U. Of M. Adopts Rules

Within tlie past year there has been eoneiderraWe interest .and much eorrespondence between "ïihe western collegies in. regard to. rules to be adopted wi'th reference to athletics. In the past there has been ïnuch critir cism of western teams beoause of the aseertkm that professionals, in whole or in. part, were allowed to become members of thrtr teams. About the ïirst thing that brought the subject into promtoence was ftn article la Harper's "Weekly . fronn the pen oí Gaspar Wlïitmey, charging professtOTialism in out college teams. A portion of hls critieism was just, and a portiom unjuet. The result was that in February 1896, a conference of those interested in college athletics was held in Chicago, at which a set of rules were recommeruled for interooUegiatij teams. Much divscusslon foüawed, but -che greater universiües declinad to adopt them, thongh some of the smaller colleges did so. The reason for the action was apparent, becauee eome of the etudents playing were more or less taioted with pnofessiionialism. Michigan, for itistaaice, had two or three excellent ■men in lier base ball team, ivlia luid ooached tor teams durtag tlie suinmer montlis. Tliis beiing true they did mot wish to make rules retroaotiA'e. So they adopfred a eet of rules savIing to their teams tlieir choice men, Dut prohitiited any further coaching ■by membere. That was the acttoo that commenced the history of college atbletics lm the west. The act of the Athletic Board of the U. of M. in June, in barring three of i'ta best men for breaktag these rules, was eomtnented on widely, iuul gave a wcmdei-ful ímpetus to pujrifying co'.lege atliletics in the -west. "Whea the uniTei-sirties1 opened last October, and the football teams commenced practice, it was feit that some concerted action should be taken. Ctonisequently a conference was held at Chioag'O Not. 27, at which representati-ves were present from gan, Chicago, Wificomsin, Xorunvesterm, Minnesota, nnl the Universlty oí Blimois, knxnvn ns Purdue. At thla conference the {oílowimg rules vrere presented for adoption : 1. No one sliall particípate in any intercollegiate game or atuletic sport unless he be a Dona fide student doing full work In a regular or a special course, as defined in the curriculum of his college. And no person who has participated in any intercollegiate game as a member of any other college team shall be permltted to particípate in any game as a memoer of another college team uutil he has been a matriculant in sucb college u:ider the above condition for a period ol one year or has obtained a college academie degree. 2. No persun shall be admitted lo any Intercollegiate contest who receives any gift, ïvnmueratioii or pay for hls services on the college team 3 No student shall play upon the teams of any college or colleges for more tlian four years in the aggregate unless he sball have secured a degree, in which case he may play two additloual years, provided he be a caodidate for a second degree 4. No student shall particípate in any intereolleglate contest who has ever used or is using bis knowledge of athietics or hls athletic skill for gain. Tbis rule sliall beoperatlve after Oct. 1, 1896. No person who receives any compensation from tbe University lor service rendered by mtans of a regular instructiou shall be allowed to play on any team. This rie shall takeetiect Dec 1,1896. 5. No student shall play in any game under an assumed name. 6. No student shall be permitted to particípate in any intercollegiate contesi who is found by the faculty to be delinquent in nis studies. 7. All Intercollegiale games shall be p'.ayed on grouuds owned or under immediate control of one or both of the colleges panicipating in the contesi, and all intercolleeiate gaines shall beplayed under studentor college management, and not under the control of any corporation or any association or private individual. 8. The election of managers and captains ol teams iu each college shall be subject to the approval of ils committee on athietics. 9 College foot ball teams sliall play only with teams representing educational ïnstitutions. 10. Before every intercollegiate coïitest the respective chairman of the athletic committees of the institutions concerned shall submit to each other a certified list of players ellgible under the rules adopted, to particípate in satdeoutest. it shall be the duty of the captains of the respective teams to exclude all players from the contest save those so cerlifled. 11. Alhletlc committees shall require each candldate for a term to represent the uulversiiy in intercollegiate coutests to subscribe to a st.uement that he is eligible under Ihe letter and spirit oí the rules adopted. 12. No person havlug been a member of any college athletic team during auy year, and having been in attendance Wss tuan one college hali-year, shall be permllted to play In any jntercnlleglHte contest thereafter until he 8hall hnve !een in aueudauce six consecutivo cnlcutiar months. Then a mo'.?t sertona eotrtroTersy anose as to the adoption of these rules. Eacli ooilege had 8me excellent plaj'ers wlio "vvere barred íin1 1 1 ■ f thesi; liiies. For instance Michiuau would lose Ferlerb, Henninger emú Ca.Tr, tliree ol its best men, (Contlnned ou 4th Page.) ö, Of M, ADOPTS RULES, (Coutinued trom Ist page.) and In i be case al Oatrr lie had only overstepped the mie- and that before it was made- by coacfaing for 011e week a high school tea.ni, but under mie 4 he cauld no langer play wi'th the team. Then Prof. Ktagg, of Chicago, wamtel to modWy the ruíe m as to save stime of luis men, whose on'.y offense had been ïlke thafc of Oarr, but Michlpa.ii said nr, and at once went at lit and adopted t'he ru'les, th,e prime IOTCP8 of the resolución being the studeirts tluemselves. Alter Michigan liad taken thie action Chicago followed, and so did all the other colleges trat Xorth-vvesteni. Last Saturday her athletic bo'ard met - which by tii way te oomnoead of 3 facultty members. 3 students and 3 ataimni- am! adoyted the ru'jes except rule 3 anid adopted Vluat to take effect in Dec. '97. Tliis was done with the a-xi"ved purpose of saving Van Dusen anid Potter for base ball in June and footlmll in Octotoer. Thiat action practica'.ly debars all t'lie Barge M-estern OnlTerslties from p3ayi.nK with XYn-thwesteni. and if slie plays at all, it will be with high sctoool teams or pei'haps some eastern ooilege teams. Tlvrough a combination of her student and alumni members öf her athfetic board, she bas taken an action that will have to be taken back- wh-leh nover fails to hurt. The University of Michigan board has taken a nob!e stanrl in this matter, amd says pCiadniy to the world tdiiat eams represemtilng the 1". oí M. sljall lie bona iide studeots and amateurs under th rules, amd further that Michigan's teams shall iu.it play amy teams made up of a mixture of professionals and amateurs. ThiH wül bring ooilege athletics where it belongs, amd the brutal part of football, for instance, which is ahvays indulged ín hy athletic club teams and pno'fesskma.ls, will be eliminated from the game. Upan if.he mibject a.s to how far college -t-eams should play witli athletic Clubs, Pnof Kraowltoii, who is president, of the TT. of M. athletic Troai'd, MTote to Caspar W'hitney in answer fco certain questions, as folio ws : ''We hiave no affiliatioii witli athletic clubs. My pei'sonal judgmeait is tihiat studente shouM be forbidden to represent athletlc clulw at all dwing tiheir college conree. Tliere is suoh a thins as Kiviiisi too much pnomiinence to atihïe-tics, and more thlan that, lf a studen-t is not wiülnfe to jgtve his alma mater exclusively the elory of hte' aohtevemeoits in amateuriem, lie is utart in patriotism. Agaki, asswiation with so-ealled athletic clubs too frequemtly promotes Iinpuve sport. The members of these clubs are ttot always geJiuine sportsraen." This action is vwy important and the U. of M. iá to be applauded for lier most oxeellenit couree. Now It stands the easteim calieses to hand to go aiiid lo liikewise, m