The Washington herald., 1922-11-20
'.RIG FOUR OF
VIRGINIA NOW
READY ON GRID
clarkson, Brown, Smith and
MlIes to Meet Shortly to Ar.
range Football Games for
Next Season.

pesOV SSSooH NATIVE W.
Next Season.
By BRYAN MORSE.
TMMEDIATELY after Thanks.
irving Day representatives, OF
- the Big Four Of the State Of
Virginia win gather to arrange
campaign. For the first time In
the history Of athletics in the Old
Dominion, the University Of Vir-
sinia, Virginia Military Institute
and Washington and Lee will sit
in session to close contracts for
football games for 1928.
Ellis Brown win represent Vir-
ginia; B. B. Clarkson will talk
for v. N. l., Sally Miles for v.
p. l., and Dick Smith for the
Generals. Within the last year
practically all differences have
been settled. Past history has
been forgotten. Amicable rels-
tions established and satisfac-
torily concluded during the past
months have led to this meeting
of the solons Of the four institu-
tions. '.
The arrangements to be concluded
and openly arrived at are expected
to 70 far toward advancing football
In the so-cailed Big Four. Char
lottesvflls, Lexington and Blacks
burg viii have big games yearly.
Norfolk and Richmond. staunch sup
portefs Of these elevens. will oe IN
cluded In the arrangement fos the
big contests. Virginia ts now meet
ing washington and Lee. Virginia
Military Academy, and will tackle
Virginia Polytechnic. There II q ru-
NOR that the Gobblers will take the
place of West Virginia on the Char
lottesviile schedule. Virginia Poly
will meet the other three. v. NJ. L
viii play Virginia and V. p. l.
Financially the arrangement which
brings the Big -Four into action IN
football viii be a great boom Many
years ago this paper pointed out the
benefits to be derived from such con-
tests.
CODE IS IRKSOME.
In placing their interests in the
Southern Conference the four insti-
tutions find a common meeting
ground. While the rather idealistic
code. of the Conference is already
beginning to be a bit irksome to
some of the institutions, there In
every reason to believe that various
adjustments will be made to the sat
isfaction of all concerned.
The Southern conference seems to
have arrived at the point greatly
af In Hr,fNf "a
present. The midwest conference
seems desirable and much discussed
as q means of bettering football
conditions in the East or rather the
North.
There are certain well-known
flaws In the Western conferences
code which Major Johnny Griffiths
has well in hand. II the idea OF an
Eastern conferences goes through
and It will probably come up for
discussion at the National Collegiate
Association meeting to be held in
New York December 8, the country
will be blocked off sectionally.
The various associations or con-
ferences. South. Southern, Western,
Rocky Mountain, either well estab-
hshed or in the process of forma-
ton will, IN time, require a Judge
Lands. In the meantime all foot
ball interests appear to be working
forward with very definite aims and
ideas.
The something which must be
done to college athletics" Is being
done. All sections of the country
are uniting in an effort to make
the various systems basically sound.
Tramp to Go.
The general adoption of the
Freshman rule" Is inevitable. For
the protection of coaches and play
srs this rule will work to advan-
tage In that II will eliminate the
so-called tramp athlete" and the
"tramp coach" who stays for a
year or 30 and then takes his rep
utation and players elsewhere to
"build up" athletics at another
institution.
More particularly to the point -
the recent advance made IN the
Southern Conference. While some
of the institutions are going to
experience hardship for a year or
20 there is every reason to believe
that In the end the rules will be
eminently satisfactory.
The meeting Of the representa-
tfvaa NJ the RfQ F0fr Of Vir1inia