New Britain herald., 1916-02-25
TOO MANY RULES, IS
 SHARPE'S OPINION
Would Reduce Eligibility Regula- tiOnS, But Enforce Penalties

New Haven, Feb. 25.-Dr. Al Sharpe Cornell athletic coach, told Yale men yesterday that he believed there should be a uniform code of el- igibility rules for all colleges. He declared that severe punishment should be inflicted for the violation of these rules, but their application should be not arbitrary, but based on the merits of the case. He is in favor of reduction in the number of the rules with a stricter observance of those that remain.
 In talking about CornelPs athletic prospects Sharpe expressed doubt as to the success of the football and bas-
 ketball teams, but had hopes for
 successful season in crew, track and baseball this spring He would leave
 the present football rules about as they are. He added: "In regard to
 the amateur athletic situation among
 colleges I think there should be a 1 uniform code of eligibility rules There should be a few definite rules
 which cannot be evaded and which ! are unmistakable in application. It i is not a question of a number of by ! laws. At present the eligibility rules 1 are being broken continually in most
 of our universities.
 "In questions of eligibility I favor | the most severe punishment possible, 1 but when a case of eligibility does come up it should be judged entirely 1 on it's merits and not mechanically
 Eligibility rules are human rules and as such should be applied in a human manner.
 "Of course the ideal condition in intercollegiate athletics would consist of as few regulations and rules as possible. I am in favor of a reduction in the number. of rules but such a
 reduction must be accompanied by a,
 stricter observation of the remaining
 rules. Football rules will undergo little
 change at the next meeting of the 1 football rules committee. I think ] the rules as they stand are very com plete. The only change I would sug- i gest is in the rule regulating the in- | reference by a backfe1d man with 1 player attempting to catch a forward l pass. It is difficult to determine ! in this case just what is interferencB
 and what is not, and as a result a much deserved penalty is sometimes escaped. The rule in itself is all , right, but it is difficult to enforce it. | with the exception or lew minor < changes, however, I believe that the
 rules will remain the same. At
 present there are more than enough 1 rules, and I think that the game I should be allowed to rest where it is. | for a time.
 Tn football at Cornell the pros ] poets for successful team next fall
 are very poor. We will lose five of l our best players by. graduation. Bar 1 rett, one of the best quarterbacks ever developed at Cornell, will be among them. It will be most difficult to |, build up another championship team
 from the remaining men, and do not expect Cornell to have another cham
 pionship team for two years at least
 Tn basketball the outlook is even less encouraging for we will lose all our best players by graduation.
 This spring I expect Cornell to have an excellent crew. We have aN of our last years men back except one.
 "In track the prospects for an equally successful team seem assured. The baseball team in general will be good, but the pitching staff is ex- tremely weak"