New-York tribune., 1917-12-23
College Sports Awaiting
Stand of Conference Here

varsity aggregations placed on the
field by them in former seasons.
In the West contrary view has been
taken OF college athletics. The teams
have suffered far less from the war. a
fair share of veterans of former elev-
ems appearing in uniform on most of
the Western football squads the last
year. The Western teams have played
practically as elaborate schedules as
ever.
At the spring conference of college
athletic directors, President Wilson
/, and Secretary Baker strongly urged
the continuance of athletics during the
war at all American colleges and pre-
paratory schools, without definite in
terruptions. Even at Yale, Princeton
and Harvard, where no veterans of the
varsity teams were obtainable, every
branch OF sport has been continued to
some extent, informal varsity and
freshman class football elevens have
played during the fall, track athletic
meets and 'cross-country runs have
been held, and every winter sport has
been organized upon as thorough and
elaborate basis as ever before.
Winter Sports Organized
At Yale. every winter sport squad,
except hockey, is already organized,
the squads are the largest in size in
the history of each sport, and sched-
ules as complete as ever before have
been arranged. Action is awaited at
Yale in the spring major sports, row.
ing, baseball and track athletics, pend
ing the outcome of the association
convention.
Yale's attitude is largely that of
Harvard and Princeton. The three
universities are in constant communi-
cation on the subject and it is GER
tain that the general action Of
one will be closely followed by all
three. A member of the Yale athletic
board of control said to-day in discus
sing the situation:
THE feeling at Yale is that it is
comparatively easy and desirable to
continue the so-called Spontaneous
sports, such as boxing, fencing, bas-
ketball and swimming. These require
little preparation, and their schedules
can be easily maintained. On the
other hand, it will be decidedly Diff
cult TO maintain such major sports as
rowing and baseball. which require
months Of careful, elaborate, scientific
preparation. and which close their an
nual seasons with formal races or
games Of tremendous Importance.
"lt seems safe TO predict that the
spontaneous sports will be fully con-
tlnued, but the action of the coming
meeting of the National Association Of
College Athletes will be awaited before
definite action il taken regarding
spring baseball and rowing"
IL is expected that the messages of
President Wilson and of the Army and
Navy departments will be delivered 10
the convention at its opening session
on Friday evening by President Palmer
Pierce OF the association.
Colonel Pierce, Who has been per
haps more active than any other per
son in the organization and developmen.
OF the association, is now a member
OF the General staff OF the United
States Army. He is close to the execu-
tive Offices of the Administration. and
is in position 10 do college athletics
as signal a service as he rendered in
1906. when. with a demand for the
abolition of football almost general. he
skilfully steered the canoe OF football
reform through the rapids of opposi.
tion.