The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-12
Sol Metzgcr, Old Penn Foot
ball Captain and Coach,
Is Investigating.
OPINIONS OF HEADS
OF THE UNIVERSITIES
ny sol.
Article D..

Article 4.
Is there a problem in college ath-
%letics? Harry lie Gore and four other
members Of Yale varsity teams volun-
tarlly withdrew from participation In
intercollegiate sport this fall because
they had played summer baseball for their
board. The athletic authorities Of Trinity
College naintained in the face OF
cancelled games by Columbia and New
York universities that George Brickley
should play on the Trinity team even
though he was an acknowledged profess
sional baseball player, having once
been on the payroll of Connie Mack.
Thus the question answers itself. These
cases are but Incidents. There are other
lie Cores and other Brickleys at other
colleges. large and small. Each of them
has transgressed one or another OF the
many laws governing intercollegiate
sport. Now, more than at any other
time, In the question OF eligibility, the
problem the athletic authorities and
universities face. TO the fore. The solu-
ton seems to admit OF delay no longer.
Apparently that In the way the col
leges feel about It. for delegates OF Yale.
Harvard and Princeton have just met
To thrash over the matter. Before the
year has passed the National Cole
giate Association, with representatives
from about one hundred colleges, meets
In New York to issue. according to its
announcement its " book OF rules
governing intercollegiate sport. While
all this is going on the Middle Western
Conference is seriously considering the
abolition of baseball because some OF
Its members confess they cannot handle
tho problem of summer baseball. the
problem which caused the trouble at
Yale and Trinity. Nor Ia this oil.
Following the most successful year
Cornell University has had In athletics
its faculty has set itself on record as
being opposed TO the present trend In
sport at ithaca toward commercialism
and at the cost OF too much time In
the way of trips from the work a
boy goes TO college to do.
College Recruiting system.
PERHAPS I. IL Inevitable. and the facts
seem to warrant this assertion. that with
the enormous growth Of Nollcge athletics.
with its attendant glory for successfui
athletes, its ssumed great advertising
value for colleges with successful teams
and It's evident monetary value to sue
cessful coaches. problems should have
developed. Now what are the problerns'
Are enough OF the stars tarrsd with the
stick OF professionalism or "semi-profes-
observation-disclosures that may be-to
form n serious problem? Is the system
of pros.,ytizing new material from the
preparatory s.1iools. where " mas hcen
developed. a menace TO the purity OF
sport. to the spirit of true sportsmanship.
snort for sport sake. which 10 ny
thing hut the goal Of victory or mas
tho commercial side Of college sport
gate receipts. extensive equipment. ex-
pensive coaching-caused us TO give IL
far greater relative value To other 'as-
tors In college life and at the cost OF the
l.,tcr than should be the case? Ana
mos, lmportant of ALI. perhaps, IL this
SITUATION, IN which things actually are II
situation. one to Justly alarm parents
VINO have SOM with athletic anil'N
.hou, ia enter college into believing
ina, college sport threatens the welrtre
Of their boys" 49,,
College authorities do not answer tnhs
question. They are at odls over Inc
matter. - has been shown in inc - 'o!e
and Rrickley cases. We do not nave "
seek far to get AS widely olNers'n'
opinions from men OF high posi'oh ~
cdu ational matters on one OF 'he w.
lens the colleges are facing n'"n ~
II Briggs, chairman OF the iidrN''"
athletic committee, III "i'''"e y" ~
mer baseball says
..rbc Harvard committee OIL the reg
marian OF athletic sports never KNOW,
inslv allows q member OF the iiar|"ru
team or a candidate for mennpcrsmp u, :,
"A Harvard team TO use summer pase'"'.
A. "A direct or AN indirect n'e.no' a,
earning money. Professional paso vs..
by students in summer IS " $3.50"
,,,,us az having FOR a college education
IAN, should debar the man who uses u
frnm competing with amateurs for q
n,,ce I'm , college nine. | am convinced
mat any other ruling is dangerous ior
The student, individually and des'ro't'N'
Of amateur sport IN college.