Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-01-10
SEXTON FOR SUMMER BALL
Harvard Coach Declares Himself in
Favor of Sport as Wholesome
Occupation. for Students.
ONE STONE KILLS TWO BIRDS

BOSTON. Mass, Jan. s.-Dr Frank
sexton base hall coach OF Harvard, by
declaring Ia favor of summer" ball Tor
colleges has put himself in n position
where he will be extensively panned by
those who have set notions regarding
the status of an amateur and will be
freely praised by the opposing side which
believes that athletics furnish whole
some occupation for students who must
seek some employment between terms.
II Ia next 10 inflammatory for any one
associated with amateur sports TO voice
such sentiments as the Crimson coach
has expressed. Everybody has a clear
understanding that base ball II the logical
thing for students OF sufficient ability
60 find places on summer teams. but ID lie
entirely contrary to the ethics OF ANA
teurism TO admit t. What they believe
on the quiet aud what they say openly
arc two separate and distinct things
Endorses SUMMER base Ball.
Some interesting views nre expressed
by DR.. Sexton in connection with the
much discussed problem whether col
legians should he allowed to play sum
mer" base ball. lie says:
Il am believer In the endorsement of
summer base bali This do not be-
lieve should keep man off n varsity
ball nine n he qualities In every other
scholastic department or course, would
limit summer bnse ball to teams outside
OF organized leagues. Eligibility for
varsity teams should be enjoyed by all
bona flde students based on scholarship
requirements and conduct. I favor the
formation OF national intercollegiate
base ball association TO he divided into
the New England middle states and
western sections The New England as
sociaton should be made up OF Harvard,
Yale, Brown. Dartmouth, williams, Holy
Cross and others. Tho middle states sec
ton would be strong with Princeton,
Cornell Pennsylvania West Point an 1
others the western section should hive
such institutions as Chicago, Illinois
Michigan and Minnesota. Each group
could play It's schedule, with the winners
20 play triangular series for the cham
pionshp an honor that has always been
a matter OF opinion"
This amounts TO killing two extremely
troublesome birds with one stone. for
both OF Dr. Sections suggestions are
radical and likely to cause storm OF
criticism from not only the fanatics on
amateurism, but from those who are or
posed - anything resembling champion
ships being pinned to college athletics.
The ranks of the latter include the fac
ton which has strucl; ont against an
American Henley. designed to bring the
crews Of the various colleges and uni
versites together 50 that the question of
mia he ASH
named. Many Of the old-tlmeIs who exert
certain influence in college athletics
have been shocked at the idea, as they
have also been when well-meanlng per-
sons have suggested that II would be a
good scheme II the foot ball teams could
put aside their differences and arrange
schedules that would throw some real
light ON the gridiron championship.
DIR. sexton IL UnnfraId.
DR.. Sexton will incur the wrath OF
these persons, no doubt. for his presump-
ton in trying TO readjust something that
was al Arranged, oh, so many years ago,
but with the element that likes sport Just
for sports sake he merely stamps him
self as a man who isn't afraid to eN-
press some Very sensible opinions. Roth
the suggestions he makes are worthy
Of careful consideration, though there Is
email chance either win receive any al.
tcntion at all,
/ Earning a living through tho .sumnor
| by playing base ball never did any
student any harm. and ought not TO make
him Ineligible for participation In college
| athletics. Three base ball associations
such as DIR. Sexton suggests. would
stimulate interest in college base ball and
result IN the settling OF dispute that
Is always open TO argument. The college
! athletic authorities cannot contend
either that IL does not matter TO them
whether interest is stimulated The cree
ton Of huge stadiums would not indicate
any indifference