Evening star., 1921-12-05

= Southern intercollegiate Confere
the misinterpretation placed upon
Atlanta newspapers and later sent
parently by that paper, justice to til
tions mentioned, particularly Geore
facts, exactly as they were presented
Before doing that. however. the
writer desires to state that ne dld
not charge any institution with play
ing ringers" did not once during
the whole meeting say that any
school was using Ineligible players,
and. moreover, did not make any
statement which was so interpreted
by the representatives of the four
teen institutions which are members
of the organization.
Facts of the Case.
Facts of the case are these:
In the Saturday morning session of
the conference rule was passed for
bidding any member of the conference
competing with any institution in
conference territory not a member of
the conference if that institution
would not agree to live up to the
eligibility rules of the conference.
This ruling struck the University of
Maryland hard. as it has had more
big games scheduled with members
outside the conference than any other
TWO institutions. and also placed the
University of Maryland in position
in which it would have to force
George Washington and Georgetown
and Catholic University and Johns
Hopkins to adopt eligibility rules of
the conference if it desired to Sched-
ule games with any of these schools.
In fact the writer already had
talked with George Washington and
Catholic University about games for
next fall and had also expressed him
self to both Coach Exendine and As
sistant Coach OConnor of George
town as favcring close relationship
between local institutions and made
to the Georgetown coaches the direct
statement that 1T seems to me that
it is time We get together as an
annual game between Georgetown
and Maryland should he one of the
best in this section and advantageous
for both schools
The writer knew at the time that
Georgia Tech had signed with the
Navy and was dickering with
Georgetown for games next fall.
Last year it was agreed at the con-
ference meeting in February that the
new rules should not be put into ef-
feet this fall and that they should be
delayed until January l. 1922, in order
TO allow the contracts then in effect
to run out after which the conference
rules should be enforced.
Made Situation Embarrassing.
In other words. there was. d situa-
tion in which Georgia Tech was ar
ranging for games without consider
alton for that rule of the conference.
but with other schools, including the
University of Maryland. planning to
enforce ii. 1t presented a possible
situation of ernbarra ssme nts for Mary
land, standing, as it does, q confer
ence member In a section surrounded
by schools it has been meeting which
are not conference members. Mary
land did not desire to be placed in the
position of saying to Georgetown,
George Washington and Catholic
University, We cannot play you un-
less you adopt conference rules and
at the same time have another men,
Der of the conference arranging for
games with one or more of the same
insri tut ions without adhering to the
same principle. The situation was all
The more uncertain for the writer
because he had been named as chair
man of the committee TO determine
which institutions in the section
should be placed in a group to which
this statement should be made If
games were to be scheduled.
At best, the writer felt that it
would not be the easiest thing in
the world to say to one of his friends
in charge of athletics at Georgetown.
Catholic University or George Wash
ington, We shall not play you un-
less you do So and so. and 1t was to
get a clearer understanding of the
situation that he said:
Just What Was Said.
Gentlemen, We have just passed
a rule which will have far-reaching
effect and which is of far more seri-
Gus import than perhaps most of US
realize. Furthermore. the University
Of Maryland is affected by it mere
than any other institution. and l am
rising now to ask in all seriousness
If thesconference intends to enforce
II to the letter. AS chairman of the
committee on colleges 7 am likely
myself to be placed in rather an en-
barraSsing position unless we all
have n clear understanding OF what
we intend TO do
Last year IL was my understanding
that the rules should not be put into
effect until January J., 1922, in order
that existing foot ball contracts
might be fulfilled without embarrass-
ment TO anybody. ] understand. how
over. that Georgia Tech is scheduling
game with Georgetown without
such stipulation and 1 would like to
know whether or not Georgia Tech
intends to abide by that rule or not.
as Georgetown and other institutions
in Washington are our next-door
neighhors and We cannot afford to
abide by it in our relationships with
those institutions if other members
pf the conference do not.
Neither can We compete. | might
say further. with Georgetown. George
Washington. Catholic University and
Johns Hopkins If We are compelled
uo abide by the stringent rules of
this conference and those teams play
under their present regulations.
".As q matter of fact. | believe that
the first year rule will he Il good thing
for all these schools. as l believe it
will benefit my own institution. I might
say to you that now in certain pro-
feSsional courses Ithe law schoolS) Of
fered at Georgetown and George Wash
+. ington it IS possible for man to reg
lister in school and play foot ball with
cut attending classes and therefore not
being student in the university. ex-
cept technically: and l know person.
ally that this has been the case at times.
In this respect, Georgetown and George
Washington are not different from the
University of Maryland, as it operates
a law school under exactly the same
condition. This is one of the conditions
the first year rule will relieve. as such
u rule, with scholastic regulations en-