Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-04-29
OFFICIALS ON
FOOTBALL FIELD
ARE COMPETENT
Gridiron Situation Dis
cussed by DR.. j. A. Bah
bitt at Board Meeting
NEXT SESSION IN MAY

Taking advantage of the number Of
visiting athletes in town for the Pennsyl-
vana Relay Carnival, the central board
of football officials held forth last night
at the Bellevue-Stratford and discussed
five important topics relating to the vari-
Gus officials employed to take charge Of
the big college games in the East next
fall. Not only were there managers, ath-
letic directors, deans of the various uni.
versities on hand for this meeting. but,
most important of all, the leading gridiron
coaches of the great Eastern colleges
turned out en- masse.
SPEEDY" Rush, of Princeton fame;
Glenn Warner, whose name has become as
socated with the Carlisle Indians, and
Pittsburgh: Bob Folwell, Pennsylvania's
new gridiron tutor; Pat Cavanaugh, the
coach of the Big Green Dartmouth team;
Big Bill Hollenback, whose duties will be
with Syracuse University next fall; BY
Dickson. who will be assistant coach at
Franklin Field next year; keene Fitzpat-
rick, the Princeton trainer, and r. c. Har-
low, the Penn State general, were all on
hand and had an important role in the
proceedings of the conference.
DR.. James a. Babbitt. chairman of the
Central Board addressed the body at the
beginning of the meeting and discussed
important topics, which he said he be-
lieved to be vital for the betterment of
the football game He first discussed the
need OF good officials for college football
games Then he dwelt upon the subject
of the need of good and competent foot
ball managers. His third remark dealt in
brief with the methods employed by the
Central Board in choosing various OFF,
cials.
Officials Competent
He also discussed the present football
situation in American colleges today, stat
ing that he believed II was the consensus
of opinion that officials in college foot
ball games today were more competent
than ever before. His last point was in
regard 10 the Rules Committee He said
this body was so certain that the officials
were competent that, in case any new in
terpretations were needed in regard to
the present rules, ii would not be neces-
sary for that body to send out supple
mentary literature, by reason of the ability
of officials to get together and thresh the
matter out by themselves.
In regard to the possible elimination
of a number of inactive officials from
the list now in the hands of the board
much discussion ensued, In which num-
ber of the most prominent coaches pres
ent took an active part. Rush, Cava-
naugh, Folwell, Warner and several
others suggested methods whereby this
list of more than 100 men could be
materially lessened. 1t was brought out
in the meeting that out of this number
only about IT'S men were actively engaged
each week last fall
A new plan is to be launched, this year
by the central board in the form of a
meeting, which is to be held either In
New York or Boston, composed of man
ayers OF the football teams of the 12 lead
ing universities in the East. This body
together with coaches and other advisers,
will submit a list of officials desired at
various big games next fall 1t is pro-
posed that by this method the central
board and the colleges can accomplish
greater results by this personal confer
ence The date of the meeting was not
decided upon definitely, but 1t will in all |
probability be held during the week OF |
the intercollegiates in Boston.
Folwelps Motion
The only motion OF the evenings bust. |
ness which was proposed and acted upon |
was that of Bob Folwell, in which he |
recommended that the central board con- |
tinue TO make the selection OF officials for |
the coming year as II had previously done |
No action OF final nature was taken in |
regard to cutting down of the central /
boards list of officials. In all probability |
this matter will be given final considera- |
tion at the final meeting in May.
All Of the big moguls had little get |
together" meeting at the close OF the /
business meeting, and football was the |
main trend Of the conversation. White, |
the Syracuse captain. who won the Sc |
pound weight throwing event In the relays |
yesterday attended the meeting. Many /
other football players from various uni /
yersities, including former stars. also /
were present, and X Is safe 10 say that 1
Il has been quite some time since such /
prominent bunch Of gridiron stars has i
been assembled together at one time