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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 26, 1908)
.X Ibe 2)ail IFlebraefean Vol. VIII. No. 48. "l :Al Neforas&a's Position in the Missouri Valley j v Conference W The Missouri Valley conference has now been In existence for a sufficient length of time to demonstrate thn fact that It was founded upon a real demand for cleaner and more uniform regulations. While its original and primary object waB higher athletic standards in the Missouri Valley, It has nliiudy served a number of other useful purposes. It Tias brought the f-even large Institutions of this re gion into close and friendly athletic lelattons and this alone Is of suffi cient importance to jirstlfy its ex istence. It has greatly stimulated the Interest in traek U.hletics, baseball, and basketball, and has made possible championship series In all branches of college athletics. Owing to the successful opposition of a few Influential members of the athletic board, Nebraska did not join 1:1 the movement looking toward, the formation of a Missouri Valley Intercollegiate- conference, and -only when forced, a year later, to show their bands by a formal Invitation from tlu already organized conference, did they unwillingly vote to accept the Invita tion In order to avoid athletic ostra cism. Whether or not this reluctance on- the part of those in control of athletics at that time was prompte.l by a desire for lower athletic stand aids or not, It was, not interpreted by our colleagues in the Missouri Valley and Chicago conferences, and hns greatly handicapped the University of Nebraska in assuming her proper po sition in the athletic affairs of the Missouri Valley. Suspicion is very easily aroused In athletic circles and is correspondingly hard to overcome, but the unwarranted suspicion in re gard to our attitude on athletic standards, Is bound to gradually dis appear under the present control. Like Western Conference. There is every reason to believe that the Missouri Valley conference will exeit just as strong an influence upon athletics in this section as th Chicago conference dees in its rphore, and she will have one -great advantage over her older sister, namely, the advantage of being able to profit by the older one's mistakes. Just how important a position Ne braska will be able to assume and hold in the Missouri Valley is now "problematical. The real control of athletic leagues in any section of the country depends largely upon ath letic supremacy. Anong the big eastern colleges Yale, Harvard, and Princeton are practically supreme; Darmouth is the strongest facto in the New England league, and Chicago p T T T T 1 T f T T T T- 'O CORNHUSKER SQUAD. The men who compose the first Cornhusker squad, with their weights, are as follows: Cooke, 139'2 ; Bentley, 142; Minor, 150; S. Collins, 178; Chaloupka, 187'; Frum, 189; Sturteznegger, 155; Beltzer, 163; Ewlng, 184; Harvey, 184; Bowers, 178'2; Slaughter, 136'4? Elliott, 180'a; Blrkner, 170; Kroger, 170; Harte, 182; Temple, 175"2; C. Col lins, 160; F. Johnosn, 165'2. The average weight of these men is 161 pounds. UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA, LINCOLN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1908. and Wisconsin now dominate the Chi cago conference, which honor wb divided with Michigan as long as she saw fit to remain In the organ ization. Nebraska by reason of her numbers and past athletic success, may be expected to make a strong bid for this-position In tho Missouri Valley. In numbers, Missouri Is Nebraska's nearest rival, but the lack of co-operation between the students hn.I the athletic management has handicapped Missouri in putting out successful teams In the past; nevertheless this situation seems to have Improved greatly during the past year, and much may be expected of our south ern rival In the near future if this Improvement continues. In the paBt decade Nebraska has, unquestionably, developed strongor and moro consistent football teams than any of her rivals in the Missouri r- : : Ml " : 1 I 1 X. . 'Att. Vf - rf)C00OO0S0O000O000000SJ000C $ o 1 SCHOOLS WHICH COMPOSE THE I Nebraska Missouri By R. G. CJLAPP Valley, and basod upon this standard Nebraska Is athlptlcally tho boBt recognized Institution of tho Missouri Valley, but, unfortunately, It has been truly said that wo hovo de veloped football alone and it must be admitted at the present timo that no other sport receives the real sup port of the student body and, it times, wo are Bkeptlcal about tho general student Interest even in foot ball. But the Btudent body Is not pri marily responsible for this situation. It can be traced directly to a lack of a sultablo athletic field. Nebraska Stands Alone. So far as the writer Is aware and ho Is familiar with tho situation in the large majority of tho more Important universities and colleges of tho country there Ib not another Im Tlfoe Coril&&sfceps' T&naraE&sgiviinig BIG SEVEN Ames on portant educational Institution, east or west, without a fairly good and well equipped athletic field. With the abominable apology for a field, (the old Nebraska field), for many ears, and tho total lack of ono nl tho present time. It Is no wonder that Intorest in tho national game Is dead, and track athletics receive support only from tho small .per cent of Btu dontH eBpeclnlly interested through participation themselves or through their friends' participation. That the regents have a real interest In the physical welfare of tho student body and Intend to do their part toward procuring a suitable athletic Held, Is shown- Ih tho most convincing way poBBible, nnnioly, by tho fact that they have invested all tho funds, which are available for tho purpose), In lotB north of tho old Nebraska Hold, with tho ultimate objocfofo curing proper facilities for' of stu a hi(t-nj& Iowa Kansas Drake Price J5;Ccnt -mmm dents' playground. Whether this ob ject can bo carried out In tho noar future apparently depends upon tho liberality of tho prcBont Legislature To thoso familiar with tho situation It Is evldont that Nebraska will bo weak In Uiobo Hports for which a largo amount of money 8 not avail able In fitting up grounds, otc, until a proper field Is secured. Tho ma jority of tho othor Institutions of tho Missouri Valloy havo first-class ath letic fields and should and doubtloss will, In gonorul, outclass us as long us tho present situation contlntfos. " Another hnndlcap, and ono which will probably bo permanent, 1b tho lack of developed athlotlc mhtorinl owing to tho vory small number of largo high schools to which wo look for our studonta Evory othor lnsti tutlon In tho Missouri Valloy lH far more fortunate In this respect than Nebraska, and the niattor narrows down to a contest between numbers and experience and with thofosout lack of facilities for developing ma terial tho advantage Is altogether with the institution drawing experienced material. N An Excellent Plan. Tho excellent plan adopted by tho uthlotlc board last yoar In regard to student tickets to all university ath letic contosts Bhould, by tho lncroased attendance which Is bound to result, bring about a general Interest in all athletics throughout tho student body. At present It Is evident to tho un biased observer that AmoB and Kan sas surpass us In general college, spirit; Iowa seems to be In our class, ond Drako, Missouri, and Washington Bomawhat Inforiqr In this respect. Assuming that Nebraska desorvos a place among tho loaders of tho Mis souri Valloy, It is clear that only ono factor namely, numbers 1b settled In her favor and that a number of qthecs need our careful attention if wo are to compete favorably with our rivals in this organization. The more Important factors may be Hummed up as follows: First, we must havo better facilities, particu larly a suitable athletic field. Sec ond, athletlCB, othor than football, must bo encouraged to a much greater extent than they have been in tho past. Third, we must have more as sistance in developing the. large amount of green material in all sports. Fourth, greater studopt Interest and a better and a more general college spirit Is necessary in nil branches of nthlotlcs. 1 J fo J U U VU U k , U te T t F" V P n T t t ! f P r F" r BIG SEVEN STANDING. , . Won Lost Pet. . tf fr Kansas .' 2 0 1000 Nebraska 2 1 666 Missouri ..,.:, 2 ,1 66 Ames ,1 . 1 500" Drake ......... 1 t 500 ,' Iowa '. .0- , 3 000 Washington .,..0:2 : 000 . . - , -,. . Games Today. ,? r ' Kansas vs, Missouri. $ J AnVes vs. Drake. . . ' m 0OSO0000000000 0QOQ0O000O00OO0QO0O&OO0000OO0O0CS0O0& yawr' "tv , u-' i Tb5 -' vLfc1 ' ! jjy Wji