Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-11-27
Tramp Athlet es PrOue
Drawbacks To College
Teams. Not Dependable
Coaches Who Think They
Are Bettering Eleven By
Hiring Men to Bolster
Weak Spots Are Mistaken
In Judgment; Men OBJ
tanned In This Way Lack
Proper Spirit.
PAGE NINE
lBy c. D. Iocknn.)

n UeSlTe 10 SHINE on IHe gF1QirO0
often causes a school or the alumni
Of a school to go to almost unlimited
ends to secure material that will make
a winning team. One means Of boil
STEERING up a weak squad is by the adj
dition OF what is now commonly
known as tramp athletes" These are
men who AVE proved strong players
on other teams and are not adverse
to changing their school provided they
are sufficiently induced. The actual
securing Of such material is generally
left to organizations of alumni or h
coach. 1t Is seldom that a school a
tually knows there are men playing
on its team receiving a salary or iS
equivalent.
i Just what percentage OF teams
made up of tramp athletes" TURN our
to be winning combinations IN foot
ball is unknown. but observation
would lead one to conclude tl:at it ia
below the so per cent mark. Men Of
such a makeup are not dependa BILE,
they are hard to handle. ack the
proper school spirit that produces a
fighting aggregation and tho coach
| that believes he can build up a repu-
tation by getting players OF that kind
Is labOring under a. Misrepresentation.
There is a big difference between
these kind of players and high school
stars who are induced to take up a
four-year course at a school by men
who hold out nothing but a good ed
ucation and a han OF making their
letter on a team hat is known to be
always at the top in class athletics.
The difference is in the fact that one
recognizes the traditions of the place
and lives up to them. while the other
is merely playing football because he.
10 hninr mold for n a nd 10 n 1urav o 1nnk.
ing for a better offer.
Ninety per cent of 4 football teams
ability to win games lies in its fight
ing spirit. The will power to put forth
every ounce of>physical exertion In
theiG combined eleven bodies and, il
still losing. to go on giving beyond the
point where they believe they hav
given all, battling back an. opposition
against overwhelming odds, is the kind
of spirit that is unbeatable. That kind
of spirit is not found in the football
playey who m to a school because
he is Ectting his tuition or better for
playing there. A tramp athlete" will
not stand up and fight when he is bat
tered and exhausted. One of the
times when he is Knocked down he will
stay there and be taken off the field.
He is not fighting for school tradi-
lions. He is playing because he is
paid for it and he Is not paid to take
la beating.
A team made up OF hired players
will go we'll as long astit is winning.
but lack Of interest makes the men
uncertain quantities. They may go like
, champions one game and fall down
tcompleteYy the next one Again. Il
coach may lave them one yeaN' and
the next season he will have to 50 out
and get a new crop, because they will
5 have tired Of that school or received
better offers some place else.
The great and growing popularity OF
football is causing many coaches and
:, many alumni to take this course to
bring their teams into the limelight
; and AS a result they are professional
izing football in schools. 1t can dc
> nothing but react on the sport by
= bringing the disfavor Of lovers OF
clean athletics: 1t does not produce
2 winning teams in the long run. and
= like murder, will finally out. As a
l matter Of TACT it is generally known
all along.
1t is no credit to a school or coach
to win, with a made up Of hall
l professionals and it is hoped tina,
coaches who persist in playing 'tralnI
[ athletes" on their teams will in year:
to come find it hard to get a seized
Mule filled. That is really the onlywas
+ ito treat such cases. No amount u
Irules VIII make men square if thdy arr
linclined the other way, but actor
which will make unfair methods un
popular is, the best way of correcting
the evils.