ATHLETIC COUNCIL MAKES STATEMENT
Since the Harvard-Dartmouth football game on November 16, there has been much talk in the press of alleged roughness on the part of Dartmouth players. So much publicity has been given the affair that the Athletic Council has considered it wise to make the following statement which appeared in the newspapers of November 20:
"Since the Harvard-Dartmouth game last Saturday the style of play of the Dartmouth team during the game has been adversely criticized. These criticisms, if justifiable, constitute an indictment against Dartmouth's reputation for clean sport and challenge the perpetuation of her traditions for clean sportsmanship which have been jealously guarded and in which all Dartmouth men have had a justifiable pride. Accordingly, on the day following the game the Dartmouth Athletic Council instituted an investigation to ascertain whether a policy hitherto unknown in Dartmouth football had been in operation during that game.
"While the inquiry of the Council is not completed, certain facts appear to be established. There were several instances during the contest where individuals on the Dartmouth team unquestionably overstepped the bounds of sportsmanlike play. In these particular cases, however, the offense was so awkward in execution and the offenders of such excellent character, that it is difficult to ascribe their conduct to any premeditation or deliberate intent. It may be said that no Dartmouth team was ever made up of men naturally less inclined to unsportsmanlike tactics. Aside from these few specific cases, unprejudiced observers seem to differ as to whether in any respect the character of the plays exceeded the vigor and roughness that would naturally be expected in a close game between apparently fairly evenly matched. It appears that a great many spectators, including many Dartmouth graduates, who place the importance of high standard sportsmanship above the importance of winning games, left the Stadium; without feeling that the game had been marred by any incidents, except the few referred to, which could fairly be criticized as unsportsmanlike. On the other hand, there were others who left the Stadium, again including Dartmouth supporters, who felt that the game in keenness of play had not, so far as the Dartmouth players were concerned, maintained the enviable reputation of this game in previous years.
"If continued inquiry satisfies the Council that the Dartmouth players were too aggressive, it is believed that the reason will be found to lie not in any intentional or deliberate act on the part of the players, but on the contrary in over-zealousness brought about by pressure directed against members of the team by undergraduates, graduates, coaches, and the Athletic Council during the three weeks intervening between the Princeton and Harvard games. During that period there was widespread criticism of the team to the effect that the men in the Princeton game did not play the hard, strenuous football that was expected of them. Insinuations of 'quitting' were current. It is probable and quite to be expected that under such stinging criticisms the team went into the Harvard game determined to. show that they were not quitters, and determined to put up the hardest fight that they were capable of. If, in so doing, they exceeded the bounds of good sportsmanship, the members of the team as well as all Dartmouth men and Dartmouth athletic authorities have the most profound regret.
"The Athletic Council proposes to take such action as may seem necessary to prevent any possible recurrence of opportunity for legitimate criticism."
