, Cornell and Pennsylvan
continue In the game friends of h
sport need have little fear of its s,
fering. Under existing conditions h
taps sounded over the game by {
lumbia and Swarthmore have had |
tie or no effect. But should one Of Il
Dig colleges drop the sport 1t Is we
probable the game would suffer gre,
ly.
Directly In the wake of footbi
came basketball. For an indoor spo
and one not considered important
the big universities, the game ma
for itself more enemies than al
branch OF athletics ever undertak,
by the colleges. This was due to I
length Of the season, the every o
dent roughness which marred contes
and the long trips through the COT
try. Athletic wiseacres read the sig
that fOretold q restriction of the spo