The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-05
SUMMER BASEBALL RULE
is TOO FOSSIL TO STAY
WITH MODERN COMPANY
II Makes Liars Instead of ANA
tours and For That Reason
Is Useless.
CLIMAX CAME THIS FALL.
Sport For Sports Sake Has Out
worn Itself in College
Athletic Circles.
CLIMAX CAME THIS FALL.
BY RALPH |. YoNkeR.

Before this football session closes
will the man who said that "the sum
mer baseball rule doesn't make anna
teurs, II makes liars please step for
ward?
That messy regulation which at
tempts 10 prohibit college men from
playing professional baseball in the
summer months and then playing
amateur football in the fall. Is due for
the cannery.
Not that the old fossil wasn't all
right In its day. All old fossils have
been all right at some time or other
and what Is new now will be decid-
edly fossil not so far in the future.
Sets Of rules and regulations gov
erning college athletics become fos-
siliferous as public opinion outgrows
them and public opinion, outside OF
that in the minds of Coach A. A. Stagg
and his adherents, has slipped past
the baseball rule. Why should the
college man be disqualified for using
his athletic ability to bring him the
coin OF the realm while on his vaca-
ton any more than the orator for
using his talents on the lecture plat
form or on the stump at so much
per? Why should the college athlete
be disbarred from playing football be-
cause he played baseball for money, IL
the debater, who uses lis abilities as
a thinker and speaker In some law
yer's office, defends the honor of his
college on the platform in competition
with other institutions?
OF course there may be schools in
which professional speakers are for
hidden TO take part in competitive
work. but the object of the rule is to
take the chance OF unfair advantage
of constant practice away from the
work-a-day orators, and not to take
away the privilege OF earning money.
This summer baseball question has
stirred up not only the big confer
ence colleges on account Of the al
legged PROFESSIONALISM of Pickering,
which Minnesota did not have the
heart, or the nerve. to disproye. but
II has excited the smaller college OF
Michigan connected with the NJ. I. A.
A. into a miniature frenzy. and Alma
and Albion have made yelled threats
that the M. I. A. A. will have to do
away with some OF this professional
tommyrot rAlma and Albion will
fight their athletic battles without
the assistance of the intercollegiate
association.
With Minnesota threatening TO with
draw from the western conference
and two OF the colleges of the state
threatening to get along without their
athletic governing body here because
Of this baseball proposition, II looks
as II public opinion were swinging
rapidly In Inc with the idea that sum
mer baseball is o. X.
Young American athletes, to the
most Of whom a dollar looks bigger
in the hand that a dozen pretty med
quickly. do on the chest. are bound
to 20 into professional sport in the
summer II they get chances that look
good TO them. After the spring term
OF college is over. contemplation OF
what the result Of their breaking their
schools athletic requirements fades.
III IL has any effect at all, IL only com
pels the college man to call himself
Hugh Tubbs or Dan Sullivan instead
OF Archibald Clayton and he plays for
the Four County league In North Da
kota, and the smoke goes up the chin
ney Just the same. III he is caught, he
is unfortunate.
The athletic authorities OF his
school don't help catch him.
For those who love the sport for
sports sake, this insistent demand
that the very pegs upon which anna.
tear athletics in colleges is hung on
be Knocked OF is saddening. II IL an.
ether strong indication that what we
Americans care for sport for spoyt's
sake when there's a dollar in sight
can be put in one eve and we can
still get the CLINT of the iron man well
enough to follow him.
Except those like the millionaire
auto drivers who cared so little for
either life or money that they went
into those races at Savannah. there
are few athletes who can AFFORD 10
give up chance to earn money
with their athletic talents when occa
sion offers. Thus, this professional
rule places handicap on the poor
boy.
This and the fact that the CONNER
eial spirit OF the age sanctions almost
any legitimate means OF getting money
and perhaps some that aren't exactly
legitimate, has taken the stigma OF
professionalism to such an extent that
IL Is not felt that II IL suficient "a
bar q man from college athletics.
K The rule barring from participation
IN sthfettcs those who are profession
ais, unreasonable I'm this CONNER
cial age In the first place.
The rule makes liars and not anna
tours In the second place.
II wouldn't be bad idea 10 throw
IL out. In the last place. or first place
for that matter. ~.
GIBBONS TO TRY FOR
MfDDI EWEICHT TIT Z,