Evening star., 1951-01-04
4g
Rose Bowl Fate
Won 'tBeKnown
For Some Time
Coast Conference to
Delay Action Until
After NCAA Session
BY the Assoeioied Press


RIVERSIDE, Calf, Jan. A.
The fate of the historic Rose Bowl
football game hangs in suspense
today-and it will continue to
hang that way for at least another
two weeks.
Officials of the Pacific Coast
Conference surprised the college
football world yesterday by dis
closing that II is seriously con-
sidering discontinuing, or modify
ing, its annual participation in
the oldest and richest post-season
game of them all.
The conference will hold a
special, unprecedented meeting
shortly after" the NCAA conven-
tion in Dallas next week to decide
whether it will continue to par
ticipate in the New Years Day
classic next year and in the years
to come.
Revolutionary Decision.
The decision. revolutionary in
modern football history, was made
for one simple reason, according
to H. P. Everest. president of the
Pacific Coast Conference. College
football is getting too big for its
trousers, he explained.
"We must take steps to relieve
the tensions. and this is the first
STEP" Everest. a University of
Washington professor, said.
The pressure to win football
games, as crystalized in any post
season bowl game, is too much.
the learned Prof. Everest said, in
effect as he issued a formal state
ment adopted by the Coast Con-
ference.
He made it clear that yester-
days announcement was not final.
The Pee may continue, modify or
discontinue it's present participa-
tion in the big game, but nothing
will be decided until the special
session at a site and date to be
announced after the NCAA meet
ing.
Prof. Hugh c. Willett, president
of the NCAA and faculty repre-
sentative of the University of
Southern California at the Pee
winter meeting here, said the pol
icy adopted here has no bearing
on the Dallas convention as it
now shapes up.
Coast Attitude Independent.
There is no legislative way that
the NCAA can, for instance, ban
its members from playing in bowl
games in 1852. There is legisla-
.tion afoot for member NCAA
schools to regulate financial re-
turns from bowl games and there
is the possibility O. corridor talk"
which may shape up future NCAA
policies regarding bowl games,
Willett admitted.
The Coast attitude was COM
pletely independent of national
policies. It caught it's own off,
cial family by surprise, as well
as the Tournament of Roses Foot
ball Committee.
just "a hours previously, the
commissioners of the Big Ten
and Pee, Kenneth L. (Tug) Will
son and Victor o. Schmidt. spoke
hopefully of a renewal of the ex-
pired five-year Rose Bowl pact.
Schmidt said he was not aware
OF the events coming up.
The first the Tournament of
Roses Committee knew of the
turn of events came when sports
writer's told them the Pee might
secede from the bowl.
The Rose Bowl Committee
members, Chairman Lathrop K.
Leishman, Bill Nicholas, j. H.
Biggar, jr., and the overall presi-
dent of the Tournament of Roses,
L. Clifford Kenworthy, were sur
prised and shocked.
I'VE expect to whip this prob
lem just as we have whipped
others" Leishman said. "I fully
expect that we will have a major
attraction in Pasadena next New
Years Day"
Al-Star Game Discussed.
Everest, after his formal state
ment. answered volley of aues-
t1ons. The joint discussion be-
tween faculty representatives and
the college presidents was as
frank as his replies.
The Coast Conference, he said
recognizes the evils of prosecuting
and recruiting by alumni. and ap-
preciates the tremendous pressure
placed on players and coaches
that mounts as a post-season
game approaches and is played.
The conference discussed the
possibility of a post-season game
between the Big Ten and the Pee
Immediately following the regular
season. But whether the Rose
Bowl would be the site was not
discussed.
i Possibility of an all-star game
between the West and East-not
necessarily the Big Ten-also was
kicked around. The conference
did say 1t had no intention of
hampering the annual Shrine
East-West All-Star game.
Pee coaches here left the mat
ter to the higher echelon to decide.
Coach Lynn o. Waldorf. whose
California team was defeated by
Michigan January / in the fifth
straight loss to the Big Ten, did
say:
1T is understandable that the
coaches would be subjected to
pressure but I do feel that there
has been undue pressure put on