The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-12-24

that the University of Michigan's
Board OF Control OF Athletics has set
H------~ new record Tor
SPLITTING eligibility observ'
HAIRS Ar ance by it's action
MICHIGAN. in the case OF Cap
= tain-Elect Joy Mil
Ter who has been denuded OF his
athletic awards and deposed as his
failed 10 go through with minor act
OF mere enrolment routine-a matter
so Insignificant that the instructors
in the class rooms at which he was
regularly In attendance themselves
failed TO note the discrepancy through
virtually the entire opening term OF
the college year.
They seem 10 take the matter with
dreadful seriousness out at Ann Arbor
Now that they have discovered the
heinous offense. they are going
through with IL in impressive style.
The elaborate apologies To Pennsyl-
vania, Minnesota and the rest who
played against this outrageous state
of affairs hint at dire possibilities.
What II Penn-that played two fifth
year men against Michigan in 1908
and Minnesota-that unblushingly
showed a grade of sportsmanship sew
eral years ago that has ever since
stood as the limit-should refuse TO
accept the abject confession as ade'
quate explanation? Horrors
Michigans attitude is that OF one
who stands up so straight that he
topples over backward.
Another feature. of the affair which
fails to appeal at first sight 10 any
one but Miller and his friends, Is the
implied disgrace brought upon man
without whom Michigan would. In all
probability, have cut but sorry fg
ure before the football world on the
basis OF her campaign Of 1903. JOY
may not have been All-America stun
but he was the one firstclass end oil
the Michigan team and quit the year
with a record OF blocking virtually
every forward pass attempted around
his end by an opposing team Further-
more. when Wasmund became ineli'
gible and II became necessary TO de-
velop a man TO take his place for the
final game OF the year. Miller was the
man selected for the job. With only
n scant opportunity TO become familiar
with the duties OF the most difficult
position on the eleven. JOY made the
switch and history has recorded how
against the much-vaunted champions
OF the conference, he engineered Micn.
igan's attack in fawless manner and
70 a victorious issue.
And this Is the man whom the
Board OF Control at Ann Arbor seems
TO have elected as the sacrifice In a
labcrious effort TO demonstrate TO the
world the straight-laced conditions
hedging about the men who comprise
her athletic teams
OF course, there Is no denying tnat
Miller transgressed n rule OF the Uni
versity. That he was enabled 10 40
so-all unknowingly-the University
admits that Il is Itself TO blame. New
ertheless the unfortunate athlete is
made TO bear the blame alone and
with IL, a stigma OF implied dishonesty
which does not seem 70 be made good
in the specific utterances on the mat
ter by the Board OF Control. Had
Miller secured his rating as a student
eligible 10 play. by some hocus-pocus
and then regarded his classroom work
in cavalier style, the conditions would
have been different. An examination
TO discover the situation might have
been in order as punishment. But
unless there is lot OF the story
which neither the authorities nor their
victim have told. the present retribu'
ton seems away out OF proportion 70
the offense.