Salt Lake Telegram | 1916-02-27 | Page 5 | Hat off to Utah Authorities of Athletics

HAT iHAl OFF TO UTAH AUTHORITIES OF or ATHLETICS I I Council Comes Conies Forth in inQuest inQuest Quest of Reasons easo f for r I Lack of Interest f I WILL FIND A REMEDY To Make Local University Pride of the West Is- Is Goal Coal of All AH By BILL Athletic authorities lof of the Uni University of Utah have decided to come out from und under unde r the sh shell Jf of recluse in an endeavor to get at atthe atthe atthe the bottom of the c causes wes for the decline of interest in intercollegiate ate athletics tics that has been noticeable noticeable noticeable notice notice- able for the last six years and at athe atthe atthe the he same time find a remedy that will place major sports on the east bench on their feet for all time to come Dr Joseph F. F Merrill chairman of the athletic c council uncil Prof R. R B. B Ketchum and Dr Leo Marshall both members members' mem mem- em bers' bers of the council are to be congratulated congratulated con con- gra on the the stand they are taking Dr Merrill whose position in the council makes him a big factor In intercollegiate in t athletics of the state in institution institution In in- is hunting for the why whys and wherefores of the crumbling cr of spirit and lack of interest tn n. n UnIv University of Utah athletics Is going out among the downtown boosters and good fell fellows ws and frankly gathering their opinion He will join forces with all willing to lend a hand and attempt to boom things on the east bench as they were never never boomed before There have been many things things' said about Utah and its athletics and facts this year have proved that interest in in football and basketball is not what it used to be In fact the situation has grown rown so serious that it is a case of or abandoning intercollegiate athletics or tuning them up to the high key Joe Maddock left leU them in when he departed de departed l parted for Mackay Idaho more than than- thana a dozen dozeD ye years rs ago You gotta quit kicking my daw dawg about will be the battle cry of the east benchers and all lovers of keen college sport until the last knocker has been silenced and the condition on the east bench has again reached a a normal point once more After Arter this has been attained it will be easy sailing sailing sail ing to place athletics at the University University University sity of Utah in a position that will make every other intermountain state institution look upon our athletics s. s with an enviable eye There is no reason why the state institution institution in in- of Utah should not be as big biga a factor in the building up of Western college athletics as the University of at California Stanford university Oregon Oregon Oregon Ore Ore- gon university or Washington sity It is well understood throughout the country that the Pacific coast is rapidly reaching a stage in collegiate athletic activities that is rivaling the l honored long reputation of or the far East and equals the zenith of at athletic power the middle West has built up in the thelast thelast thelast last decade Utah should be right in the swirl in raising at athletics on tho the Pac Pacific ic coast to a plane that will force the Atlantic coast critics critics- reckon with us before deciding de ile- ile diding any championships of America That is the ideal of the Pacific coast universities and will be the goal of or Utah from now on Bigger and stronger athletics be De the slogan of every local citizen of Utah from now until every high school athlete of the intermountain region will win fight to matriculate at the local state institution and its reputation as a alive alive alive live university will attract students stu atu dents from all sections of the country country- Talk among members of the alumni association is that this body is coming out of its dormant state and intends to todo todo todo do something to help the athletic council coun coun- cil cli with its work of or r reconstruction construction Graduates of at other colleges and un universities uni who are settled in Salt Lake take are displaying an interest and antI will lend lenda a willing hand It will will- willbe be Utah first and for Cor all aU times If It Nelson H. H Norgren is not tobe to tobe tobe be retained as athletic instructor th the th new coach will most likely be bean an Eastern East ern errs athlete who has been in the West loves the West and is in harmony with conditions conditions' here in the West