Football Aftermath

Every year when the season is practically over, organizations interested in collegiate sport foregather to mull over football and its aftermath. Last week four such bodies assembled in Manhattan: National Collegiate Athletic Association;

Society of Directors of Physical Education in Colleges; Sportsmanship Brotherhood; American Football Coaches Association. They pondered "over-emphasis" of football, a matter recently brought to the attention of press & public by the fact that in the past autumn 45 football players died of injuries (TIME, Dec. 14). Sportsmanship Brotherhood was in formed by John T. MacGovern. co author of Carnegie Bulletin No. 23, excoriating professionalism in college football, that "the scandalous conduct of the spectators has done more to break down the best traditions of American athletics than any subsidizing . . . proselytizing. . . ." He laid the blame for over emphasis on "cigar-store sports or barber shop administrators. . . ." President Henry M. Wriston of Lawrence College, Appleton, Wis.. told the Society of Directors of Physical Education in Colleges that "a vicious relationship between sports and profits has developed through the years." He advocated abolition of collegiate "conferences." "scouting," high-salaried coaches, exploitation of student athletes. Edward K. Hall, Chairman of the Football Rules Committee, which meets in February, assured the National Collegiate Athletic Association that he was well satisfied with football rules as they stand, said that "of the 150 college members [of the Association], only two deaths resulted from football." The American Football Coaches Association discussed a variety of rule changes designed to make football less dangerous, but could agree on no recommendations for the Rules Committee. They awarded a prize to a member who, at a banquet, told a grisly story about going to bed with a corpse. Coach Lou Little of Columbia told them that college football players spent 109 hours on play and practice as compared with in hours of extracurricular effort by debaters, 122 by lacrosse players, 132 by dramatic club members, 186 by oarsmen and 241 by college journalists. For president, the Coaches Association chose Dr. Marvin Allen ("Mai") Stevens of Yale to succeed J. F. ("Chick") Meehan who recently resigned from N. Y. U. to coach at Manhattan College. Tall, quiet, solemn, Mai Stevens went to Yale as a transfer from Washburn College. Kan., paid his tuition as night watchman in an undertaking establishment. He was halfback of the 1923 Yale team, started coaching at Yale when Tad Jones retired in 1928. An interne at the New Haven Hospital last year, he was detailed to ride the ambulance on the morning of the Yale-Dartmouth game. As soon as he was elected, Coach Stevens announced that he would appoint a committee to investigate the causes of football injuries, make salutary recommendations. At Pasadena the football season formally closed last week when Tulane, undefeated in the South this year, played Southern California, which beat Notre Dame and all other opponents except St. Mary's. As usual the occasion was a field day for Hollywood. Funnyman Buster Keaton chartered a bus for his party. Jackie Cooper wore a new sweater with U. S. C. on it. Dorothy Jordan cheered for Tulane's All-American end and captain, Jerry Dalrymple. Tulane gained 265 yd. to Southern California's 164 by rushing, 52 to 24 by passing, 16 first downs to seven, but lost the game 21 to 12. With the score 21 to 0 in the third quarter Harry ("Wop") Glover made the most spectacular run of the day to Southern California's 16-yd. line, before Zimmerman passed to Haynes for the first Tulane touchdown. Dalrymple caught a pass within 3 yd. of the goal in the last quarter and Glover slipped across for Tulane's second a moment later. The crowd--83.000--sat still in a warm twilight while Tulane tried for the extra point and failed. Ernie Pinckert, a brilliant blocking back, made two of Southern California's touchdowns. Ray Sparling the other. After the game they heard themselves described as "football champions of the Universe," watched their coach, Howard Jones, brother of Yale's Tad, being presented with an automobile.

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