Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-20

Penn appears 20 be getting lots OF tough
breaks this season Just when we Thought
our lineup was settled and the team had
at last struck its stride ruling by the
faculty deprived us OF the services of our
best guard. the veteran Billy Neill III Neill
had been barred before the season opened
we would not be in such bad way now, as
another guard would have been schooled to
take his place but his disqualification,
coming on the eve OF the State game, Is a
great blow.
A few weeks ago we lost Charley Hen
ming, who is. TO my way of thinking the
bts, guard In the country today, and think
the majority of critics will agree win me.
As team Henning and Neill were as good
as any pair In the country, all things con-
sidered. and losing them makes great hole
in department OF the team that was
causing the coaches the least worry.
want to explain our position in the Nell
case. so that no one can have any oount
but what Pennsylvania acted in good faith
aud did not Intentionally use an ineligible
player in its carly games.
Before the season opened every player
In the squad was compelled to hll out ana
sign n blank telling OF mis- past experience
In football These blanks were turned over
TO the faculty committee on athletics ana
unless they were passed by this body man
could not represent Penn on the grid!ron.
Took Prep Course
In filling out hts blank Nell stated clear
ly that he had played football for three
years at Whitman College Walla Walla,
Wash, but explained that in his first year
/ at Whitman that institution was not known
as a college, but considered a prepara-
tory school, on the same plane with some
of the business colleges In this city. In
his first year at Whitman Nell took pre-
paratory school course. as he never had
diploma from any high school. but
before the following term Whitman was
bequeathed large sum of money, built
new buildings. put In new departments and
branched forth as a full-hedged college.
NELL played two years at Whitman when
II was cons .dered college and while he
was taking college course, but he did not
consider that his first year should be
counted against him. He did not try to
deceive the faculty committee in any way,
and II passed him without question, which
made him eligible for cur early games.
According to the rules. a player is not
permitted TO play more than four years
OF college football altogether, and cannot
represent a large. college for more than
three years. AS last season was Neill's first
on the Penn team and we did not consider
that the first year at Whitman should be
counted against him. we believed that he
was eligible for another year of college foot
ball and so did the faculty committee until
two days ago.
The coach OF one OF the teams on our
schedule wrote TO member of the faculty
committee asking that Neill be Withdrawn,
and In order to assure other colleges and
the public that Penn was aboveboard so
far as its eligibility code is concerned the
husky guard was declared ineligible, though
the faculty committee really believes that
Neill should be allowed TO play.
While the eleventh-hour disqualification
OF Neill has weakened the team a great