The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-07-15
American College Will
Decide on Sport Program
During Continuance War

OF whether or not the American col
leges will take up sports during the
continuance of the war and to what
extent will be decided in a great
measure at meeting of college ath-
letlc directors and other interested to
be held in Washington on August End
This meeting has been called for q
full discussion of the subject by those
who Will be interested with the hope
that some set plan may be adopted
and all the colleges may act in uni
son.
The decision to be reached by the
Big Three" Yale, Harvard and
Princeton, is expected to be a large
factor in swaying the decision of the
smaller colleges.
Harvard and Princeton some time
ago decided to cut their sport pro-
gram to a minimum, while Yale is UNI
derstOod to have reached no definite
decision.
Lined up in favor of intercollegiate
sports for 1917-18 are Michigan,
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, Syracuse.
Dartmouth, Washington and Jeffer-
son and several other colleges which
have held prominent place in sports
Practically all the colleges have re
tanned their graduate athletic manar
ers, who will come here for the i'm
pOrtant meeting to be held under the
auspices of the National Collegiate
Athletic Association.
The fact that the colleges have kept
their graduate managers, and thai
fet l. -
schedules have been adopted, augurs
we'll for the continuance of sports
next fall.
That majority Of those who hoI
the most prominent places on foo
! ball teams, baseball teams and other
| branches Of sport at the colleges have
/ joined, or have made arrangements
to join the army and navy WAS that
principal reason that tee colleges de
cided to drop sports for the time be
ing.
Dartmouth College has already in
dictated a solution of the football
problem by dropping the orc-year
rule Practically all varsity material
is either enlisted for the war or is
actively engaged in preparation. No
college in the country will have on
hand this fall its high class athletes
Of year ago.
Colgate has paved the way for foot
ball by announcing a tentative sched-
ule despite a later opening of college
in the fall. Washington and Jefferson
has also announced its football
schedule.
Michigan, pittsburg and Syracuse
have come out for athletics follow
ing President Wilson's expressed
wish that sport be maintained.
There is, of course, a sentimental
side to the continuance Of spots. No
college wants to gain the reputation
Of playing competitive games with
men eligible for service In fact the
colleges as a whole have WED with
each other in getting all their avail
able men in some unit seeing scryic"
at the front
A canvass of Yale letter men at
graduation revealed the fact that but
! one varsity letter man was in college
and that he would enlist after grad
uation. College men say they do not
wish to be fighting out a football
campaign when they could be giving
brains and Drawn to the colors.
In answer to the sentimental side
of the question is the argument that
competitive games should be furnish
ed for those under conscription ageI
that sport traditions should BE main
tanned as far as possible. and that a
wholesome and hearty attitude to-
wards sports should be kept up at all
costs.
Yale, Harvard and Princeton repre-
sentatives are expected to take the
lead in the coming meeting. 1t IS
believed pressure will he Drought to
bear to get Harvard and Prlnceton to
reconsider their decision and continue
sports.
1t is possible a decision may be
reached by all those who attend the
meeting to continue all lines of sports
with men in college under the age Of
81, and too young for service at the
front.