The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-11-11
Coach Longmsn Declares Bartelme
Said Last January Disputed Play
ers We're in Good Stand
ing.
NOtre Dame Plays Clean Football,
He Says, and Doesn't Deserve
Knocks.

ANN AhbOh, Nov. 1l.-(Speclal.)
Shorty" Eongman, Notre Dame
coach. has come forward with this
statement regarding his position in
the recent trouble between Michigan
and Notre Dame. He declares that he
has been misquoted by the press and
that the following is the only state
ment that he has made.
Il had not intended answering the
recent articles relative To Notre Dame
or myself, but | have had so many
requests that | feel word will not
be out OF place.
In regard 10 the eligibility OF my
players, all | will say is that Mr. Bar
telme told me last January that there
was no question about Dimmick and
Philbrook. | took the matter up with
the authorities here and told them OF
Mr. Bartelme's Interpretation OF the
rule, not knowing that Curtis had al
ready told them the same, and found
that they agreed with Mr. Bartelme.
Two days before the game was
the first intimation that | had OF any
objection 10 them, when Prof. Hol-
brooks protest came, The ultimate
result is the ruination of our season,
which | believe would have been a
greater surprise than last years, ow-
ing TO the fact that our team was
pointed for the Michigan game.
1T was a hard blow TO Notre Dame
college which had acted openly and
fairly In every way, which had never
tried 10 conceal a fact and which
supposed her Interpretation OF the
rule was the same as Michigans. IL
was equally hard for her coach.
Now, aside from the real issue,
the Interpretation OF one rule, certain
overzealous writer's have raked up
everything they could imagine to hurt
Notre Dame and myself.
What better evidence is there than
that every man on the Michigan team
tells you that the Notre Dame game
was as clean as any game he ever
played in? Every man on the VI. A.
c., Pittsburg, Rose Poly, Olivet, Wa
bash or Marquette teams will tell
you the same. Is not this more con-
elusive than a mere rumor?
"One young man has stated that
| was hanging around Ann Arbor last
wear sort OF rubbing it in after the
game. | was a visitor in my own
home after the game for one day. and
1t is very fiattering that this is his
strongest criticism.
He also states | have had trouble
with my players. That's small thing
TO talk about at best, but such Is not
the case At least | have never had
10 send my captains or anyone else
TO the gym for telling me to go to -
Now, through this entire trouble
have you noticed that Notre Dame
has ever said an unkind word about
Michigan? Did you notice that she
confined herself only to the issue?
Did you notice last fall when Mr..
Vest accused her OF having ringers.
she simply proved her record clean?
Now | have been accused OF lack
OF college spirit and If what these .wo
writer's seemingly demand is right,
am guilty. The kind of college spirit
I cherish Is the one which requires
man to do his best for the college he
represents II Is one which does not
mean running along the side lines
yelling rah, 'rah, 'rah. love my uni
versity.' but TO go out on the held
and smash myself to help the team
win.
1T is very easy TO sit on the side
lines and tell what the players ought
TO be doing; TO tell the coach how to
coach his men. and when to visit his
home; to say that everything my uni
yersity does is just right and every
thing all opponent does is all wrong
II our team wins, to say the other
team is poor; II the other team wins
they are ringers, roughnecks, slug
gers, or else they are so Old we TOOK
pity on them because they were
feeble. but my Idea Of craftsmanship
is this: May the better team win, and
II the other team is the better give
them the credit and try to win from
them the next time.
IF | have done wrong. say so, out
kindly put 1t in some tangible form
and prove It to the people ana stop
these imaginary rumors.
+ G. LONGMAN.