New-York tribune., 1909-12-29
HANDLING OF GAMES
w. VIRGINI4 HEARD.
Explanation Of Rough Play on
Thanksgiving Day.

When Dr.. James a Babbitt of Haver-
ford. chairman Of the central board Of Of
fcials Of the intercollegiate Athletic Asso-
citation. rose yesterday TO make his report.
he began by saying that he spoke per
souaIlv. Then he went on. before making
his formal report. to say tnat the board
had done well. despite criticism sometimes
caused by actions Of officials. Indiscreticn
ON the part Of some officials. he said, was
regrettably Of occasional recurrence. but
was not frequent
lie continued;
This committee has IabOred untirinSly 70
fulfil the obligations of IT'S appointment.
the attainment of "a cleeT and elHcient en-
fOrcement of the rules IN letie- ana spirit
. In order to accomplish this u mas mrs.
published a carefully revised list OF ac-
credited and comPe'ent ctucl-IS N csnIlal'
western and Southern sections tne irnpoT-
tSnce of this teing atteSted - the nOod
of applIcat tions from all over Us territory
for OfficIai listing in its puOlSned group
Secondly. in the arrangement Of a gen
eraI meeting for conference upon tne II
depreciation of the official rlleS, reIdlFe
10 the rigid and efficient enforcement OF
the same. Such conference was held ar
the Murray Hill Hotel in september ana
was attended by more ,;5sS than d,-sr nunarsa ga
Walter Camp, and attended by fOur o. the
five members of the central board
Attendance upon such meeting mas Oeeu
made practically obligatory on the part
of the officials, and a SUBSEQUENT snee':
embOdying important SUGGESTIONS and
the board and sent TO all important mem
bers OF it's staff of officials Third, In ap-
pointing and assigning about one thousand
officials positions during the last season
throughout the central section, including
the crucial games OF the Maine Staie
league and many 10 the South and Middle
West
The prerogative of the board seems on
the whole 10 have become constantly aug
cd
for listing Of the official list, TOR appoint
ments in far outlying districts. sChools and
athletic teams and the successful outcome
in fOrcibIe stand made in at least six
important crises of the last season.
strength not heretofore existing
Fourteen states were under the direct
jurisdiction of this central board, repre-
senting forty-six colleges. eighteen pre-,
paratOry schools. several nigh schools ana
occasional athletic clubs by courtesy
The chairman. in completing his report.
would express MS cordlal SraIlIlca 'ion ,, LOT
tant football leaders throughout the East
ern section. and. on the other hand. crltl-
else the growing tendency 70 place all col
Iege football legislation and management
i'm the hands of the professional paid coacn.
who is more often not an alunnus OF the
institution. and whose interest IN NiclOrS
is merely a pecuniary one
When DR.. Babbitt had read his report
Professor Hodges, CT West Virginia, leaped
to his feet and asked permission TO say
few things about the Thanksgiving Day
game between West Virginia and Washing
ton and Jefferson. That was pretty rough
game, even as Professor Hodges described
il. and Lieutenant Hackett and Joseph Is.
PendIeton. its officials, talked freely about
II afterwards
Professor Hodges said that one of the
officials had been made nervous before the
game. and that both of them. in the second
half, had lost control of the game and the
players. He spoke in oratorical vein
that was much appreciated. deprecated any
suggestion that he spoke in wrath. but made
1t pretty plain that West Virginia thought
the Central Board had better officials than
Hackett and PendIeton. But he was there
he said TO apologize if anything wrong had
been done. and he told OF one West Vir-
ginia player who had played foul and been
called before the faculty to explain He
wasn't suspended. but he left college, didn't
get his varsity letter and. IN the words
of the speaker. stands dishonored on our
records"
And. added the speaker the crowd repre-
sented the highest culture of West Vir-
ginia. and was not made UP of miners. so
that the officials needed no automobile for
their escape
Professor Phillips. OF Amherst. then Of
fered resolution forbidding officials -
talk to newspaper men at all. and A A
Stagg supported IT, W F. Garcelon. Of
Harvard. thought that was pretty broad.
and Professor Hodges suggested that power
be given to the Central Board 10 regulats
such conversations. e. K. Hall. OF Dart
mouth. agreed with Professor Hodges. and
the resolution finally passed IN that form.
which was taken by Hall and the other
practical delegates as meaning period OF
innocuous desuetude before its ultimate
consignment 10 the sCrapheap OF theory.