New-York tribune., 1911-12-28
ATHLETIC REFORMS Up
Summer Baseball and Its Evils
To Be Discussed.
GENERAL WOOD TO SPEAK
Meeting of National Collegiate
Athletic Association in
This City To-day.

The executive committe OF the Nauonal
Collegiate Athletic Association held ses-
sion in the Hotel Astor last night to lay
out the programme and prepare resolutions
for the annual meeting OF the association
at the same place to-day. Captain Palmer
r. Pierce. U. s. A., who has been an active
worker In the cause for clean sport and
raising OF the standard OF intercollegiate
athletics, is likely TO be reelected presi-
dent, an Office he has held since the asso-
citation was organized. several years ago.
when the first crusade against football as
sumed dangerous proportions He said last
night that he expected a full meeting.
with representatives on hand from most OF
the ninety-one colleges and universities
which make up the membership.
Responses to the letter Of inquiry sent
out by the association on summer base
ball and it's evils were received from lSo
different institutions Professor fSanK
w. Nlcolson, Of Wesleyan, secretary OF
the association, read long and exhaus-
tive report, which he summarized as fol-
lows:
Almost all of the colleges consider
baseball as now played benefit. but many
think IT could be improved by eliminating
or reducing the professional element and
by emphasizing the idea Of sport rather
than contest. There is a general belier
that there should be fewer intercollegiate
contests and more Intercollegiate. A large
majority Of the colleges reported that they
enforced the amateur law. There seemed
to be decided difference OF opinion as to
what that law is.
Most of the colleges report the con-
duct of the student spectators at the game
satisfactory. Few Of the colleges consider
baseball to have been professionalism in
their institutions. There is evidence that
conditions in this respect are improving
in many places.
"In more than half of the colleges re-
porting, less than Is per cent take part
in any way in baseball. In the other In
stitutions the number participating runs
from 25 to 30 per cent, and even more in a
few cases.
'The majority Of the colleges do not
think It possible to abolish gate receipts,
chiefly for financial reasons, although
there is a general belief that the practice
now increasing among the colleges OF es-
tabishing a student tax for athletics, If
combined with subscriptions or an endow-
ment from the college. might make II pos
sibe some time In the future to do away
with gate receipts. The majority Of the
colleges seem to favor that course as soon
as it becomes feasible.
About half the colleges employ q pro-
fessional baseball coach, but decidedly less
than half express themselves In favor of
that plan. A large majority Of the col
leges favor the proposition that the base
ball coach be not allowed to direct the
game from the players bench"
At the present time Yale, Princeton and
Cornell are the only leading universities in
the East which have not Joined the asso-
citation. Every effort has failed up to this
time TO gain their cooperation. but Captain
Pierce is still hopeful that every important
institution In the country
eventually will join forces.
The summer baseball evl-a form OF
semi-professionalisrp in the colleges-a uni
form amateur rule, the needs of football
and professional coaching for college men
are the leading questions which will be dis
cussed at the business sessions in the af-
ternoon to-day and at the informal session
In the evening
The morning Will be devoted to adj
dresses by Major General Leonard Wood,
chief of staff, Y. 8. A., on The Military
Value of Athletics TO a Nation; Chancellor
Mccormick OF the University OF Pitts
burgh, on Collegiate Athletics from the
Viewpoint of the President of a Univer-
sity," and Professor Scudder OF Rutgers
College on THE Influence Of Collegiate
Athletics upon Preparatory Schools" Cap
tain Pierce also will make his annual ad-
dress on questions of vital interest to tho
welfare and advancement of the associa-
ton.
The association is made up Of faculty
OF the various colleges and
and its purpose is TO direct,
rather than TO control. Under the circum-
stances football and possible rule changes,
for which there is such a clamor in the
East, will be treated only in a general way,
as the work Of revision will be left to the
rules committee when 1t meets later I'm the
winter. There is almost sure to be some
general discussion, however, which may
prove interesting, more particularly as Dr.
Harry L. Williams, who will represent Min
nesota, and who is a member of the rules
said just before leaving Mime
apolis that ne would oppose any attempt
that may be made to abolish the forward
present rules and is in favor of allowing
them TO remain intact.