New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-31
TO REVISE TRACK RULES
A Few Changes Would Mean
Much to Athletes.
FOUR SETS NOW IN USE
Little Done at Conference Yes.
terday, but Uniformity
Seems Assured.

The committee on track and field rule.
of the National Collegiate Athletic As,o-
citation had an informal conference vs,.
terday with Gustavus T. Kirby. presidan,
OF the Amateur Athletic Union and chair.
man of the executive committee Of m.
Intercollegiate Association of Amateur
Athletes OF America, better known as the
l. c. 4 AS, In reference to the 70.
vision Of track athletic rules
The conference was held at the Faculty
Club Of Columbia University. Although
Mr.. Kirby and the representatives OF the
National Collegiate Association, Professor
W. A. Lambeth or the University OF yir.
ginia, Professor T.. w. Marvel of Brown
University, and Frank Casteman, Physi.
cal Director of the University OF Colorado.
we're unable TO reach definite understand.
ing or agreement, a great deal was accom-.
plished and II is probable that another
meeting will be held shortly at which
standardizing Of track rules throughout
the country.
At the present time four sets " track
and field rules are I'm use IN the Unitedi
States. The Amateur Athletic Union rules
predominant, but there are also the rule,
of the Intercollegiate Association OF ANA.
teur Athletes Of America, the National
New England intercollegiate Athletic As
ISOLATION. II is for the purpose of clearing
up the differences existing In these various
codes that the four organizations wish to
reach an understanding.
For example. II Brown University holds
q meet with Columbia the rules Of the I.
c. AS would be used, while IL 1t should
meet Williams the New England As.o-
citation rules would be in force. Further.
il Brown were 10 meet the University Of
Chicago or one Of a great number OF uni.
yersites In the West and South. the
rules of the National Collegiate Associa-
ton would have to be used. Then, again.
II Brown University athlete were to
compete in an open meet he would have
to run or jump under the rules Of the
Amateur Athletic Union.
The differences in the rules are not
elemental. and the changes that would
have 10 be made are not radical. The
greatest differences arc in the hurdles
broad jump, and other field rules. There
is also some question as TO the rules Of
starting and finishing The Amateur Attn
letc Union and the T. c. As require the
same kind Of hurdles and permit the men
10 knock down only two without disquali-
hcation. ON the other hand. by the rules
Of the National Collegiate Athletic Asso-
citation and the New England Asso-
clation. the hurdles can he lightly cor
structed and tho number left standing
varies. In tho broad Jump the take-cG
i'm the rules Of the first named organize
lions differs from that required by other
sets on the take-of. Also the rules Of the
National Collegiate Association allow
man only two trials i'm field events, while
the other sets give man three chances.
As the Amateur Athletic Union does not
hold its annual meeting until next Noveni-
Der. it is hardly possible that anything
definite can be done before that time but
i'm the meanwhile the National Collegiate
Association, through its committee, VIII
have a conference with the representatives
of the l. c. As. and II is probable
that the two will reach an agreement BE-
fore the annual meeting OF the latter body
I'm February. Then a committee represent
Ing the two big associations would Re
ready 10 join forces with the Amateur
Athletic Union and make II certain that
the revised rules would he ready for the
summer Of 1914