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Show BLAME PLACED ON 'OLD GRABS' Recruiting of High School Stars By University Alumni Condemned COLUMBUS. O.. Feb. 10. (By The Associated Press ) Recruiting of high school athletic stars by alumni of various universities la th- rcjH cause "i professionalism In collegiate circles, cir-cles, Professor Thomas E. French, of hlo State and president of the Y eat-ern eat-ern conference said today in a state-ment state-ment to the Associated Press, discussing discus-sing the recent athletic scandals In v. est era schools. "This proselyting of college athletics ath-letics through the rocruiting of high achool stars by the alumni of the vnr-ious vnr-ious universities Is a growing evil that lh is i .uislng more concern to the author- . itles of Western conference schools 7 ihin the financial temptation to col- M 1. gi players to Join the ranks of the Em professionals." he said. Professor French said the mutter jm had been discussed at meetings of Big H Ten otflcluls and that It undoubtedly HJ would be taken up again at the next Mum meeting of the Conference in June at EB Iowa Oily. la. E9 While declaring that he believed U present nthlctlc rules and the attitude of the public were sufficient to com-? com-? bat professionalism In Big Ten El schools. Professor French said the es- Kl tablishment of college conferences in Efl all parts of the country, together with th( promulgation of strict sport rub" mM by these conferences, would do more NIB Uuin any other thing to purify col- Kr lege sport in general ESfl "There is no doubt," said Professor Kaja French, but that some high school KI boys of exceptional uthlotlc ability are gl being paid to attend certain schools in J order to play some sport. "In such cases, graduates of groups j of uiumni generallj pa) the expenses Pj of high school stars. Several alumni may chip In a certain amount to send EJ a good athletic prospect to their f-J school. This is the worst form of E3l proselyting and the thing we aro Lry- ing hardest to break up. ifegl Whenever we find n boy who has been sent to school on a "pot" made Ew up by alumni we refuse to permit him Efl to take part in athletics. Such cases 1 are hard to detect i MISfiVlDKD ZKAL. WM , "Alumni who try to boost athletics ELS at their college or university in this EJB manner are misguided by their en- f thuaiasm moBt assuredly .o are men j who insist upon betting on then . . 1- EH lege teams. At present some eastern colleges send coaches over the coun- , j try scouting tor good high school mu- 3 T terlal, and inducements are offered to 31 stars to enter the-so schools This is " demoralizing. Hi "A series of college conferences m with strict sport rub s would do more m than any other one thing to stop this practice. The various conferences X would not have to l guided hv the i samo rules or regulations. Bat b con- fi ferenco could seek Its own level. IKI The Western conference, which was the first such organization, has 1 had a decided effect in purifying col- BH lege athletics In the middle west, and its principles have been copied In the I formation of th-- Ohio conference .m'i kH the Missouri valley conference." . : wl The football scandal, caused by the ; plnjlng "f Illinois and Notre Dami !EH stars In a professional game at Tay-lorvlUe, Tay-lorvlUe, ills., win have beneficial r- ' Mi feet upon college sport. Professor a French declared, becausi it will tend to educate both the public and the EB amateur players to clean up such H sports and make school authorities IE more alert. Mm 'When the public discovers thai it "-a I Is humbugged In professional football MmwM games It will stop attending them," IflH Professor French predicted "And HB the public will soon learn that pro- BB fesslonal football games are actually BAV Staged by promoters only for the j H money that can be made. |
