New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-29
Plea Made for Cleaner
Sports at College Ath-
Ietic Meeting

Professor Roger /. Lee, Of Harvard
University. exploded mine under the
time honored theory that participation
in strenuous athletics has lasting ana
deleterious effect upon mans heart
which affects his normal life IN after
years. He made strong address at the
annual convention OF the National Col
legiate Athletic Association, held at the
Hotel Astor yesterday. in which he
showed by statistics that the average
athlete is far healthier than the man
who does not take part in athletics,
and went ahead TO develop the fact that
the came defects which may exist IN
the organism Of an athlete are 10 be
found with greater frequency in the
ordinary non-athletic being.
His speech was one of many which
held the interest Of several hundred
college men and. others interested in
athletics in general. Dean lie Baron
Briggs, president Of the association, sd-
dressed the meeting upon the subject
Of faculty control of athletics in all its
branches, urging that ell coaches OF
college teams be members OF the facu!-
ty. Major Palmer Pierce spoke upon
college athletics as related to national
preparedness, and DR.. William Mann
Irvine, of Mercersburg Academy, de-
cried PROSECUTING in all its varying
forms.
athletic Heart" Normal Heart
"The athletic heart" said Professor
Lee. "is usually the normal heart.
Cardiac irregularities arc in no way re
lated to physical exercise, but rather 20
increased nervous sensbilities. They
occur frequently. skip beats are found
in the ordinary human being TO far
greater extent than in our athletes and
are common 10 the normal heart
"Of 1000 students examined at Har-
yard 20 per cent had abnormal hearts,
and the majority were not athletes.
The hearts Of freshman oarsmen exam
med al the time they reported for prac-
tice and after their final race disclosed
the fact that there was only slight IN
crease in size during the training
period. and this may be attributed to
the increase in age Of the boys. When
the hearts Of the older boys we're exam
ined before, during and after the train
ing season there was no appreciate
difference in size
The most satisfactory method OF eI-
aiming the heart is by use OF the
X-rav and one or two other delicate III
struments. Tests made with the stetho-
scope are not always accurate. The re-
suit Of examinations by X-ray often de-
pend upon the distance At which tho
light is held from the person being eX-
amincd."
Professor Lee named one OF the
larger colleges OF the Middle West
which abolished rowing as a sport be-
cause Of the alleged injuries 10 the
hearts Of the students and the effect
upon their after life that the strain OF
training for boat races had. He said
that the precaution was not really nee
essary.
Coach as Faculty Member
Dean Briggs. in his speech on faculty
control of college athletics, said In
part:
"The college athletic coach Is, so far
as his connection with the teams rep
resenting the college or university Is
concerned, member OF the faculty.
There is no reason why we should
choose n man TO direct our teams whom
we would not welcome as a member OF
the faculty.
THE influence that a coach can ex-
crt over the men under his control
may be q lasting influence. The prin
ciples of sportsmanship must be in
culosted. The teams must learn 10
play the game as sportsmen rather
than sporting men.
THE amateur coach. with notable
exceptions, is inconstant and trans
lent. tempted 20 graft. and unable for
want of time and OF tenure 10 carry
on, we'll considered policy.
Despite the principles OF supply
and demand" continued Dean Briggs.
".here may be reasons why the ath-
letic coach should not receive three
times as much salary as the professor
Of Greek. There is no reason Why he
should not hold a position OF equal dig
nifty.
There is no more reason why the
teacher o. football should curse his
pupils than for professor Of Greek
OF chemistry TO curse his classes.
"Zesl, the desire IN win and talk
tas hJ participants IN Al xauAa. Al