Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-24
HOPE TO MAKE THEM OBNOXIOUS
Other Schools Then Likely to Be
Glad to Abrogate Present Rules.
SUMMER BALL BAR MOsT HATED
Practically Makes Professionals Of
all Star College Athletes
PRESENT RULES GO TO EXTREME
overscRiouH Professors, Wanting TO
XIII Tainted Athletics, Went
TOO Far ana Made Anna
tour Nearly Impossible.
NY CLYDE Il. ELLIOTT.

III u DE hlaLAOI1s
1.-THE quickest and surest way to abro-
Eate those rules which are obnoxious IS
to interpret them TO the letter and cause
all schools 20 see the injustice OF them"
This sentiment seems to express the
motive behind the action OF Minnesota
and other schools OF the west who OBJ
jcct to the summer base ball and other
rules OF the conference. Minnesota in
the big Eight" and Nebraska, in the
Missouri Valley conference, have de-
clared war against the midsummer base
ball playing regulation. Nebraska began
its campaign In the spring OF 1909 and
Minnesota has just started its fight as a
result OF tho disqualification for foot
ball OF Captain earl Pickering. who was
barred from the Wisconsin game because
he had received money for playing base
bail during the summer,
During tho last week word was sent
out of Minneapolis that President George
IL. Vincent and the board OF athletic
control had ordered strict adherence to
all rules OF the big Eight" In this
order is seen fight 60 destroy some OF
the present rules, among them the anti
summer base ball clause, which is re-
garded as altogether too stringent a
measure.
Minnesota Goes Limit.
The Minnesota faculty is going further
than any school has ever gone to enforce
tho rules, II Is requiring that all ath-
lotes sign statements to the effect that
they have never played summer base bail
and that they are clearly eligible under
all rules OF the conference. Failure TO
comply with this order will result In the
har 81 atA Hntn ton In
intercollegiate sports.
Because OF this strict ruling Minnesota
has already lost the service OF one of its
best base ball players. This man ac-
cepted 81 many years ago for running
race at a Fourth OF July celebration.
Think of It. One dollar for running
foot race in the days OF his youth.
Something awful. Wisconsin also has
suffered through the same ruling. and
one OF its stellar base ball players has
been dropped from the squad because
he admitted he played base ball for
money during the summer.
But in taking steps to enforce all the
rules OF the conference to the letter.
the Minnesota authorities see their way
to the drafting Of a set OF regulations.
They know that no school in the country
has star athletes who are eligible to play
in any branch OF sports under the present
big Eight rules. Chicago, the chief
exponent of the purity core in the con-
ference, undoubtedly had several men on
last falls foot bali eleven who were In
eligible. All the schools OF the Missouri
Valley conference are in the same fix.
Nebraska Took Action.
Two years ago the board OF control at
-.
game OF intercollegiate base ball because
none OF the men on its squad would sign
statements declaring they were eligible
under the summer base ball rule. They
all knew they were ineligible. They also
knew that men at other schools were
not free from the faint Of professionalism
as defined in the code OF rules OF the
big Seven" The Nebraska board OF
control was opposed to the rule, and
be II said TO the credit OF this board, IL
is still opposed to the regulation, but its
members insisted on obeylng the rules
OF the conference. At the same time they
instructed their representative to the
conference meeting TO use his efforts TO
have a new rule drafted. This delegate
tried 10 have the rule modified, but his
efforts were blocked by representatives
from schools that had played ineligibles.
A prominent member Of the Nebraska
board OF control at that time said: I'VE
see our way clear to take no other action
than that OF abolishing the summer base
ball, unless the athletes will sign state
ments declaring they are eligible, but
since all members of the team had
have stated that they are not eligible
we cannot permit them 70 sign a state
ment that would make liars of them.
Present Rule Unfair.
II think the present rule which declares
that a student shall not play base ball
with a semi-professional team during the
summer is far too strict. The other
members OF the board agree with me. We
want this rule modified. At present the
rule says that any student who plays on
a team, any member OF which receives a
salary, is ineligible for college athletics.
This student does not need to take money
for his own services. Let him play with
other men who are paid and he is a
professional. Such a rule, It seems to
me, is about as absurd as any could be-
II should be changed, and this board is
on record in favor OF a better rule.
I'VE would like TO see athletes play
summer base ball under certain restrie.
tions. Let them get permission OF the
board OF control TO become members of
certain teams. They should be com
PEELED to do this before the close OF
school In the spring. can see no great
harm In letting them gather a certain bit
OF money for their services with town
not league teams"
The spirit expressed by this Nebrasga
professor is tho same that moves the
board OF control at Minnesota. These
Gopher professors want summer base
ball because they know students viii play
II no matter what rules are made; they
also know that the students viii lie
about their playing. too. But so long as
the conference Insists on having the rula