The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-19
SHALL IT BE RUGBY
Missouri Valley Conference on
Fate of Football.
Sentiment Is Favorable to the
American Game.
MODIFICATION TALK.
Changes in Playing Rules Are
Being Suggested.
Ex-FoOtball Players at h. Z.
Plead for Game.

Kansas City, Mo, April 19.-Repre-
sentatives of the Universities of Mis-
souri,, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska,
Drake university of Des Moines, Wash
ington university of St. Louis and
Ames, the agricultural school of Iowa,
met in conference here today to decide
whether or not the American game or
football is to be abolished in the Mis-
souri, valley and the English game sub
stit1ted The conference was called by
Chancellor Strong of he University of
Kansas The student body and the
Alumni association of the Kansas uni
versity have declared themselves in
favor of the continuance of the Amerl-
can game and this will probably be the
result of the conference.
The Missouri university has signed a
coach for next year and made num-
Der of contracts, indicating desire 20
retain the American game
The board of curators of the Univer-
sity of Missouri at their meeting here
yesterday agreed to vote unanimously
on any question that comes up The
curatorS will meet with the conference
representatives. Although the football
question was not gone into at the meet
ing of the Missouri curators yesterday
it is said by those on the inside that
Missouri will oppose any move to apol-
ish the college game in the valley this
year. Missouri has signed a coach for
next fall and has made a number OF
contracts and it is believed that the
Missouri curators will vote to retain
football for at least another year. Prot.
w. G. Manley, a member of the Mis-
souri, faculty and the man who hired
Coach Roper and his successor, Coach
Hollenbeck, explained the new rules 10
the curators yesterday.
Professor Manley'S explanation of
the new rules made the game look pref
ty good,'' said one of the curatorS after
the meeting. 1.-The seven men on the
line of scrimmage will do away with
much of the mass play. The game will
the work of the rules committee should
be taken seriously Those men realize
that the game must be made safer and
they have made it safer
If the matter were left to the faculty
of Missouri all intercollegiate sports
probably would be abolished as the
members are said to have voted to that
effect. However, the curatOrS, not the
faculty. will decide this football ques-
ton. One of the curators said as much
Played Because Liked Game.
Lawrence, Kan. April 19.-The
men who have played football on the
University of Kansas teams in former
years do not want to see the game
abolished. That fact was made pat
ent when DIR. James Naismith director
of athletics at the University of Kan
sas, gave out a statement showing the
general trend of the replies from sixty
letters of inquiry. These letters were
sent out week ago to men who for
merly played football at the univer-
sity to collect evidence to present at
the Missouri Valley conference meet
ing to be held at Kansas City tomor-
row.
mot a man of the number but
hopes to see American football retain
ed at K. u said Doctor Naismith,
land with one or two exceptions they
believe its abolition would prove an
irreparable loss to the school.
Every man I have heard from"
continued Doctor Naismith, says he
played football here because he liked