The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-05-13
asco Baers OrORed Caps Defeat Krche Americans
MANY ATHLETES
 IN PENN RELAY
Big College Event to Be Held at Philadelphia Late
 This Month.


 ceIlent war time showing, made by the college athletes at the Pennsylvania relay carnival, as a basis for optim- ism, followers of track and field sports are predicting interesting com petition at the Intercollegiate cham plonships to be held at Philadelphia at the end of the moth. While it is recognized that there is little proba- bility of record entries or perform ances it is expected that the cards and contests will compare favorably with the l. c. A. A. A. A. games of the past, when the present unusual and unsettled conditions are taken into consideration.
 Although the entries have not been closed as yet, it is generally under stood. that the largest number will probably come from the university of Pennsylvania; the University of Pitts burgh and Cornell University, with a lesser number from a maj jority of the other members of the association. At the present time. 28 colleges and uni versailles hold membership in the I. c. A. A. A. A., including the two Pacific Coast institutions, California and Stanford. It is not expected that either of these universities will be rep resented at the coming games. As a result there will be an absence of in- tersectional competition unless Michi- gan should elect to enter a team, which appears unlikely in view of the Wolverines re-entry into the Western conference.
 If the performances at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania relays can be taken as a criterion it appears certain that while the various contests will be close there will be few existing marks in danger. Among the college squads there are some athletes of exceptional ability, such as Dresser, the two miller of Cornell, and Myers, pole vaulter of Dartmouth, but it is doubtful if there will be enough high class opposition to force performers of this type to ex- tend themselves to the limit necessary to better the existing times or dis tances of the Intercollegiate Associa- tion
 There has also been some discussion as to the feasibility of permitting | freshmen to compete at the big meet in order to increase the size of the fields but such a move is not likely to | eventuate. While there is nothing in the rules of the I. c. A. A. A. A to prevent the entry of a freshman. providing he has not won a place in an open competition previous to or l during his freshman year a large ma- l jority of the colleges have a self-im- | ;oI,- +, first year students from competing or varsity teams and it is not at all likely that the bars will be let down at this time.
 This is particularly true as athletic activity and training have been con siderably curtailed at all the colleges and it is doubtful if the average fresh. man athlete has been able to devote the necessary time for the intensive training which would be required be- fore the trainer would dare risk his entry among the older and better pre-. pared competitors.
 In fact the war and the resultan college changes have placed an en- tirely new aspect upon the college athletics and competition. There i. not a single institution in any part o1 the country which has the time to de vote to sport, or the number of candi date which under normal conditions vie for places upon the various teams This is fully illustrated in the case O. the University of Pennsylvania whici has been an ardent advocate of spor even under the restrictions and handi caps that prevail.
 The positionHof Pennsylvania can b, gathered from a. recent statement O the Department of Physical Educa tion, showing the number of under graduates actively engaged in som, form of athletics has been reduced il almost every branch of sport. Tn, exceptions are swimming, soccer ant rifle practice.
 In 1917 there were 3371 student engaged in some form of athletic recognized by the university. Thi year the number is reduced to 2362 Football, baseball, track events, row ig and basketball, the so-called majo sports, all show a decided falling off the greatest drop being basketball il which the number was more than GU in half.
 The gymnastic team was the hard est hit this year, the number dropping from 19 to 3. Of the real sports soccer and swimming both showed considerable increase, while the rift club, as might have been expected nearly doubled. Golf nearly held it own, but comparatively few student engage in this sport.