The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1962-11-23
SPORTS of TINES
Can football reUiUe
on Catholic campus?
by Lou FabrO
SPORTS of TINES
Times Sports Editor

The riotous joy of football victory and the somber
solitude of grid defeat have virtually disappeared from the
Catholic college campus. Only 20 Catholic colleges now
field football teams. And most of them have a tough time
coming up with winning records.
This contrasts remarkably with the golden era" of the
1920s and 1905 when many Catholic college football
teams played-and oftentimes defeated-some of the ma
TONS top powerhouses. Indeed, some of these Catholic teams
ranked among the countrys powers and were invited to
major postseason bowls.
WORT A III THE POSTWAR period wit
messed the rapid decline of Catholic college football. The
soaring mortality rate was due to declining attendance,
rising costs, high recruiting expenses and the competition
of television and the pros.
VIII anything stem, or perhaps reverse the tide? Can
we expect some kind of reversal?
If today's conditions and high-pressure attitudes to-
wards football persist, chances for a revival are about as
good as Ohio State receiving an invitation to play in this
New Years Rose Bowl game.
REASONING FOR THIS CONCLUSION is simple.
With tightly limited resources, the Church's educational
institutions must make the most of every dollar. Because
football has become a financial milestone, many colleges were
forced to abandon the sport. The idea is that football either
pays its own way or is booted out of the schools athletic
program.
At least three solutions have been offered to meet the
problem. One of these has been set into operation-but
only at one school.
One publicized proposal that didn't get off the ground
was offered a couple of years ago when Marquette decided
to abandon the grid wars. The schools decision touched
off a strong Juror among alumni. They offered to raise
cash to keep football going but their offer was rejected
politely.
About the same time, tordnam University students
launched a similar campaign to revive football at that
school. Some Zoo students offered to kick in $40 each to
to underwrite the revival. This too was rejected.
OFFERING A %IFFEREN APPROACH to the prob
lem was Father Paul L. OConnor, 81, president of Xavier
University in Cincinnati. He suggests that professional
teams provide direct support to colleges because the players
for the pro ranks are developed in college. If it weren't for
the material available from college grid teams, he noted
the pros would have to resort to costly farm teams.
Father OConnor points out that if a chemical company
can sponsor a student at Xavier University without inter.
fering with the schools chemistry program, Il do not see
why the Cleveland Browns, for example, could not sponsor
a student quarterback without calling the plays"
The notion that the Browns wouldn't want to call the
plays of its Student quarterback" is a little naive. Calling
the plan unavoidable, the pros turned a cold shoulder to
Father OConnor's subsidy plan.
A SOLUTION TO COLLEGE FOOTBALLS high costs
is in operation at Santa Clara University. Ignoring the big
time, Santa Clara now has a low-pressure, well-balanced
responsible football program.
Santa Clara began its new-look three years ago. Oper-
ating on a budget of only $4,000 a year (this is amazingly
the school plays six games a year against such teams as
Chico State, California Aggies and others. The school Of
fers no scholarship aid and travel is limited to within $50
miles of the campus.
To give an idea of the contrast this offers, Santa
Clara was once a perennial big-time football power on the
West Coast. From 1886 to 1910, for example, the Broncos
won 80 games while losing only four. Victims include
such famous teams as U.C.LA, Texas A and M, Oklahoma,
Stanford. Arkansas and LSU. AS late as 1850, Santa
Clara defeated Kentucky, 21-13, before $1,000 fans in the
Orange Bowl.
BUT THE SCHOOL COULDN'T CONTINUE its foot
ball program on past glories and was forced to leave the
gridiron in 1853. After a six-year absence, school officials
decided TO adopt its present program.
And it's working out well. Considering the alternatives
Santa Clara's solution seems to be the best for schools de.
string some type of intercollegiate football program. While
recognizing the Importance of sports, the program points
up the important fact that colleges are primarily educa-
tional institutions.