Show 1 I FOOTBALLS FOOTBALL'S FRESHMAN RULE WORKS HARDSHIP DV III lIn I CI I With football coaches already plannIng planning planning plan plan- ning for tho the fall tall campaign to bo be carried carried car car- ried ned out despite the absence of ot Yale Harvard and Princeton which apparently ap ap- ap- ap parenti do not care are to participate bec be- be c causo use mo most t of ot their stars arc In service service sen ice there Is a strong movement mo for the abolition n of ot the freshman rule during during- the period of ot the war Thin movement Is la being pressed quietly quiet quiet- I ly In the west est especially among conference conference confer conter- ence colleges e while there here has been a persistent rumor that eastern castern colleges will take up UI the question when the scholastic year ear opens in October In Inome some ome cases the freshman rule ruie is not ob observed observed ob- ob served and the teams which will represent represent sent such Institutions will have ha a great advantage over OYer those which follow the tho rule r Lost When b n nt cit Prime When hen students go Into th their ir Junior or 1 senior years ears the they generally reach tho the I draft age They also develop clop Into football football foot toot ball players b by that time so when they have hare to leave school the teams are arc weakened accordingly An Any number of oC Instances can bo cited cUed where freshmen were of oC varsity caliber when the they en entered entered entered en- en college but were barred from In Intercollegiate intercollegiate In- In competition To offset th the handicaps under which the teams will work by the loss los of ot juniors or seniors who would still be eligible to compete It seems scents only fair tair that freshmen should bo be ell eligible to compete during wartime Jf It the first first- year ear men aro are made eligible the squads will he bo much larger and strong scrub elevens ens can be developed eloped which will give the tho varsity teams the much nee needed needed need need- ed scrimmage practice Little Incentive l c for tor As freshmen competition with other year first college teams teanis is forbidden at most Institutions In the west there is little or no Incentive for tor a good player to turn out for tor te teams ms In his first year car The freshman teams are on only 1 used to give the varsity elevens scrimmage work and the only reward the they get et at atthe atthe atthe the end of ot the season Is a a. sweater bearing class claR numerals Athletic directors coaches and trainers train train- ers felt Celt the result of oC war last season eason when hen the teams were riddled of or star performers who had reached the draft age Since the tho close chose of or the In 1917 7 season season sea sea- son more men have ha been drafted or I have havo enlisted so the pigskin mentors will not know how man many ell eligible candidates can can- the will have ha un until tit the call for tor first practice e is announced X Need d Reserve I IThe The great reat majority of 0 players er eligible to play this fall tall will reach the tho draft I n age e at different times In some cases casos thc they ma may be called on the eve of oC Im- Im I panics games ames The loss of oC men at sucH I critical times lines breaks up team pIa play and andI I spoils the best mid laid plans of or the I j coaches who have ha to fill vacancies with Inexperienced players II As the season advanced last year ear earsome some sonic coaches conches did not have ha enough players to compose two teams The rho war hit some Institutions harder hardel than titan others but nil all managed to go co through the season without disbanding At that time there was a lot of oC talk about suspending the tho freshman rule rule and itIs It ItIs itis Is certain the movement mo will vIll be e given ivon greater Impetus when the candidates report titis fall tal nIl Dig Ten n a hardship A rule prevails In iii the tho western conference con con- terence ference which forbids an any member to start tart practice a as an organized squad before September 29 This rule ruie has al alI always always al- al I ways was worked wonted a n hardship but It will strike much harder this year ear The coache will have 8 green material to work worl with and the they cannot be expected to put finished teams on the field at atthe atthe the be beginning of oC the season when a number of or Important games are sched sched- An overwhelming defeat at the outset outset outset out out- set Is the most discouraging tiling thinK that can happen and one ono of oC the severest handicaps which a coach must over over- come As no one ono can predict when the war will end nd men under tinder the draft age should be encouraged ed In sports to be bo In good physical con condition when the they are are called Into the tho service These men will be bo sent to college o Just as ns If It there thero was no war and It Is the intention of most of oC the heads of or our Institutions to continue athletic relations with other U universities a i vor ors I ti Cs Competitive Sport port nr nr A et ct To encourage students to tal take e athletic ic exercises the tile competitive spirit must enter into the tho work and this on only I can be done 1010 by playing games with other colleges The value Is lost when contests contests contests con con- tests are played between class flass teams because tho the players know each other and will not enter into the struggles with the same spirit as if iC the they were m meeting an nn time old-time foe Coe S For these theBe reasons It would be a simple simple sim aim pIe matter for tor the tho heads of oC the Institutions Institutions to lo lift the freshman rule and Ind aban abandon on the date of oC opening practice during durin the period of oC tho the war It not noton on only 1 would tend to keep up Interest In collegiate late athletics but It also niso would serve the purpose e of making the men under the draft ago physically lI fit tIt to stand the hardships of or warfare when the they the draft dratt a ag age e or before If it the emergency arises to lo cause the administration administration ad nd- ministration to lower the draft age ago Ii limit to U |