Evening star., 1924-01-21


1t is felt that there must he some
foundation for repeated statements in
the newspapers that different college
stars had been offered appointments,
but IL Is not understood how il hap
pens that appointments are in the
possession Of friends OF the Military
Academy who wish to see its ath-
letic teams strengthened.
Due 10 Get Three Stars.
So far. Wilson of Pennsylvania
State. Welch OF Colgate and Bern
stein OF the University OF Florida
seem to be the crop OF college foot
ball players who have definitely de-
that Pfann OF Cornell and Milstead
OF Yale would become cadets have
been denied. though there is no
doubt that they had been approached
in the matter.
There are now at West Point a
number of players who made their
regulations before entering that in
stitution. Gar5isch, captain for next
season. is notable example. He had
played four years at Washington and
Jefferson before entering West Point
and next year will be his fourth al
West Point and eighth OF intercolle-
giate foot ball
The Military Academy has no ELI
gibility. rules; A student entering
may play four or five. if it takes him
that long to complete the course, nc
matter how long he has played a,
another college. The Naval Academy
and has asked West Point, as It's
chief opponent, to adopt the same
rule. West Point has declined tc
do so.
Handicapped BY Age Limit
The fact that the Military Academy
can. under the law, accept students
who are two years older than those
admitted at the Naval Academy gives
the Army school a great advantage
which becomes greater since the lat
ter has the one-year residence rule
and the Army school has not II is a
fact that the Naval Academy rarely
receives a student who has attended q
college. while the Military Academy
repeatedly receives those who have
spent some years in or graduated
from colleges. often becoming sta,
athletes there.
The Military Academy has the
greatest scouting system for athletes
in existence. and the repeated trans.
Ter of college athletes to that insti-
tuition seems to indicate that it is sue.
cessful. 1t has a graduate attached
to almost every college and large
high school in the country, and, il
statements are true that athletes are
offered appointments, it is able to Of
fer the inducement of an education
and maintenance for nothing, with
the assurance of an attractive profes-
sion. insuring, at least, a living and
considerable position.
Under those circumstances, it Is
felt that the Military Academy, if /,
wishes to stand for the higher ethics
in sport, should be the first institu.
ton to adopt rules by which entrance
chiefly for athletic reasons would bt
discouraged. Rules to this effect have
been found necessary and, as is wei
known, have been adopted by tn,
leading colleges and universities.
No Chance of Break.
Still the general feeling in the
Navy is that this matter should not
be allowed to bring about a contro
versy. Certainly, there is no idea Of
insisting upon eligibility rule ant
thus making a rupture possible No1
only is there every indication thai
the service schools will continue tc
are now on their schedules, but tha,
the list will be heightened.
There are three more foot bal
games to be played under the present
agreement. There Is no agreement
covering meetings in other sports fol
any set period, but the teams are
now meeting annually in base ball
track, basket ball, lacrosse and ten.
MIS-, and there Is no likelihood Of al
interruption. Indeed, the Nava
Academy authorities 70 have made
known their willingness to meet the
Military Academy in any branch
which is now in vogue at both in
stitutions.