The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-06-16
BY HUGH FULLERTON


tic forward step taken in the campaign
to clean college sports was that taken
by the Western Conference colleges at
the Des Molnes meeting. The decis-
ion to select one man. man Of high
standing and of force to act as COM
missioner is the first real movement
toward efficient cleaning up.
The decision Of the conference to
put a check upon long trips and big
intersectional games Is another move
In the direction OF curbing the evils
that have crept into college athletics.
especially in football. There IS no
thought. evidently. at least not at the
present. OF stopping the normal inter
sectional games. but the effort Is TO
prevent such trips as Ohio State, W.
and J. and other teams have taken. to
the coast especially
The experience Of playing games in
California has not been pleasant. nor
has 1t helped the sport in either sec
ton. The game between ". and j
and California last fall was as dis
graceful an exhibition OF muckerish.
ness as college sport has seen In years.
and the resort to person abuse. Whit.
cation and worse on the football field
violates all the traditions OF college
sport.
Many Are Accused
There is little hope Of cure for the
evils so long AZ the colleges stand on
the old bunk basis Of not preterring
charges against each other. II Is not
ethical for one school TO make charges
against another. aud the old form OF
putting the entire matter up to the
Judgment oe the athletic directors as
10 whether's player is eligiol" or NOT
has been oyerdone. There are score
of college athletes who. II rira!
coaches are correct. are pure prntfS-
SIGNALS. taking money for playing. |
have heard coach after coach make
these statements. and vet no charges
are made against the men.
II Is a tolerably safe wager that any
school which permits the hiring or the
srh:jdizirg OF athletes will not hest
tare 10 clear him or defend him II he
is accused. The only punishment for
such schools is FOR the others TO cut
tom off he schedules and refuse 70
have ANYTHING 10 do with them.
Eut the appointment OF a commits
sio7er 10 exercise Full powers over the
ersi-e Big Ten opens the way to radt-
cal reform. providing the proper man
+; selected. Armed with powers even
greater than those conferred upon
Judge Lands BY organized baseball
the athletic commissioner can clean
u pquickly.
n the great eastern universities
would consider similar action there
would be real hone OF pure athletics
for the future The time Is coming
when some such action will be neCeS'
sarr. Every college president and
athletic official knows that tho games
must be purified or stopped. They do
not even argue the point any more"
But the westernPrs seem to have
stepped right out and acted while the
east debates and hagles.
DON'T Want Dempsey Fight
II is quite evident that the reports
brought back from England by Jack
Dempsey and Jack Kearns regarding
the desire Of the British 10 see Demp-
soy fight Carpenter are not accurate.
The correspondents who We're with
the Dempsey party were not as strong
about the desirability OF second
meeting as the leaders OF the party
were-and their reports weakened
suddenly after Dempsey came home.
Now comes T. c. Wignall in the Lon
don Daily Mail" one OF the best
sporting writer's In England. who says
that the fight Is not wanted and that
Dempsey has changed his statements
and Is boosting the battle.
The announcement OF this fight
should not be taken seriously" writes
Mr.. Wignall This Is so obviously a
case OF the wish being father Of the
find that the statement has given
ground for mirth rather than for in
terest
when Dempsey returns he will
spar exhibition bouts in the music
halls with Bombardier Wells So
long as ne confines himself 10 that all
will be well. but there are not a dozen
people In England who want to sec
him make a punching bag out OF Car.
peniter."
II seems as II II Is not as soft
Sob TO bunco the British public as We
were led b believe.
Mr.. Collins Opens Fire
Speaking Of fighting. Mike Collins.
writing n the Boxing Blade" opens
q can Of peas 10 hurl al me New Yo~r
RseA~~CnnnSsdon- He reasons well.