The Washington times., 1937-03-23

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BY HARRY COSTELLO

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CHARLOTTESVILLE,Va Va. March
23.-When alumni groups of the
University of Virginia decided to
go in for the proselyting and sub
sidization of athletes, apparently
they gave Scant heed to the known
results Of failure to go all the way.
A study of the football situation
here at the university as Frank
Murray, former Marquette Univer.
sity grid chieftain, takes over the
reins, establishes that Virginia
alumni know little or nothing
about proselyting and subSidizing
athletes.
Confidently it is expected by
Virginia enthusiasts for victory
that alumni chapters annually will
send six athletes to the university.
The cost of sending one athlete
through school for year is placed
at $500, therefore the cost of
sending six athletes through
Virginia for one year is
$4,000. However, the second
year this cost mounts to $1,000,
since another six must be prose
lyted and subsidized. The third
year, the cost mounts to $14,400;
the fourth year to $4,000. The
bill to the alumni groups for six
new athletes annually thus mounts
to $4,000 each year after the
system of proSelyting and subsidi-
zation is installed at the end Of
the third year.
Kick-Back Already
Already there is a kick-back at
the university. One varsity foot
ball player recently raised the
point that, since he is of known
caliber as a gridder, obviously he
should get $500 a year as we'll as
each proselyted and subsidized
athlete. However, the alumni
groups didn't expect that such a
situation would arise and appar.
emily are not ready to take care
of such situations.
Now, if the varsity player does
not get his $500 each year, will
there be diSSenSion on the grid
squad? The answer to this ques-
ton is obvious.
I have been asked this question
by numerous people not connected
with Virginia in any way:
"Why is Virginia going in for
this buSineSs?"
One must understand clearly
that the University of Virginia is
not going in for this business"
Alumni groups are going in. The
only change in policy at the uni.
versity is the one which estab-
fishes as eligible for varsity COM
petition the student who receives
financial aid Heretofore, Vir-
ginia's rules did not permit the &C
Ceptance of such students az
eligible for intercollegiate teams.
Better Than Nothing
Since Virginia rather feels that
no agreement at all is better than
an agreement broken, the uniVer.
sity recently broke away from its
playmateS of recent years; inn
mediately there followed the
alumni plan of proselyting and
Subsidizing athletes.
When Virginia was in a confer.
ence, Virginia lived up to the
rules; Virginia's compatriots did
not. OF course, that's common
knowledge and it is freely admitted
on all sides that the arrangement
whereby Virginia'S rivals went
out and got 'em" while Virginia
refused to do so, worked to the
humiliation of the Cavaliers. The
Cavaliers, victory-starved, turned
to the alumni. The alumni of.
fered their plan for sending ath-
leteS to Charlottesville. The plan
was accepted. So far as is known,
not a single alumni chapter has
as yet raised enough money ($800
to send one athlete to Virginia
for one year.
All in all, it appears that Vir.
ginia's alumni groups at the mo-
ment are mere babes in the
woods. They do not know wnat
it's all about. Maybe they will
learn with experience, which may
prove bitter.