The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1940-11-21

line mas Deen mucn
more sharply drawn-and in the fu-
ture it may even reach a razor
edge.
There isn't any questioning the
fact that too many colleges Overdo
their football collecting. There isn't
any questioning the fact that col
leges with stricter entrance require
ments and higher scholastic stand
ards are at disadvantage in meet
ing opponents who have no such
barriers to face.
There are, Of course, always ex-
ceptions. Cornell and Pennsylvania
are Ivy institutions and yet they
manage to hit the jackpot with reg
ularity.
Badly Tangled
On a general scale there is en-
tirely too much PROSECUTING, recruit
ing and paying for good players, in
what should be the greatest of all
amateur games.
But it is tangled, intricate
scheme when you come to locating
the true answer. / don't believe
there is one, in a game that has
such a direct appeal to so many
millions.
Many ask, ''Why shouldn't poor
boy who can play football have his
way paid through college, with some
thing in the side, when he is play
ing before gate receipts that range
from 100000 to $4,000 per game?
Doesn't he at least earn an educa-
TOM"
The answer is o. K, if the college
feels that way about it, but let those
colleges play among themselves.
They have too great an edge on
those who happen to feel otherwise.
1t isn't fair competition.
Ho,u Can You Stop It,?
know of more than one strong
college outfit where the students get
no help through college. But wealthy
and influential alumni get summer
jobs for the leading players that net
from 5000 to $400 a month, plus
board, no working experience re-
quired.
know Of others who play before
big-time crowds, where each play.
er is given from to 10 tickets per
game which net from SIS to $50 per
contest. The ticket request is made
for the family.
This isn't much money. Possibly
$500 year plus a scholarship and
all other expenses paid. But it still
isn't alfalfa.
After talking with large number
of football coaches my guess is that
at least rs per cent of the better
players belong to the proselyted, or
paid for group, one way or another.
But when an enthusiastic group of
alumni get to work / can't see any
way you can stop them. For this
work may not even reach the no.
tice of the college or the football
coach. The deal may be made with
the boys father, who isn't likely to
talk about it.
Part of the AnsiUer
The main trouble, of course, is the
demand for a winning team. But,
unfortunately, not every team can
win. So the problem is showed along
to the coach. The coach doesn't
want to lose his job. The chances
are he also has family to look
after. If the alumni won't get him
players, he must do his part-or
get fired.
College football in two months
draws far more spectators than big
league baseball draws in six months
far more. 1t has grown into big
time. Big league teams can lose
flock of games and still draw. Col
lege teams can't afford to lose many
in season, especially where there
is no traditional rivalry to help lure
out the crowds.
Part of the answer is working its
way out through conference sched-
ules. The Ivy league now rarely
leaves its own borders. The Big
Ten wanders more, but not too
much. There are now supervisors
in the Big Ten, the Pacific Coast
and the South, where in certain col
leges too many have come from far
off places to play.
Teams with about the same scho-
lastic ranking and the same meth
DDS of ethics should play among
themselves.
Wen take the Southwest. They
help their athletes. But in the main
they are all Texas players.
"At S. M. IT," Matty Bell told
me, 1--WE have IS men on the squad.
Thirty-three are from Texas. The
other two from Oklahoma and Mis-
souri,, just across the borderline."
The new director on the West
coast has already thrown out flock
of budding stars who were improp-
erly brought in.
Big-time football came along with
such a rush, via the big stadia,
that it swept most of the colleges
off their balance. Corrections are
now being made. There will be no
deep trouble if these supervisors do
their jobs to save the game this
country happens to need.
I should say that my friend Swede
Larson of the Navy has the only
true answer-"To any football play
er who comes to the Navy we give
board and lodging and education,
plus $3.50 a year. But that same