Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-14

tain players. The status of the player
or players involved was left entirely
to the coach of athletic director Of
the institution. If either vas convinc-
ed the men had not violated the code,
they were permitted to compete. In
most cases the question was put point
blank to the athlete, who generally
denied having broken any rules.
Can Investigate Without Offense.
With a commissioner facts in the
case can be presented in a legitimate
manner and Investigated without Of
Tense to either party. In other words,
Commissioner Griffith will be a clear
ing house for protests according to a
statement made recently by one of
the directors.
He will be called upon to smooth
over and breaches which may arise be-
tween heads of athletic departments
and, If necessary, will personally in
vestigate and charges of professional
ism which may be lodged with him.
Athletic directors of Big Ten insti-
tutions are interested in a constructive
program primarily and a law enforce
ment one secondarily. Western confer
ence athletics have grown to such pro-
portions that the directors feel that it
is a good investment to have one
man give all his time to Improving
conditions in athletics in their con-
ference and to safeguard the game.
The Big Ten schools will undoubted-
ly play to over a 100000 gate this
fall and no 1000, 900 corporation will
hesitate to spend the money to i'm
prove conditions within the corpora
ton.
Commissioner Griffith will make his
headquarters in Chicago, which will
make it easy for him to make trips to
all western schools. He is intensely in
terested in the new office and. accord
ing to the directors, a better choice
could not have been made. Although
a valuable asset to the coaching staff
at Illinois, Commissioner Griffith can
do more good in his new office.
Marks New Era in Athletics. Ii
Creation of the office marks a new
era in intercollegiate athletics and
plainly shows the middle west is set
ting the pace in its efforts to estab-
lish clean athletics. Ever since the
western conference was organized as
sociations formed in other parts of
the country have copied its rules. The
Missouri Valley conference follows the
rules of the Big Ten very closely, as
do the Rock Mountain and Pacific
Coast conferences.
Following the wholesale house
cleaning after the football season last
year, institutions in most every part
of the country, including a prominent
eastern university, investigated their
athletes, with the result that several
were eliminated from further intercol-
legiate competition. The plan of the
commissioner will be watched closely
by associations in all parts of the
country. If it has the desired results
it Is only reasonable to assume like
ference bodies. q
Whether Maj. Griffith will resign
from the committee which has con-
Quoted the national collegiate track
and field games for the last two years
is not known. The commissioner was
one of the hardest workers on the
committee and 1t was mainly through
his untiring efforts that the games
held last June on Stage field were
so successful. This meet can be de-
veloped into the country's greatest
set Of track and field games. In fact
1t might well be called the American
Intercollegiate Olympics.
This Years Meet Attractive.
This years meet attracted entries
from coast to coast. while the south
was we'll represented. COMMISSIONS
Griffith will undoubtedly be urged Ia
remain on the committee because his
new office will enable him to encour-
age athletic directors and track coach
es to send representatives to the
games. At any rate. indications are
the western conference has made a
move in the right direction and the
directors could not possibly have made
a better choice than that of Maj. Johu
l.. Griffith as the commissioner OF
athletics in the Big Ten.
Following this appointment came
the announcement from Iowa City
that Jimmy Ashmore, baseball and
basketball coach at the University OF
Iowa, had resigned to take over the
athletic dictatorship at De Paw. Ash.
more is a capable mentor and one o,
the best football scouts in the coun.
try. He knows the gridiron game
while his knowledge Of baseball and
basketbal1 is just as keen as that o,
any mentor in the country. Ashmor<
will make a valuable man Tor thu
Greencastle institution.
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