New-York tribune., 1911-02-22
DEGREES COST OF SP0RTS|
Dean Briggs. Of Harvard, Says
Expenses Are SCandaIous.
NEED OF COMMON SENSE
Taxicabs, Dinners, Shoes for
Keepsakes Not Part of
Real Training.

Cambridge Mass, Feb. 21.--"The cost OF
organized athletics is almost scandalous.
says Dean Lebaron Il. Briggs. OF Harvard
University. chairman OF thu committee on
regulation OF athletic sports in his report
to President Lowell Dean Briggs reviews
the achievements of the various athletic
teams during the last year, urges thai
something be done 10 interest all students
in athletic sports and then discusses the
problems connected with the business ad-
minstration OF athletics. After declaring
that the cost of organized athletics is al
most scandalous" Dean Briegs continues:
"In spite of large receipts from baseball
and enormous receipts from football. the
Harvard Athletic Association after modcr-
ate payment toward the permanent i'm
provement Of Soldiers Field can barely
meet its bills. The almost complete aboli-
ton of subscriptions such as once victim
lied freshmen is healthy curtaiment of
our income. tho increased outlay for hos
pitality TO visiting teams is 4 healthy adj
diton to our expenses, the cost Of expert
medical aid is duty choerfully assumed.
but some expenses bear about the same
relation 10 the health and success OF our
10 good horesmanship.
Captains. managers and coaches arc in
cined to throw aside equipment that is
highly serviceable and almost new and 10
buy at great expense something wholly new
and shade better: they tend TO encour-
age and exaGgcrate fastidiousneSs in hotel
accommodate in food. and In Clothing.
they 100 often require for themselves and
their men such luXpries of the table and
Of transportation as rome but the rich
can afford. The days when the players
bought their own uniforms and equipment
and paid their own travelling expenses
and doctors bills are gone past return
ing.
Shoes and sweaters FOR players, dinners
for coaches and committees tsxi cabs for
busy men who steal time 10 help us with
ont remuneration these things have be
come necessary. but shoes and sweaters
10 wear once or not at sll, shoes ana
sweaters as keepsskes. souvenirs. photo
graphs. taxicabs as the sole means of get
ting about. costly dinners with wines and
cigars-sll 10 no paid out Of the gate
nloney-these things belong with that
theory of training which furnishes free
automobile rides and theatre trips az q
relief 10 the oyertsxed nervous system NJ
The university squads. II rs things like
these that give handle 10 the enemy Of
athletic sports and ramper or even
psuperize strong men.
1t is pleasant 10 note that in 1910 ba So
ball at Harvard was free from conspicu-
Gus dlscourtesy. Yet throughout the coun-
try this sport and our sports suffer from
low ideals 1t Is these low ideals that are
responsible for the waste Of money in
enervatiug luxury 70 which ] have already
referred 1t is they that give rise TO the
practices in baseball scarcely credita BILE
among gentlemen. II is they also that
have made possible the occasional out
breaks. the distrust, ard the pathetic
diplomacy in the relation of what should
be noble rivals such as Harvard and Yale.
"All that IS needed 10 lift intercollegiate
sport beyond the reach OF just attack and
put it whore it belongs in physical. mental
and model education, is simple honesty
and common sense"