The Washington times., 1924-03-12

Of the Intercollegiate Wrestling
settles the supremacy for the year
on the draw with State and an otl
The situation brings out the fact
that the Naval Academy does not
always find it easy to arrange Q
schedule which forms a proper
basis Of comparison between its
wrestling team and those Of the
other colleges. In fact, unless Penn
state had persisted in its sportsman.
like attitude Of meeting the Naval
Academy in this branch, the Navy
would frequently be unable to 50.
cure opponents to give real test.
Not only has the Naval
Academy been persistently re-
fused admission to the IntercOl.
!egiAte Wrestling Association, but
the colleges, most of whom have
made very poor shOwings In the
sport and who have cast the
votes which refused the Navy
entry, have declined in recent
years to meet the Naval Academy
The action Of this body was com.
pletely at variance with that Of
Svery other organization connected
with intercollegiate sports. In every
ctner the entry Of the Naval
academy appears to be welcome,
ana 1t Is actually q member Of the
oooies controlling swimming, gym
nastics. fencing and boxing. This
appears stranger when it is con.
eIoerod that many Of the institu-
lions which compose the wrestling
association are represented in one
or more Of these Organizations.
The reasons given for the exclu-
oIon-of the Naval Academy were
tnat It did not have eligibility rules
ana that wrestling was q regular
part OF the course OF instruction. It
was telt at the academy that the
real reason controlling the majority
w. the continued success Of the
m1dshipmen in this sport.
The first reason given was unten-
a0lO at the time, and still more 90
now. The Naval Academy OK.
pressed its willingness then to
ABIDE by any rules the association
ADOPTED. The Academy now has
rules as strict as those
generally observed, and the law
which limits the age Of entrance to
nineteen forms in itself a stricter
eligibility rule than any other in
StitutiOn has.
The second excuse, that wrestling
was a regular part Of the course at
the academy, had little force. It
II true that all midshipmen are
given some instruction in wrestling,
but they are given as much in
every other sport. The team is
formed for it's matches just as in
other colleges. with a special squad
under a regular coach.
In this connection, it may be
said that the attitude of Penn.
0ylvania State was highly
SpOrtsmanIike and is much APP
Rreciated at the academy. The
state representatives have always
supported the proposal to admit
the Naval Academy, but were
regularly Outvoted.
After their application was de-
clined, the Naval Academy have
taken no further steps in the
matter. However, the action was
regarded as entirely unfair and
unsportsmanlike. Surprise was ex.
pressed that the authorities Of the
institutions would permit their rep
reSentatives to take such a stand,
and the recent definite adoption Of
eligibility rules by the Naval
Academy would afford an excellent
opportunity for the association to
invite the Academy to become o
member.
Outside Of State, Lehigh made
the best showing against the mid.
Shipmen, the latter winning by
four bouts to three. All the other
matches were won by wide mar.
gins. The Navy had a somewhat
stronger team, upon the whole than
last year, but hardly up to the
great teams of the past four or
five seasons.
The best record for the season
was made by Midshipman Hey.
ward L. Edwards, rangy Texan,
who wrestled in the unlimited class.
He won all six of his bouts, four
Of them by falls. Edwards. who
practically learned all of his
wrestling this season. has two
more years Of 1t, and promises to
be the best heavyweight the Acad.
envy has ever had. Standing six
feet and two inches, he does not
appear to be particularly strong,
but IL q natural wrestler. He
started the season at 1875 pounds
and thrived on the strenuous work,
as he weighed 200 pounds at its