South Bend news-times., 1922-12-12

FOR Big GAME Is
SCORED BY CRITIC
Army and Navy Officials Par
ticularly Flayed as Scalp
ers Reap Harvest.
(By HENRY l.. FARRELL.)
Omitted Press Sports EditOr.)


NEW YORK. Dec. 11-Chieago
University students opposed the sug-
gestion that big stadium De built
at the university to accommodate the
crowds that want to see inter-colle-
giate football in that city.
The attitude was taken that pres
ent facilities were sufficient TO ac-
commodate the students Of the uni
verslty and that Chicago was not
playing football for the public.
Harvard, Yale and Princeton re-
fuse TO place tickets on public sale
for the Big Three" games, on the
grounds that the public is not en-
titled to see the games until the alu-
mni had been taken care of.
Harvard, Yale and Princeton can
not be critisized as they are perfect
ly within their rights in maintaining
that their own should be accommo-
dated first and it is known that the
demands Of their own alumni are
far greater than the supply of tic
kets
Chicago also may be right in con-
sidering that football is not conduct
cd there for the public although it
may be taken by some as rather
snobbish in ignoring the fact that
the public is becoming vastly inter-
ested IN football.
Private and semi-private institu-
tions have every right 10 make arbi-
trary measures for the regulation of
their sports, but when public and
government institutions assume "the
public be damned" attitude the pub
lie has a right to rise on its rears
and paw the air.
Is Private Affair.
Distribution Of the tickets for the
recent Army Navy game in Phila-
delphia reached almost the point OF
scandal that should receive some
attention from Washington.
West Point and Annapolis cannot
take the stand that their annual
football game Is a private affair.
They DO not play at West Point and
Annapolis. but make play for pub
lie patronage by playing in the larg-
est stadium available.
In the new Pennsylvania stadium
10000 more seats were aval!abI
than were provided at the Polo
grounds for the tnter-service game
last year and yet the tickets were
scarcer than ever.
Few except scalpers had tickets in
Philadelphia. Where thousands OF
football fans were ready and willing
TO pay the face value for the ticEets.
they had 10 go 10 oellhops. chauf-
feurs and newsboys for tickets and
pay as much as SIS 10 $50 for them.
The point in question is-f al.
kinds Of scalpers were able to set
the tickets, why was the public not
given the same opportunity?
Several prominent newspapers
and news associations in New York
and Philadelphia. which at least de-
serve courtesy for the columns and
columns OF news space devoted to
the game. wrote to West Point and
Annapolis TO buy tickets and they
were not even given the courtesy
answer.
Editors who wanted TO see the
game had 10 go 20 scalpers and buy
the tickets for outlandish prices.
Yale, Harvard and Princeton have
q most effective way of checking the
activities OF scalpers. The athletic
officials at the big Three" institu-
tons know where every ticket goes.
When tickets are found IN the hands
OF scalpers. the numbers are check
ed back, the original buyer is dis
covered and he goes on the black
list for life
This is real distribution OF tickets.
II the Army and Navy officials real
ly are opposed 70 working with scalp
ers. they could fnd out who allowed
the thousands OF tickets 10 get into
the hands OF spectators
II Pennsylvania University stu
dents, little petty politicians or Ar
my or Navy officers scalped tickets
the West Point and Annapolis off,
cials surely should know Il. II they
don't want the public TO see their
games. their ambition viii be real.-
Eed by a continuation OF their pres
ent policy.