The Detroit times., 1910-11-05


again. this time in four places. Quite
an epidemic OF Unfair" is whisking
throughout the western end OF the
collegiate world Much indignation is
being vented here. there and else
where.
The collegiate athletic situation Is
a queer thing. The system is charac-
terized by its looseness and the
rules" OF contests are less important
than the exceptions thereto. Anybody
who can find out Just where the col
leges stand regarding eligibility, etc,
is wise man and is worthy Of a
medal.
So far as can be determined the
collegiate conference" is patterned
after the fashion OF the little amateur
baseball leagues which spring up In
May like rag weed and peter out in
July like morning glOries at 10 O'Clock.
The little amateurs, You know, meet
In somebody's store and say; Lets
have a league Then they organ
ize. elect officers. Ak a schedule, en-
gage umpires and play About the
third week somebody takes his team
from the field. says the other fellow
cheated. that the umpire was blind
and the boys on the other side are toe
big. Then the league breaks up.
The college situation Is not AZ al
dissimilar. or course, the collegiate
may see in the conference an 1nsti
tuition OF great benefit, but the ordi
nary outsider whose neck never has
been smoothed by the calming indu
ence OF an academic course scarcely
can perceive how the colleges are
organized in a league sufficiently ugh'
10 hold much water.
Mr.. Miller, OF Central high school
made pretty wise statement wher
Ann Arbor high-kicked about one OF
his players. Who's going 10 tel
whether or not man is eligible, II
the facuIty's word Is not good. The
faculty alone can tell If a player Is
eligible" And, there you are. The
whole thing is up to the faculty and
Il is a sad fact but true, that the aver
age faculty when the coach wants &c
ring I'm a semi-professional, closes It's
honest eyes and sees nothing.
There's only one real good way OF
purifying college athletics and that Is
| to change the system. Under cOndi
| lions as they exist today the active
! coach can get away with most any
thing without the faculty saying Sc
much as Boo providing, OF course
the public and rival colleges make no
protest. When somebody protests the
faculty usually arises in its might and
whacks the professional, but the fac
ulty, II real downright honest accord
ing 10 good old-fashioned standards
would have chucked the professionals
before they even started.
From the oft-recurring cases OF
professionalism" in college athletics
and the easy means OF rectifying the
evil II looks as though those who have
the colleges in charge did not wish
to purify the games. II looks as
though they wished 10 have some
thing 10 fuss about And. of course,
n they are satisfied, the public doesn't
care a hang.
II Michigan plays good football the
uublic will patronize. The public
doesn't care who does the playing
But. we have 10 Ian. yes. L-A-douDle-F
NJ the "holier than thou attitude
when the other fellow is caught. You
remember not long since. the young
gentleman who participated some
time AZ Michigan without the slight
formality OF attending classes?
The Ancient Marathon Again.
NEW YORK. Nov. "a good sea-
son for indoor running is predicted to-
iay as the result OF the successful re.