The Washington herald., 1912-12-22
What's the Matter With Yale
Athletics? Asks the COl
With Material Galore and Glorious Past Spots Present
Condition of Chaos Calls Forth Protests from Alumni

letics? says the Boston Post.
with Harvard's undergrad official
magazine freely admitting that there no
longer exists any connection between
the personnel of the social clubs and the
makeup Of the athletic teams, and with
hardly a day passing without some vol
canic eruption in Yale athletics, is there
any ground for surmise as TO the infiu-
ence OF the society system at Yale, some
of her alumni are asking.
Prominent alumni are at least aroused.
One day some Boston alumnus proposes
professional coaching. The next day a
New York alumnus suggests unpaid
gratudate coaching. The air is filled
with protest.
Meanwhile, Yale goes down in a string
of defeats. And to defeats all the more
CALLING to the alumni because they have
on river, track, diamond and gridiron
a wealth of recognized material. but ma
terial relegated TO the ranks of the subs
and only brought forward to bolster up a
crushing defeat
shifting Policies.
It's cold day that brings no resig-
nation of coach, change in coaching
policy or training system or. II the day
is in mid-season of some athletic cam
paign that brings no licking of an ath-
letic team.
The answer is not on the surface
Yale undergraduates and Yale alumni
do not agree on il. but there are many
reasons proffered why Yale has slumped
in every branch of the athletic sport on
the major calendar. if not on her minor
schedules.
No football victory over Harvard since
1903 and this year a most humiliating
trounClng. No crew win over the Grim
son since 1907 and for the past two sea-
sons most calling defeats in the races on
the Thames. Track athletic defeats ga
lore, not even a loOk-in at the inter
collegiates and defeats by Harvard and
by even Princeton in the dual meets
on the cinder path.
In baseball almost constant defeat by
Princeton and more often by Harvard
than victories over the Crimson-a rank
ing on the diamond even lower than Will
hams and Amherst and Brown-and in
basketball in the bottom Of the list in the
race. till discouraged, Yale
has thrown up the sponge, QUIT the
league and will play the game this winter
only on sufferance, booking simply ex-
hibition contests
In hockey she is rated below Harvard
and rely above other rivals with the
pluck. This has created a condition that
is most humillating to the Yale men of
past NOA4N6t Btlltl dNlOllS ne TtdSOn ana
the cure are asked. From all sides there
is the keenest demand for an overhaulIng
Old Order Changing.
Those close to the athletic teams an
swer that ii has already been begun,
that reorganization has been started
end that Yale is climbing on the upward
wave, that in every branch Of sports the
present condition is due to the Incidental
crumbling of an old system that is being
replaced by a stronger and more whole
some organization of the campaigning OF
the university sports.
Meanwhile there is no branch of ath-
letics that is not turbulent and volcanic
In rowing, head coaches change in mid
season and the policy is changeable AZ
ter four years Of defeat, John Kennedy,
moved a year ago. Nearly sixty years
old and with eyesight dimmed, the vet
eran had ceased to secure results and
there was. no quarrel with his removal.
Immediately tie alumni demanded the
installation of a graduate coaching sys-
tenn, and Jim Rodgers, SO, without ex-
perience, save in. the coaching Of class
crews, and without any experience In
crew work since he had been graduated,
was chose n. Rodgers worked with Bob
Cook, the veteran coach of many Yale
CFc"S. al lle NLlleT ana the early
spring, although their ideals were not in
harmony. but when the crew went TO
New London for its final training, Cook
was given full charge.
Cook Disappeared.
Cook disappeared after the race and
has not since returned. He did not re-
turn to New Haven after the race and
has not been there this fall Rodgers
was announced in August the coach for
another year, in conjunction with AveFiH
Hartman. son of the late Edward H.
Hartman, who had been class crew
coach for the freshmen last year. Rod
gers and Hartman have been at work
all the fall with the squad, but Mon
day it was announced that Rodgers ten
dered his resignation to Captain Snow
den, and that Hartman would have
charge of the coaching during the spring
Rodgers VIII, however, remain here TO
assist Hartman. Rodgers's wish to de-
vote more attention to business is given
as the reaon for his retirement.
The latest shake-up gives no promise
of settled policy In Yale rowing, for
1t places at the head Of Eli crew coach
ing an undergraduate who has never sat
in a varsity shell. The rowing ca unmittee
has the situation to face, and IL NAV
announce other changes before the row
ing season is well along
Late in the fan John Kennedy was
brought back from his home in
Maine, and remained for two, weeks
a. aizffns- IN fhe rfSof,r - - rr--s..t. 4