Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27
SYSTEM IS A SUCCESS
Princeton Has Athletic Plan in Which
Half of Students Participate.
SPORTS FOR SPORTS SAKE
Is Not a Necessity for En-
trnnts, but 1T is Developed as
the student Works at Sc
lected sports.

PRINCETON, N. j., Feb. 26.-The com
pletion, next week, of the first year of a
system Of athletics which gives an oppor-
tunity for participation in various sports
to nearly so per cent OF the students at
Princeton university, has directed atten-
ton to what is known as "intracollesiate'
athletics, devised by the undergraduates
here and carried out with a success that
overstepped expectations.
Realizing the criticism generally against
the play-to-wln spirit of athletics. espe-
cialiy with the varsity teams Of the col
leges, and hoping to establish a spirit of
Sport for sports sake the intercollegiate
system Of athletics was established in
Princeton as an experiment in basket ball.
Within the first two months more men had
frequented the gymnasium than ever be-
fore. The plan was followed out with even
more success in base ball and now base
ball. basket ball, relay racing, bowling and
hockey are included In II.
The percentage of men competing on
varsity teams or directly concerned with
the varsity, second varsity. etc. is re-
latlvely small in every college. The great
body of undergraduates have been merely
spectators. They have at Princeton re-
tanned that, but added more. Twenty-one
relay teams, thirty-three base ball teams,
fourteen bowling teams and forty basket
ball teams have been organized.
Proposed Year Ago.
The proposal was made in the Daily
Princetonian, the college paper. a year ago,
that all students in the university be at
forded an opportunity for athletic competi-
tion not only for the development of ma
terial for varsity, but with the principal
idea of rendering to all undergraduates an
opportunity to enjoy the benefits Of sxercise
in various sports In actual competition.
A committee Of upperclassmen formulated
a plan. The upperclass clubs, the fresh
men and sophomores, were all represented
at a conference at which details were ar
ranged. First. the basket ball schedule was
drawn W. Upperclass club teams were
pltted against one another in one series
OF games, Sophomores met in another
series at another hour of the day and
freshmen at another. The cost was prac-
tically nothing. The gymnasium Zee is In
Guided on the university bill of everybody.
II did, however, cause a great number to
use the gymnasium regularly who might
otherwise have gone spasmodically. The
different series of games were run by the
committee, officials from the undergraduate
body being appointed and scheduled con-
tests being run off with promptness and
regularity. The championship finals pro-
duced two strong basket ball teams. A
trophy was awarded the winning team.
All kinds of sport.
Bowling is carried on in much the same
way during tho winter afternoons only
the contestants. as a rule, men who are
not interested in basket ball. In base ball
the plan works out TO a great advantage
and next spring an offer will be made
TO try II In crew work. too.
The base ball competition requires some
expense. This is easily raised by sub
scriptiOn. however, among the undergrad
yates. Brokaw Field, the old varsity field,
Is rolled and trimmed at a cost Of about
N.aO. Three diamonds are laid out. regu-
alton bases are placed on them, screens
are erected behind home plate and the
grounds are cared for throughout the sea-
son. The base BAH schedule permits about
los men TO play in games daily. With the
number not playing scheduled games, but
praetieing In other parts OF Broksw field.
which Is an admirable expanse OF playing
ground, about 900 to 800 men play base
ball daily In the spring.
water sports Thfs SprInE.
on AXE Carnegie. the system win be
tried this spriug. There are a number OF
eight-oared and four-oared shells and here
totore there has been only mterclass com-
petition This has limited rowing 10 a
comparatively small number though about
sixty candidates nave been al work every