The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-04

the DOPE
THE BUGBEAR RAIN
By vEDDER GARD

F the weather1nan would
just smile all the time the
promoters of outdoor sports
would have few worries. But it
just will rain, and the moisture
spoils many nice party and dis
rupts the stage settings for many
big sport show.
The terrible weather Of the pres
ent fall has caused the coaches at
the meeting in Chicago to talk
over the feasibility of postponing
or canceling grid contests under
such conditions as prevailed this
season.
A number Of the games were
not true tests in any sense of the
j word. AS every one knows, Mich
igan's one defeat by Northwestern
was on a field where neither team
had chance to do anything.
There was one first down made in
the contest.
1t is improbable, however,
that college games will be post
poned- The season is too short
to permit it and many times a
large number of students make
trip for game who would be
!. unable, through lack of funds, to
~ go on another such pilgrimage.
Elevens journey long distances
for some games and it would be
almost impossible to take the long
Iaunts again at later date.
GRID UMBRELLA
Illinois has one method to beat
the weather man if it is not pour
ing down rain at game time. The
[llini want q huge rubberized cover
for the gridiron. Plans for its
purchase have started and the
Urbana school hopes to have the
grid tarpaulin by next fall.
The huge umbrella will be Of
the same material as used by ma
jor league baseball clubs to cover
the infields. 1t will set Illinois
back about $4,000 or $4,000
What the future holds in
the way of antidotes for poison
weather is probleinatical. With
the huge crowds that attend big
football games pouring money
into the treasury there may
come day when some sort of
a roof can be built over the
stands and playing field. 1t is
a chance for some great arch
itect to make himself famous.
This is another dream. We
seem to be full of 'em lately.
BASEBALL, TOO
It is not only football that is
worrying about the weather men.
The professional major baseball
Nleagues In their next meeting will
bring up the question Of post
poned games in which rain inter
feres before four and one-half in
nings have been played.
To prevent the stalling which
mars contests under the present
rules it has been suggested that
in the play-off Of unfinished
games the two clubs start just
where they left off instead of be-
ginning all over again. ~
This would do away with the
present practice of the club be-
hind endeavoring to drag out the
game by stalling in every possible
way with one eye cooked at the
coming storm.
A morbid weather man is the
fly in the ointment of outdoor
sport and as yet has defied
those who would put the big
swat on him. In some future
day he may be conquered, but
he Is q nuisance right now.
1HE usually placid sport of
billiards Is in a turmoil.
- In the recent match in
which Schaefer lost his crown to
Horemans, Referee Lewis ruled
against Jake on a. shot during the
second block. 1t is gererally
agreed that the official was
wrong.
Schaefer wanted to start the
match over or play the shot again.
Horemans refused the first re-
quest and the referee said mo"
to the second. Finally a COM
promise was agreed upon and
Horemans and Schaefer will meet
again In thirty days under the
same conditions. The Belgian has
the crown for a month"; anyway.
The recent match has been more
or less the subject Of discussion in
certain quarters. 1t was rather
sensational in many respects. Be
fore the match It was said that
the smart money changed from
Schaefer to the challenger. The
smart" money was right.
UST when every one was
looking for the Big Ten
G& coaches to talk about the
latest Red menace the mentors up
and hop on their pet aversion
the alumni. Three cheers for the