Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-17
THE COLLECEATHLETES
DOings in the Field Of Sport in
East and West.
TRACK MEETS TO THE FORE
Yale's intercollegiate Freshman
Meet Plan Fails Through
Cornell and PrincetOn
in Dimculties.


an unofficial freshman intercollegiate track
and field meet at New Haven did not meet
with the general approval that was ex-
pected, apparently. The only aceeptances
OF invitations came from Columbia and
Dartmouth, and with all due Difference to
these institutions their freshman track
teams, even counted in with that OF Yale,
would hardly come in 20 be considered at
making meet of the first quality The
refusals came from Cornell, Harvard,
Princeton and Pennsylvania, surely 70 be
considered as universities Of the first rank.
Curiously enough there was general pop
uiar approval OF the meet at Princeton
which led many persons 20 believe that
an acceptanco would come from the New
Jersey Institution.
From Cornell, OF course, IL was impossible
that an acceptance could come because
the limiting OF trips and expenses for first
year teams precluded the possibility of
such action by the Ithacans. AS for Penn
sylvania and Harvard Il is strange that no
acceptance was forthcoming. Harvard
doubtless was adhering TO the policy Of
limiting schedules. Pennsylvania might
well be expected to be willing to send
team because the Quakers compete most
generously in that sort of contest. Per
haps II was by way OF getting even with
Yale for not sending a relay team to the
Pennsylvania carnival. However, Yale sent
men for the special events. SO that could
hardly be the reason
without at all disparaging the Yale idea
II does seem TO be the best thing in the end
that this meet was not consummated. 1t
Is an idea clearly against the plan of those
who framed the freshman rule. as has been
said and for that reason ought not to have
been made the basis OF an athletic meet.
There probably is no other argument
against It than that one, but that ought to
be sufficient
Split Between Princeton and Cornell.
There is talk now of break between
Princeton and Cornell because OF the dis
agreement over the base bali game that was
to have been played recently in Ithaca.
AS the story goes, the Princeton men OBJ
jected that the grounds were too wet for
base ball. although 1900 persons-a big
crowd for Ithaca, too, when the difficulties
OF reaching that university town are con-
sidered-were waiting to see the game.
The Ithacans, who because of their habits
of going about In slickers are more used to
the wet, did not consider the weather in
clement enough to cause a postponement.
Hence the disagreement. However con-
servatlve followers of college sports agree
that there is a warning word to be said to
those Comedians who would rashly advise
breaking off relations with Princeton and
that relates TO their athletic competitions
in the future.
Cornell, although 1t competes with Penn
sylvania in many forms of athletics does
not really and truly love the Red and Blue.
There is strong subcurrent of feeling in
ithaca that Pennsylvania does not represent
the highest ideals of amateur sport. There
Ss plenty OF authority for this statement.
Wherefore, although Cornell plays against
the QualSers. it is in great measure because
they are rivals OF old time and not because
the Comedians want TO be tied up with
Pennsylvania and not any other institution.
If Cornell breaks off with Princeton, there
will be only Pennsylvania to fall back upon
OF all the old time rivals of the Ithacans.
Cornell Crowded Out.
Harvard wanted several seasons ago TO
have a dual track meet with Cornell. but
now since Harvard has Dartmouth and
Yale there is hardly room for Coach Moak-
ley's men on the schedule. AS far as Yale
is concerned there is small chance Of an
athletic understanding. They do not meet
in rowing or foot ball. and Yale, with Har-
ward and Princeton, has enough in dual
athletic meets. Columbia is hardly of Cor
nelrs scale in athletics and so it may go
through the whole list Princeton, by rea-
son of great feelings Of friendliness through
old association, is entitled to be considered
as Cornells elder brother In athletics. For
that reason Princeton ought 10 be kept as
an athletic opponent by Cornell.
The history OF breaks between colleges in
athletic sports of one sort or another Is In
teresting These things are taken very seri-
ously at the time they happen. but time
heals all wounds, even In college sports,
For Instance. Harvard and Yale broke off
relations in foot ball once, but later they
resumed. and now there are no greater
friends than these two institutions. There