Evening star., 1951-12-16
Cut in Spring Practice
Conference S Biggest
De-Emphasis Move
BY the Assoeioied Press

fN~~~~'~fNS
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 15.-The
Southeastern Conference today
made an about face on football
de-emphasis.
During the final session of the
SECS annual meeting, college
presidents, taking guidance from
head coaches and athletic di-
rectorS. changed their minds and
ruled that freshman can remain
on varsities until September i,
1853.
The ruling is complete re-
versal of action taken 18 hours
earlier. During yesterdays ses-
sion, freshmen were ruled off
varSities effective next Septem-
Der l.
The final chance for the SEC to
modify its pro-bowl stand and
align itself with other conferences
and groups opposed to post-sea-
son games. passed this morning.
Still a Bowl League.
No change was made and none
was anticipated. The SEC is
still a bowl league and apparently
its IL members will accept any
invitation to any bowl anywhere,
Just as long as that bowl holds
approval of the National Col
legiate Athletic Association.
The conference executive COM
mittee was ordered to study ath-
letic scholarships during the next
year and to prepare recommends
tions about the various kinds of
scholarships.
During yesterdays session, c. M.
Sarratt, vice chancellor of Van
derbilt University, offered two pro-
posals which would take confer
ence teams out of bowls entirely.
Sarratt's proposals had no chance
OF passage whatsoever. His first
proposal failed to gain q second
ing motion.
Only in minor matters did the
SEC go into de-emphasis during
the two-day meeting. And then
the SEC didn't go very far.
Spring Training Reduced.
Possibly the most de-emphasis
came when presidents reduced
spring training from six weeks
to 20 working sessions. Another
move. which has members so con-
fused several say they aren't sure
Just what is meant, is a limita-
tion Of 80 football scholarships
permissible annually.
The limit was voted yesterday.
Immediately a four-man commit
tee was appointed to interpret Just
what the presidents had voted on.
In other moves the 140-schol-
arship ceiling per school for all
sports was left on the books. Gen.
orally. NCAA's television rules hold
good In the SEC. Free substitu-
ton and the two-platoon system
failed to win censure.
A resolution to the, NCAA Foot
ball Rules Committee asking that
they be changed did not pass.
SEC teams again can play IL
games in the fall II they choose.
since o move to hold them to 10
failed to pass.
Basketball Tourney Abolished.
Basketball was de-emphasized
more than football. The annual
basketball tournament held In
Louisville, KY. was abolished after
the February 28-March /, 1852,
meet.
Several officials, however, say
they expect the SEC to reinstate
the tournament within a year by
changing its mind and voting Just
as 1t did today on freshman eligi- {
bility.
The freshmen vote passed, It 8
was understood, by seven votes IA
voring freshmen on varsities for
the years, September /, 1852, to
September l, 1858, and five op-
posing.
DR.. Blake r. Van Leer Of Geor-
gia Tech said he cast one of the :
opposing votes. An unusually good ;
source said the other four op-
position votes were cast by Tu- ,
lane. Vanderbilt, Alabama and j
Florida.
The vote against freshmen par
ticlpation on varsities yesterday {
was decisive. Before the recon-
sideration session an argument be- +
gan between delegates on just who
had voted for and who voted
against the freshmen rule pre-
viously.
The conference voted to begin
basketball practice on October Is
annually.