Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1922-11-24
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER "a, 1922
ELIGIBILITY RULES


minds the clouds of suspicion that
this season have been spread, by insin
uation at least, over certain nstitu-
lions by some of the leading writers of
sporting activities; if one takes at all
seriously the utterances of certain
sound and fair college heads, he
can see that this purely amateur
collegiate game is threatened un-
less the colleges lay their cards
face upwards on the table and
come to some clear understanding, and
set their houses in order.
Unfortunate as it is, and we hope
groundless, the University of Vermont
for one reason or another, has come
under suspicion right in the glory of
one of the most wonderfully successful
seasons the Green and Gold has ever
experienced. 1t is unfortunate that
the tactics of any Vermont cJllege or
the players on any team in Vermont
should be questioned as to their right
to be there, whether there is any foun-
dation to the reports or not. The point
is, Vermont institutions should be
above question.
The cloud in the horizon is seen by
some of the people here at home, who,
loath to believe, are impressed to the
extent that mention is made. disagree
able though it may be The st. Al
bans Messenger whose editor keen
follower of collegiate activities Il |e'
mont is sufficiently impressed to utter
this:
"The Rutland Herald hints there is
some question about the eligibility of
one or two OF the players on the Uni
versity of Vermont football team. Yer
mont ought not to let the impression
get out that she is using any ringers in
her lineup. 1t is better to lose games
with an eligible team than to win
them with those whose title to amateur
status is under cloud. 1t takes a col
lege a long time to live down a repu-
tatiOn OF using ringers. 1t is far bet
ter not to acquire the rep.
While the word ringer" is an un-
pleasant one, it is so broadly descrip-
tive that it becomes dangerous word
to use in connection with college ath
letics unless one states just what nc
means. Unless one is in full possession
of real, inside facts it is hardly fair to
connect the word ringer" on Vermont
or any other college Whether or not
the University of Vermont has played
men that are ineligible from the point
cd scholastic shortcomings, or from
past records, we do not believe any
one knows, except those directly con
nected with athletics in the UniVer-
sity. But leaving that question aside
Vermont has laid herself open TO ques-
ton by featuring as stars players who
have transferred from other institu-
tions, without requiring years resi-
dence at the University, which was a
decidedly dangerous policy in view of
the stand taken by practically all self
rssractino colleges in New ENGLAND
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'le - iii' ''oii anu - al ' III u navy ''N
cided on certain rules designed to keep
the sport clean, among them being a
rofrs,1 IN NAV transfers from ,the,
coheseS' reSal uleSs Vi " ye'' i''io'"0'
Middlebury College today Will not
plav a transfer until he has been res
;don+ o,o ,oor Nf;dd1o,,rr,, will NOT
'uo''
even lct transfer INTO 'ollese ul'leAS
it is shown that he can get back into
the institution from which he trans
t
lwo rathef Si8ilil'Cal' paragraphs
from the pens Of reputable sporting
writers have recently appeared. One
is in Grantland RiCe's "Sportlight' in
the New Work Tribnne and the other
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Is lroni bop Du'''di' sp''N'''s ''''o',si
hn loo fFaVN In4Vr u