The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-24
Ole
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l6St year - = moxUU6I O1 t00 V8He
ton Bulldogs and that next fall he
hopes to put \ professional foot
ball eleven in New York City and
play full schedule Of games At the
Polo Grounds. He believes the time
is ripe to introduce the pro. game
in the metropolis-something radio
ally new in the world of sport. But
let the aboriginee tell it himself:
Il have been playing football for
the last five years in Akron" says
Jim. land believe it Is time to put
a crack eleven in New York. Such
a team would be composed Of the
pink of all the colleges. I know
that many objections will be raised,
but can meet every argument
against my proposition.
First Of all is the opposition of
the intercollegiate Football associa-
ton and the self-appointed guard
ians Of the integrity Of the college
game.
Flays Opposition.
They charge that promoters Of
professional teams will corrupt
college football players; that play
ers who have not completed their
eligible years on college teams will
be tempted to foresake the halls of
learning, and that amateur ideals Of
the sport will be lowered. They
raise their hands in holy horror at
the spectacle Of q college graduate
playing football once a week for
money, Just as they did when COL
lege baseball stars began to enter
the professional ranks not so many
years ago.
you will remember the hula
baloo that was raised at Harvard
about Is years ago when the faculty
discovered that Walter Clarkson, q
Harvard pitcher, had 'disgraced'
himself by signing a contract to
play with the Yankees after he
finished his college career. Clark
son was barred from all further
competition in college sports after
that expose.
Defends Professionalism.
But now the baseball leagues
draw steadily on the colleges for
material, and nobody gets excited
about it. Common sense tells a
young man Just out of college that
picking up few thousand dollars
each year playing baseball ia a
good way to start q career. There
is nothing disgraceful about a col
lege man playing professional base
ball, nor should there be II he
chooses to augment his income by
exploiting his football prowess.
Nov as to the other charges,
have managed q professional foot
ball team for several years and MOI
once have l made an offer Of en-
ployment to any college player who
did not approach me first. We
have had SO much talent to draw
on that it is not necessary to &c
after men on college teams. Aftel
they graduate or quit college sport
for one reason or another, it is q
| uUISe VI 6uOtuSE CUlOF.
Had Pick Of Pack.
you would be surprised to know
how many letters and kilograms
get from prominent college gridiror
stars and men who have passed
their years of football eligibility IL
schools all over the country. II
. wanted toll could have picked
more than one eastern headliner on,
of the college ranks. But we didn'I
do business that way. In case.
where l have been approached BY
or in behalf Of some player activ,
in the college game, I always in
vestigated his case if thought
could use him.
"If professional football for hin
means an interruption of his col
lege career which would otherwis,
continue. l would not consider hin
for a moment. You knows that oil,
gag about persons in glass houses
Throwing stones. Well, l played a
Carlisle several years and / know
many coaches and college players
I know a great deal, too, about thei
PROSECUTING methods. When 1 wa
in Carlisle / could have pickle,
more than one big eastern univers
ity for another alma mater.
would not have been compelled I,
| toll for living, either.
College Finds q Way.
They have ways of smoothin,
out the road for q fellow VIII,
works his way through college if b
happens to be good football play
er. That sort Of thing is still 70
ing on even if the faculty board
combat it. Coaches and old grad
scout for promising material in tn
prep schools and even yank player
off other college teams. They tai
high ideals. but they like to gra
of the football talent that reflect
glory on their institutions. This
the era Of high finance in football
| Il believe there is . great man
football fans in and around Nev
York who will support professions
60AACo. lucy 0AS ku0 RoVVl0 ~ u
have no pull to get into the bi
eastern classics. You know no,
tickets are handled at Yale. Har
ward and Princeton. The Army
Navy games at the Polo Ground
are almost private quarrels. VIVA
about the folks who have the pric,
but not the pull and would like t
+! see good football? Sunday sport
now legalized in New York. Sun
day baseball il popular and I b.
lieve Sunday football would have
great following.
i These are some Of the reason
why am for the professional foot
ball game. / shall try to get sum
cient backing TO put . team in Ne,
York next year. It took the mid
!, die west to introduce the posEibili
ties for the pro. game. There ID d
; reason why the game should not b
just A. popular in the east, espl
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