Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29
MEET TO DISCUSS
COLLEGIATE SPORT
Fate of Athletics May Depend
on Gathering of Athletic
Directors Wednesday.
MAJORITY FAVOR GAMES
BY Il. q. BYRD.

u IL We - 1s0e
Wednesday morning at 10
o'clock representatives of prac-
tically ali the colleges in this sec
ton and many of those In the
north ard west will gather at the
New Willard Hotel to discuss
present athletic conditions. Prob
ably the fate of intercollegiate
sports for the next two or three
years hangs in the balance, as
nearly all institutions will act on
whatever recommendation is
made as a result of the meeting.
The gathering of those directing
sports has been called by the Ma
tional Collegiate Athletic Assoei-
alton, and all that attend will
meet in conference with the ex-
ecutive committee of that body.
Since the declaration Of war last
spring athletics. in all its branches. has
been in q condition OF chaos. xaies
Harvard, Princeton and Cornell I'M
mediately called OF all competition.
and several minor institutions follow
ed their lead. Few OF the big track
meets were held last spring, and base
ball schedules generally were consao-
erably broken up by cancellations. Par
ticularly was this true in the south.
many Of the institutions below the
Mason-Dixon line having nearly all
their games listed with northern teams
which called off their southern trips.
While there has been quite recovery
from the hysteria which seemed to Al.
feet the colleges in the first days OF
lists which is decidedly unwholesoma.
Hope to Get Definite Stand.
It Is to alleviate present conditions
and to bring about some definite and
concentrated stand by the colleges
that the meeting for wednesday morn
ing has been called. Believing that some
action should be taken by the National
Collegiate Association with the idea Of
clearing the situation. Maj. Palmer =.
Pierce, president of that body, sent out
a QUESTIONABLE as to the adv1saoiiity
Of calling q general meeting. It Seem
ed to be the opinion, though. that the
gether and make tho decision after q
conference with invited representatives
from all the colleges sufficiently inter-
ested to send them. This will give an
even broader expression OF opinion than
that II only the members OF the asso"
citation were present.
Just now it appears that tho recon-
mendation Of the body Will be to con-
tinue athletics, with some few curtatl-
ments or notifications to suit particu-
lar cases. Yale. Harvard and Princeton
have made known that they viii not
have teams. Harvard has announced It
will put on the field an independent
eleven to play informal games with
some of the New England colleges.
Some talk has gone the rounds at yale
men, but no definite course leading to
that end has been taken at either IN
stttution Two or three minor colleges
have announced a discontinuance OF
athletics. but practically all stand
united in a determination to carry OUT
their usual programs.
Among southern colleges George
Washington and Catholic University
have Cancelled sports. but except Tor
c. U. in base ball. neither has cut .
great figure in intercollegiate compe-
tition. Virginia asserts 1t Will go
through with its average program. and
that despite the prospect OF consid-
erably depleted student body and loss
of nearly all veteran players. North
Carolina A. and NJ. has sent out notices
to All institutions with which IL has
rela tionships that it win maintain III
athletics Georgetown, v. p. I. May.
land State, Washington and Lee ana
others in this section have every insso-
ton to play foot ball this fau and 20
On through with as much Of thei1
Usual athletic program as possible M
der somewhat changed financial -oon~s
ditions.