Evening star., 1915-01-14
BY II. C.. BYRD.

Greater interest is being shown in bas-
ket ball in this section now than mas
been the case in recent years. More
| institutions have taken up the sport, ana
| it is being played by a greater number
| of persons than ever has been the case
| here in previous years. Not only are the
colleges, schools and Independent organl-
cations interested actively in the game,
| but many of the grade schools and play
grounds have organized quints.
! There is not a college in the District,
and only one or two in the entire south,
that does not support the game. and only
| one or two prep schools do not have
teams Every college in the District has
a five on the floor now, and each prep
school is represented. There also are
many Independent organizations playing,
and more are being brought into ex-
istence with every week of the season.
A few years ago only few of the
colleges in this section were repre-
sented by basket ball fives. Some of
the larger institutions had teams, but
were represented. Now conditions are
changed, and greater interest is being
evidenced in the sport: The apparent
increase of interest undoubtedly is que
form of intercollegiate competition
which is general during the winter
months. There is less public interest
in the sport as game than In any
other, but because there has as yet
been obtained no better method by
which colleges can remain in active
participation against one another dur
ing the winter the game is not only
sure to exist, but is likely to broaden
it's scope. And particularly is this true
in the south, where the opportunities
for winter sports such as are enjoyed
in the northern latitudes are not Of
fered.
The West Virginia Wesleyan basket
ball team, which is to meet Cathollc
University tonight, met defeat at the
hands of the Navy quint yesterday BY
a decisive score. OF course, II Woulo
seem that the West Virglntans ian are, are hot
against the Midshipmen. but 1t is diff
cult to tell just how capable five is
by what it accomplishes. or fans TO
accomplish. as against the vinm mnnaports a -
best on it's own floor, is liable at any
time to run up big scores against most
any team, and that may have been the
reason why West virginia wesaesah et
The West virginians may show much
better against Catholic University to-
night than is generally +ssl. expected; e;1;
proye strong enough to win.
A. Wenger has earned a place on the
Gallaudet basket ball team and will
start the game against George Washing
ton University in the Gallaudet gym
nasium Saturday night. Wenger has
been showing splendid form, has been
using good judgment. is one of the best
shots on the team and generally has
proved himself worthy of regular po-
sition. He is likely to be used at one
of the forward places. though he may
get trial at center also.
Gallaudet hopes to defeat George Wash
ington this time. The Hatchetites won
the contest played just before the holi-
days In an extra five-minute period. In
its own gym Gallaudet figures it will have
a much better opportunity to finish with
the long end Of the score.
The qualifying bouts for the dual
wrestling meet with the Y. M. G. A.
Saturday night were held last night by
the Memorial Athletic Club and resulted
in the following men being chosen to rep
resent the organization against the men
toned association wrestlers
11opound ela.s-Marshaif, Memorial, VS.. Mar
120pound class-Allison. Memorial. vs.. Becker,
125 pound class-Bowbeer, Memorial, vs. Gregg.
135-pound class-Freeme, Memorial. vs.. wheile.
- pound class-Jordan. Memorial. VS.. Paxton.
15spound clas-Robertson, Memorial, vs.. Pax
W eavvweishtHcoulon. We Memorial, vs. Buckner,
7. NJ. C. A.
An excerpt from the remarks of
President Hibben of Princeton Univer-
sity at recent meeting of the board
of trustees of that institution is ex-
ceedingly interesting in that a posi-
BILE turn to affairs in connection with
the coaching of college foot ball teams
is in sight Here is what President Hib
ben has to say:
II hope the time may soon come
when the paid coach will disappear.
Our athletics. not only in Princeton.
but throughout the country, are suffer-
ing from an over-organized system of
coaching. The coach and his ever-in-
creasing number of assistants tend to
keep up the gate receipts of inter-
collegiate contests at an abnormal fig
ure, rendering intercollegiate sport an
unduly expensive affair.
1T is quite absurd, when one comes
to think of it, that the control of the
team in all preliminary games should
be in the hands of body of men who
the play is on. After all it is an un-
dergradute affair, and the game should
be planned and played by undergrad
yates.
II we can release our undergraduates
from the unnatural domination of their
sports by graduate coaches and from
the confusion of many minds and many
voices in the direction of their ac-
tivities we will simplify the whole ath-
letic situation and liberate intercollegi-
ate sport"
These comments have undoubtedly
been caused by the stir created last
fall over the failure of the coaching
system at Princeton. And in some ways
President Hibben is right in his con-
tention, if contention it may be termed.
There is not much doubt that there will
come a time when college foot ball
teams will be coached and trained by
men whose services are at the COM
mand of the school during the entire
year. possibly by the regular physical
instructor. but that the day will come
when there will be no coach at all is
very improbable. There are many rea-
sons why that would be inadvisable,
but it also is certain that it will not be
many more years before the various
institutions will cease the policy of OBJ
tanning a foot ball instructor for two
months. The chances are it will not be
long before the foot ball team will be