Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-21

1t has been only little while back
since there was great arguing and de-
batlng about the ethics of early-season
practice, and one big university even
wentlso far as to insert a clause in con-
tracts with some of it's opponents that
there should be no practice before a
certain date in September, or before the
regular opening of the collegiate year.
lied In matters athletic, held a special
meeting to discuss the problem. but
now all seem to be agreed that there is
nothing wrong ethically with getting a
squad of boys together two weeks early
to make sure that they are in some
thing like good condition before they en-
ter their first real game.
Some Fear the Strain.
About the only question that has come
up recently in relationship to practice
prior to the opening of college is
whether the average foot ball squad can
stand the strain of longer practice than
is had during the usual ten weeks.
Many coaches have claimed, and some
still claim, that to begin the work
the first week in September practically
gives the squad three full months on the
gridiron, longer than it can remain in
anything like top form More than one
gridiron expert holds mat no foot bali
team can be brought to the zenith of its
strength more than twice during a sea
son.
Be that as it may, though, the ma
jority seem to think that preseason
practice is worth all the effort required
to get it. and the others seem to think
there is no use for them to take a
chance of getting left in the rut, when
certainly they have comparatively moth
ing to lose by doing just what the other
fellows are.
Will Go to Mountains.
West Virginia University and Univer-
sity of Pittsburgh will lead in the get
away for practice this year, both being
scheduled to leave for their training
camps September 2. Both squads do
their preliminary work at mountain re-
sorts. Yale, Harvard and Princeton
have not announced the exact date o.,
which their men will begin work
but all three expect to have full squads
at something more than light practice
by September Is. Rutgers has sent out
notices to members of its squad that its
first get-together will take place Sep
TENDER s, while Penn State plans the
opening of its preliminary season Sep
TENDER 5.
North Carolina State College plans
a trip away from Raleigh to the
cooler western part of North Carolina
for the first three weeks of it's work,
and it purposes to leave Raleigh on
Labor day. North Carolina Univer-
Sity was about the only southern
school which conducted spring prac-
tice.
University of Virginia always has
had its squad out early, and its APP
pearance on the field this fall will
be watched with unusual interest in
that it will mark what is heralded
as the beginning of a new gridiron
regime. Rice Warren is to take alb
solute charge. He believes firmly in
practice and a lot of it, which may
mean an earlier beginning than usual
for the Charlottesville warriors.
c. L. Plans Late Beginning.
Catholic University is the one
School in this section which is due to
get on the field late, unless it changes
it's present attitude. The Brookland-
ers, if they do not get to work be-
fore the 1st of October. will find
themselves in rather hard straits dur
ing some of their early games, even
if they are not much affected for the