The San Francisco call., 1909-05-09
ROWING OPPOSED
BY STANFORD
FACULTY
Students Told Sport Injuries
Health and Causes More
Expense Than Profit

STANFORD UNIVERSITY. May s.
Stating that rowing as conducted at
this university was injurious to the
health of the men concerned and that
the sport was a financial drag upon the
student body out of proportion to its
Importance, DR.. Frank Angel, chair
man of the faculty committee on ath-
lefics, has asked the executive commit
tee of the associated students to abol-
ish the sport or take some other red
lcal steps. His assertions are supported
by DR.. Ray l.. Wilbur, the campus sur
geon, and it is the general belief here
that either rowing Will be abolished OF
some stringent measures taken. The
matter was taken up at a meeting of
the executives yesterday. but action was
postponed for one week.
DIR. Angell's proposal regarding row
ing is the most radical suggestion made
since the old game offootbail was abol-
ished. He also asks for more stringent
rules for summer baseball. X lncSe
suggestions are taken up 1t Will mean
the practical abolition of the national
sport among the colleges. DIR. Anglers
views on this matter are considered too
radical and no action thereon by the
executive committee is anticipated, The
boating question however. is being dis
cussed by the undergraduates here ana
at the University of California. Inc
ia ilure of the intercolle egiate regatta
together with the $4,000 expenditure
which the crew caused without "A single
return. has cast the sport into dIsfavor
with many.
CHANGES ARE ADVOCATED
Dr. Angell's remarks regarding row
ing were as follows:
THE faculty athletic committee has
for several years been sorry to note the
increase in expense and In oNerspeclatii : i.
zation OF rowing. At the same time the
sport is in itself so noble a one and the
character and standing of the rowing
men in the college community so hlgh
that the committee was very loalh 70
advise measures which might seem 20
restrict rowing activity. But the deNei-
opment of rowing at this university
curing the last three years has lnler-
fered with the health or scholarship OF
10Th of the rowing men to such an eX-
tent that | feel very considerable
manages must he made in the regime II
She sport is to continue. In auoltlon'
boating has entered upon stage Whlch
runs counter to the athletic policy to
which this university is committed
VIZ. the policy Of a general participa-
tion in the sport. one of the main rea-
sons for dropping the old game OF toot-
ball at this university was that Wllai
had started as a sport had degenerated
into a more or less grinding ana eN-
.hausting drill of relatively few men IN
Dtepa ra ton for an intercollegiate con
test and | fear that boating has begun
10 be subject to somewhat similar con-
,iitions The matter of expense IS one
in which | am but indirectly concerned.
/ feel however should emphasize d
,act which YOU of course have alread%
considered: viz. that next year WIN
tracl, and football taking place AT stan :
rord our income in all prObabl1lN, VIII
be much less than it was this year, am
IN case OF a rainy football day II Woulu
bc very much less. -
Il have not been able to get the tac-
ulty athletic commiitee 'os tep ~
take any formal action in the matter
Of rowing nor did / desire TO take any
such action until fthe committee was IN
fun possession of the facts In the case
suhcommittee to confer with the fac
ulty committee TO see What steps steps
should be taken to obViate the present
unfavorable conditions of the sport
fee feels warranted in appropriating
the funds necessary to carry 1t on. i
am. very sincerely yours ours ,Ncr11
"e,hairman Faculty Athletic Commit
INFLUENCE DECLARED BAD
The letter written by DIR. Wilbur TO
President Jordan of stanford unlNer-
sity. and which was prompted by the
fart that one of the cardinal oarsmen
nearly died from the ehects " the
III is my professional opinion that
the influence of rowing upon lne men
at stanford. particularly under the dli
ficulties offered by the distance from
a proper stretch of water. is distinctly
bad. The amount of physical strain Is
out of proportion TO any benefit gained tSa
effects of the athletic contests upon a
considerable number of the men over
a series of years, and IN my OPINION
rowing. as carried on here. has not had
the advantages for the individual that
the other sports have had. and has. on
the contrary, been Of distinct disad
vantage to number of the men under
taking it. Recently five of the crew
have been critically i'll as direct re-
suit of the recent intercollegiate con-
test. and one of them is still in a dan
gerous condition.
Il would suggest that you investi-
gate this matter. and call the atten-
ton of the proper authorities to the
whole question of the desirabiIty OF
stopping intercollegiate rowing, at
least until such time as adequate
streetcar or other facilities permit
easier access to a proper stretch OF
water Very truly yours
"R L. WILBUR.