Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1915 — COMMERCIALISM IN OUR COLLEGE ATHLETICS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMMERCIALISM IN OUR COLLEGE ATHLETICS

▲ new era for .college athletes was heralded in a recent issue of the Daily Maroon, the University of Chicago student paper. Pay for athletes, specifically football players, is the slogan of an editorial which set campus athletes by the ears. College editors, college debaters, college players get compensation for their efforts. Why not college athletes? "Judged by the Bame standards, why not pay our athletes —particularly members of the football team?” demands the Maroon. “They work hard for the university organization known as the football team, which is a money making enterprise, the receipts from football being something like $20,000 more than expenditures for the sport. Why not give the players a share in the profits accruing from their hard and faithful labors?" Athletes and former athletes disagreed radically with the Maroon platform when questioned about it. “Commercialism would ruin the whole spirit of college athletics. Men would go to college simply to take part in sports,” declared Paul Des Jardlen, all-American 'center and University of Chicago idol. "The man's crazy if he’s serious,” said Walter E, McCornack, attorney, and formerly quarter back of the Dartmouth college eleven. “A man plays football Mr love of his college and for

glory. To put it on a salary baste would make it purely professional.” “Our colleges would be crowded with professionals if we paid our athletes,” said H. O. (“Pat”) Page, acting director of athletics at the University of Chicago. “The present system is perfectly satisfactory. We don't want college students exposed to the influence of professional athletics.” “It would simply make college sport professional. College debaters and editors may be paid, bpt their work is on a different basis,” said Walter O. Steffen, assistant district attorney and once a Midway gridiron star.

Paul Des Jardien, All-American Center.