The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-10-09
Vote Being Taken On
 Rose Bowl
PAGE FOURTEEN
By TOMMY DIVINE United Press Sports Writer)

(Onlted tFeSS SpOrtS Wrlter)
 Chicago, Oct. 8 = (UP) - The winner of the western conference football championship may partici- pate in the Rose Bowl game at Pas adena, Cal, on New Years Day, it was indicated today as the big nine revealed it was polling its members on the deSirability of reaching an agreement with the Pacific Coast conference on post-season grid play.
 Kenneth L. Wilson, commissioner of the western conference, an- nounced poll was now in progress to determine the willingness of member schools to abandon their 25 year ban on Bowl game participa- tion.
 While Wilson said the results of the poll will be reported to con- ference meeting, probably the regu- larly scheduled session here in De- cember, the way is open for inaug- urating the series with the forth coming January l game. This was indicated when Wilson said:
 Should a favorable decision be indicated, an approach will be made to representatives of the Pacific Coast conference, which in the past has indicated desire to enter into such an agreement"
 Adamant
 The western conference has been strong against poSt-SeaSon partici- patton by its members and several times in recent seasons has rejected requests by individual schools to waive the rule.
 However, preliminary steps to- ward an agreement with the Pacific Coast were taken prior to the war and then held in abeyance. With collegiate play rapidly returning to normal standards, it is known sev- eral western conference figures feel the time is at hand for the two outstanding collegiate circuits to reach an agreement.
 Big Nine leaders known to favor sending the conference grid cham plen to the Rose Bowl annually feel it is the only effective means of cohbatting one of the worst con- mercial aspects of collegiate foot ball"
 This group, which has been out spoken and bitter against the open subsidization of athletes by south ern schools, feels the western con- ference has played into the hands of rivals by refusing to allow its teams to compete in Bowl games.
 Helps Rivals
 'The receipts from bowl game" one said, "are sufficient to finance the very type of athletic subsidies which we fight against. If this rev. enue was cut off, the schools in question could not continue their wide-open athletic programs"
 The Rose Bowl seats 5000 spec tators and the take of the visiting team annually is estimated at $1o0.- GOO.
 The athletic boards at some Big Nine schools have already met and voted on the question, it was learn ed. The early poll was said to have been favorable" The remainder are expected to meet at an early date in order to allow the mech arics of the agreement to proceed rapidly enough to insure it beeom- ing effective for this New Years game.
 Illinois Says 'No"
 Although early returns were pur- pertedly favorable, the first school to reveal its vote, the University of cast negative ballot.
 The Illinois vote was announced by the University Senate Commit tee.
 A Western Conference team, the University of Michigan, played in the first Rose Bowl" game in 1902. The actual tournament of roses sponsorship of the classic did not start until 1916 however, and the game has been played without a break since then.
 The only big nine team to play in the Rose Bowl game since the inaugural contest was Ohio State in 1920. Following the appearance of the Buckeyes post season play was prohibited.
 The Western and Pacific Coast Conference have acted jointly on numerous eligibility and playing standards in recent years and prior to the war all-star track teams of the two conferences met annually. @EA AnA nnA