Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-11-16
Would Supplant Hockey AS A
Major Sport-Council Thinks
Majority of Students Favor
Indoor Game-Hockey En-
thusiasts Arguing Matter

Colby College, November IS. The
its regular meeting this evening,
voted to favor varsity basketball in
place of a varsity hockey team and
the president of the council was in
structed to carry the request before
the meeting of the athletic council.
The vote Of the fraternity delegates,
who were acting under instructions
from their various groups, was TO
A. sufficient to indicate that the ma
jor portion of the student body de-
sired the indoor sport.
Basketball would have certain ad-
vantages over hockey at Colby, but
the great drawback to introducing
the sport on an intercollegiate foot
ing, is lack Of adequate facilities 70
play the game and hope to provide
any kind of a stable audience, which
of course is a very vital factor in
promoting any kind of a varsity
sport, because expenses have to be
met and the amount taken in at the
gate would have very important
bearing on the life and success Of a
team.
Basketball has always been a very
popular game Colby ard there has
been "a feeling on the campus Tor
some time that there is material III
college which could be developed in
to a team which would be able TO
hold it's own with the strongest court
teams in New England. Most Of the
students at Colby have come from
high and prep schools where basket
ball is fostered and most OF them
have more or less experience in the
game. which is step in advance oil
the conditions which prevail m most
of the other varsity sports which are
fostered at the college.
For the past five years an Inter
fraternity basketball League mas
been in existence at the college
which conducts an annual lnterIfa-
ternity tournament which lasts lrom
the beginning to the end of the VIM
ter term and which has nine teams
competing annually. This tournament
has been a great success both from
a standpoint of physical training ana
indoor sport and recreation for the
student body at large and it has peeh
able to pay its own way.
It is argued by those who are most
interested in basketball that this
league and annual tournament has
developed some fine players III the
mast and if the sport were tostefed
on an intercollegiate footing at the
college that it would act as a feeder
TO the varsity team and no such
claim can be made by the hockey
enthusiasts because an interfratern-
ity tournament has never been los
tered although several times one has
been attempted without success pe-
cause too few of the students know
how to skate or anything ABOUT the
rudiments of the game.
The advocates of hockey claim thal
their game is superior to the basket
ball game because il is played OUT ID
the opep and is a faster, more skill
mi game, all OF which may be uue'
but it is a poor paying cara LOOKING
AZ II from a financial point OF view
because all of the games are played
on the outdoor rink which does not
attract spectators in any large mum
hers and the college teams III inns
particular neck of the woods are rev
and far between and the trips Woulu
necessarily be long ones. lhen tne
expense of keeping good ice on the
rink and the expense OF Keeping lhe
rink clear of snow is very great Tor
the few students who are interested
in the sport,
In the meantime the student BODY
10 discussing both sides or the afsu-
ment and are anXiousiy awaiting the
disposition which the athletic hodF
will make of the issue.