Omaha daily bee., 1909-03-14
CONFERENCE RULE is ONLY BAR
Minnesota Fears to Pls~ en- Ground
Not owned by School,
MAY TAKE APPEAL TO BIG EIGHT
Interpretation of Regulation Will Be
Asked of Other Members.
OUTDOOR WORK COMING WEEK
Base Rail- squad VIII start Practice
at Antelope Park &c Weather IL
Favorable - Pitchers PuE-
linz Coach Fox.

LINCOLN, March IS. 49, Especially - Ne
braska will play its annual foot ball game
with Minnesota in Omaha on November IL,
II the program outlined for the Cornhusk-
ers by Manager Eager can be carried out.
Coach Williams has agreed TO take his
Gophers to the Nebraska metropolis for
the contest, and now there is only ono OBJ
stacle which is keeping the two schools
from signing n contract to play in that city.
It is one that does not exist IN any diff
ference between the two universities. but
in a rule Of the Bis Eight" and Missouri
valley conferences. which prohibits the
playing Of intercollegiate games on grounds
that are not either owned by or under the
immediate control of one or both of the
colleges participating in the contest.
II held in Omaha, the Minnesota athletic
mentors believe the game would he played
I'm violation of this rule, for it would take
place at the Viuton street Western league
ball park, which is not owned by either OF
the universities, but which will be placed
under the control of the Nebraska manage
ment after the close of tho 1909 league base
ball season I'm September. Manager Eager
OF Nebraska does not agree with the
Gophers on this point. though, and is of the
opinion that his lease on tho Vinton street
park makes the use of that field conform
with the clause OF the conference rule al
lowing Intercollegiate games to be played
on grounds under the immediate control
OF one of the contesting teams. The
Gophere are not so certain on this roint and
are not willing to run ANY risk of break
ing the big Eight" rules. They will not
consent to play in Omaha until they arc
sure they will not be violating a rule by
contesting on noncollegiate grounds.
! Eager. Arguing with Williams.
Manager Eager of the Cornhuskers is
anxious to place the annual game with the
Gophers in Omaha next fall and now is
endeavoring to convince Coach Williams
that he can take his Minnesota eleven
there without In the least bit breaking the
limitations Of the conference regulations.
The Nebraska manager visited Minneapolis
last week for the purpose OF scheduling
this game with the Gophers and had made
all arrangements for it and was about to
close up a contract when the question OF
playing on a noncollegiate field came up
and put an end to the negotiations. Be
fore leaving Minneapolis Manager Eager
secured the consent Of Coach Williams to
holding the game I'm the Nebraska metro
polls II II should develop that no rule would
be violated in doing so. Since then he has
been busy in getting evidence, to show that
no rule can be broken by playing at the
Vinton street park.
Manager Eager contends that, since he
has a lease on the Omaha field for the en-
tire foot ball season and is free to have
Nebraska play IS many games there as he
wishes. the use of it for contests will not
be contrary TO the conference rule. He is
satisfied beyond any doubt about conform
ing TO the regulations of either the Big
| IYOhts' n n Missouri Valley 1aauuanfn NAV
ing at Vinton park. lie says he has sbso-
lutte control over the grounds after Septem-
Der and that is all the conference rule re-
auires.
Spirit of Rule Not violated.
This regulation about playing on non
collegiate grounds was made, of course, &c
prevent one school from entering the terri,
tory of another and thus causing two game,
to be played i'm one or two neighboring
cities on the same day. In going to Omaha
for the Minnesota contest, then. the spirit
OF the rule would not be violated. for the
reason for placing the game there would be
simply TO give the Omaha foot ball patrons
a nance 10 see a big contest and not 10
cut in on any other schools game.
In support OF his contentious to show that
no rules would be broken by playing the
Gophers in the Nebraska metropolis the
Cornhusker manage has brought up in
stances In which games in the past have
been played under similar conditions. The
most prominent illustration is the case OF
Kansas and Missouri, who every year play
their Thanksgiving contest In Kansas City
on a hired field. For years they have been
going away from their own fields for this
big game.
Only a few years ago Minnesota met Iowa
In Cedar Rapids on a field that was not
controlled by either school. No objection
was made to that contest. In 1906 Wiscon-
sin wished 20 play Nebraska in Milwaukee
on what. would have been a field neither
owned nor controlled by either Of the teams.
That season Nebraska, however, could not
accept the Badger game. but met Chicago
in theNWiudy City.
In 1906 Iowa played 81. Louis on the
American league grounds at st. Louis. Ne
braska played the same team on the same
field a year later. The park was rented
and was not any more under the control of
the Mound City university than Vinton
street park next fall viii be under Ne
braska's. Another instance of a similar
ease was the Ames-Nebrask game held az
Dietz park in Omaha last fall. The grounds
were rented by the two teams and were
under their control no more than Vinton
park will In charge OF Manager Eager this
coming fall. No objection was made to the
playing OF the game with Amos In Omaha
by ans OF the schools. and II does not seem
reasonable that there viii be any complaint
against a contest with Minnesota there next
fell.
Game May he switched.
During the last week Manager Eager has
been urging his arguments on Co4ra <r-
liams. and the latter may soon sec rn0 sis
uation IN the same light that II appears tc
the Cornhuskor athletic authorities. Some
OF the schools Of the big Eight Will be
asked their opinion in the matter aud ~