Evening star., 1940-07-24
New incumbent First
Non-Y Winner To
Get Sports Post
In University's Employ
Since He Worked Way
Through School
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

Special Correspondent. of The Star.
NEW YORK, July 24.-Several
novel and interesting aspects are
related to Yale's new Chairman of
Athletics, Ogden D. Miller, success
sor in this important post to NAL
colin D. Farmer and to Prof. Clar-
ence Mendell serving as director
OF the department pending the ap-
pointment of a regular incumbent.
Chiefly significant, at least, SO it
would seem, is the fact that Miller
is not the product of one of the
crack eastern preparatory schools
where the influence of Yale has been
traditionally important. Having
graduated from a Connecticut high
school he spent three years as
factory worker, thus earning suffi-
cient money to defray expenses of a
2-year course at Williston Academy.
Here he was qualified to pass en-
trance examinations for admis-
sion to the university at New Haven.
He earned his way through Yale
and Daniel E. Mulvey, the New
Haven commentator. tells of his
working as watchman in the old
Yale atheletic plant. Married, and
the father Of threee children. no one
is better aquainted with the Eli
athletic organization and various
university departments. Indeed,
upon his graduation in 1890 he i'm
mediately was inducted into the
Yale corporation.
Never Wore Varsity "Y"
He moves to he athletic depart
ment from his post as director of
alumni relations. Before that at
various times he had served as as
sistant to the chairman of the
Board OF Admissions, associate di-
rector for the Bureau of Self Sup.
port, executive secretary of the
Alumni Board and assistant secre-
tary of the University.
Another novel aspect in his ap-
pointment is his status as the first
athletic director who never wore
the varsity block "Y." Yet he was
an athlete and good one, having
played junior varsity football, hav-
ing pitched on the varsity nine and
won a place on the water polo team.
One OF several changes he is very
likely to make. it is said, will be to
readjust conditions under which
athletes may win a varsity letter,
He is reported to have some personal
feeling about this inasmuch as
through adverse breaks he never
occupied the mound against Harvard
and Princeton while hurting against
many other intercollegiate rivals.
Favors Lower Prices.
Athletic policy at New Haven
awards varsity letters only to those
who have competed against Yale's
two rivals Of the ancient Big Three.
IT he works for a change in the
present rule he will have plenty of
support among Yale men and the
sympathy of many of Yale's inter-
collegiate rivals.
Another theory attributed to him
which, in conjunction with Harold
Woodcock. he may try to make prac-
tical, concerns the reduction of ad-
mission prices to football games at
the Yale Bowl. A statement he
made to Mulvey that he had much
rather see 71,000 spectators in the
great arena at low prices than 25,000
at $3.50 per ticket" will be received
at Cambridge and at Princeton with
great interest.
He sees eye to eye with Prof.
Mendell as to the inadvisibility OF
Yale's af1liation with any football
league, specifically a league COM
posed of Ivy league teams with the
Army and Navy to all practical in
tents and purposes regarded as ivy
leaguers. AS in the past Yale will
commit itself to no fixed schedules.
Supports Coaching Plan.
Miller has no belief that football
as conducted at his university is
overemphssized and the present sys-
tenn whereby coaches are engaged
on the basis of 2-year trial has
his support. 1t may not be generally
known that in addition to the two
years of grace coach is entitled to
a years notice of dismissal, an ar
rangement which gives all coaches
assurance of at least a 3-year
engagement.
Mack Farmer devised this UNDER
standing, his opinion being that a
coach who did not satisfy within
three years never would. But in
appraising a coach's lack Of success,
factors other than winning or los
ing-as for instance poor material
have been and will be taken into
consideration.