New-York tribune., 1911-12-20
ATHLETICS AT COLUMBIA
NO Work for Oarsmen During the
Christmas Holidays.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR TALKS
Explains Necessity of Conducting
an Examination of Hearts
of the Athletes.

For tlc nrSt time In SeVeTdi years thSiS
VIII be no work for the Columbia crews
during the Christmas holidays. according 10
the announcement that Jim Rice, the
coach made To the oarsmen yesterday
Rice does not think that the men have had
too much practice this fall but the fact
that the rowing room has to be closed TOT
alterations some time before the hard WORK
Of the season begins after the holidays leu
the coach to close up shop Tor the next
two wceks The regular call for candidates
will be made Oh January 2. and on that oate
the daily indoor practice Will begin with no
let up until Il is time to change 10 the river
some time I'm March.
During the holidays the new set Of row
ing machines which Rice has had built by
Kerns. Of Springfield. Mass, will be in
stalled In the rowing room. The new ma
chimes are of improved design and were Sc
lactcd by Rice personally. with the ne"
equipment i'm place the coach VIII nave
room for twenty-four oarsmen at once. as
compared with the seats for sixteen mere
tCfore. Rice believes that with the IN
creased accommodations he will have IN
creased squads at his command, for one OF
the complaints that has bothered him III
the past has been that at eny one time
there were only enough machines TO ac-
ccmmodatc two sets of oarsmen, making Ii
impossible for many men who were unable
TO row at other less convenient times to get
any practice at all.
The crew candidates are practically the
only athletes at Columbia who will have a
rest throughout the holidays. Both the
basketball and hockey squads are in for
double portion of practice every day. and
the same is true OF the candidates for the
swimming water polo, fencing and gym
nastic teams. The hockey team is to play
series Of practice matches with local
sevens during the recess.
Dr George L. Meylan. the medical di-
rector Of the Columbia University gym
nasium. replied yesterday to a charge made
In THE Columbia Spectator" that the stu
dents did not cooperate with the faculty I'm
the enforcement OF the various regulations
with reference to eligibility on the athletic
teams especially that necessitatine an eX-
animation OF the heart OF prospective
member OF a team before he is permitted
10 take part In a contest. DR.. Meylan in
his reply says that the fault is entirely with
the students, and that the disqualification
OF an athlete because of a defective heart
on the eve of a contest is the fault OF the
manager or coach in not seeing that II was
attended to at an earlier time.
Mr.. Meyian's letter in which he gives the
reasons for the necessity of conducting an
examination OF the heart is as follows:
The discovery OF coach. captain or
manager on the day OF an athletic contest
that member of the team Is ineligible be-
1..g. FfNl a
tressug. The remedy Is very simple. Let
the coach captain or manager see that all
candidates for his team have their hearts
examined during the first week OF training.
which Is usually many weeks before the
first contest. The whole difficulty is that
some captains and managers neglect this
important duty until day or Two before
th" first contest, and then discover that one
or more men are ineligible. either because
of poor scholarship or some physical de
feet. \ recent occurrence affords good
illustration of this point. team which
had been In training over two months was
unable To play the first contest on It's
schedule because three members Of the
team had failed 10 present themselves for
first contest the medical director remained
in his office two hours after his regular
office hours 10 examine men whom the
manager was trying TO get together Tine
manager failed TO get hold Of the captain
and two other players. with the result that
the team had TO give up the regularly ad-
Vertised contest.
There Is another very important reason
why candidates for athletic teams should
submit themselves to medical examine
tIon before entering upon season OF
training. and that is the danger OF having
2 student iniure his health seriously by
active athletic training when his heart,
lungs or kidneys are defective. Let MS hope
that in the future all coaches captains and
managers will see to # that every candi-
date report for a physical examination dur
ing the first week OF training.