The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-11-27

The State Championship
BY BILL KROHN

Failure OF the board Of control
of the Oklahoma Athletic asso-
citation to take charge Of the sit
uation and designate the m
in which the claimants OF the
state high school football cham
pionship snail proceed in an eff
fort to establish the pennant win
ners has created a chaotic con
ditiOn in scholastic athletic cir
cles. The board, which should by
all means decide whether an elm
nation series shall be staged, or
should pick two teams out of the
group Of claimants to play for the
topnotch position, has deserted at
n time when it is needed most.
is. selecting n best team. sug-
mailed by Superintendent Price,
head of the board. to four Of the
claimants, demonstrates that the
board is trying 10 evade shoulder
ing any responsibility and is also
making Sapulpa a ~favorite over
all other contenders, a favoritism
which is most unbecOming of "a
board which is supposed to be fair
and impartial to all its members
and whose actions should be gov
erned by facts and figures and
not by mere thoughts. The let.
ter contains the statement that
we do not feel like attempting
TO do that which we would have
no authority for doing. and that
Is, selecting IA best team. s sug-
gest to you that each and every
n Of you submit your claim TO
Sapulpa, In other words. / feel
that the board Of control is not In
position to take any action as TO
the championship. think that
any team whicn beats Sapulpa
will be conceded to be the state
champions" Now then, it would
be very little responsibility ana
quite the proper thing for the
board to designate either an elimi.
nation series to determine the
"AAA'A'A fliAh AAluN G1AlrAN al Nllt
claimants. or decide the two best
teams by a study Of records Of
the season Just closed. and name
u date for the meeting u these
two teams. The statement relative
10 leave it to Sapulpa" is ride
ulous. Why should Sapulpa be
given the authority TO decide
which Of the teams which claim
honors equal to its own shall
meet il for the crown? Sapulpa
may be on a level with the
other claimants. but 1t is not
ahead Of them, 1T least not ahead
OF Ardmore. for the record OF
the local team outshines that Of
any other contender in the state.
And taking advantage eff the
i~nconceivable thoughts OF the
board, as expressed by its head.
Sapulpa has assumed n most
"cocky" attitude and now lin
forms" its c%hallengers that it
viii play hut one game to de-
eide the championship. Incident
ally informing the local author
tiles that 1t will not meet Ard.
more until Ardmorc has played an
elimination series vita the other
contenderS-a series In which
Sapulpl herself refuses to parti.
cipate. IL there's any elimination
series to he played. It is up to the
state authorities TO decide so and
not up to %Sapulpa. And If an
elimination series is to he played.
Sapulpa is going TO play rs well
as Ardmore and the other con.
tenders. It's going to be a case OF
all buck privates and no commits
stoned officers in the ranks.
" appears very much that Sa.
pulpa entertains fear Of losing
when a championship game is on
in which it is q participant. For
under It's present SELF. dictated
plan, ii proposes that all the
other teams engage in battle. and
possibly eliminate their best men
by injury or In other manner.
and then. with the remnants.
meet Sapulpa! 10 refuses 10 par
ticipate in a series which would
be fair TO all. Coach Jones IN
telephone conversation with Prin.
cipal Richards OF the Ardmorc
schools Saturday morning stated
that the Sapulpa team has just
completed a hard schedule and Is
liable ~ 20 stale"
II craftsmanship requires uc.
ticn such as Saculp1 is pursu.
ing. then Ardmore has the right
to act mor dictatorial and in 20
more selfish manner. But sports.
manship 10 not interpreted here
as Il apparently Is at Snpulpi. For
not only is Ardmcrc willing to
meet Sapulra. but will moe. oll
other worthy claimants. and
Sapulpa will play but ono
game, Ardmcrc challenges Sn.
pulpa for the first game OF the
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