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About Yale Alumni Magazine | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 1899)
YALE ALUMNI WHEEKLY 15 o ATHLETIC FINANCES. The Important Agreement for the Transfer of the Field and the Appointment of a Graduate Athletic Treasurer—Mr. Camp Will Prob- ably Serve. As the WEEKLY goes to press, the call has been issued for a University meeting on Tuesday evening of this week. The call was by the Presidents of the four Baseball, Crew and Track. The pur- pose was to have one meeting under the auspices of each association, but to have them all called at the same time and place, as the parties in interest, to use ihe expression, were the same in each case. : The purpose of calling the meeting, on the part of the Presidents was to submit a report of action of special im- portance taken by them last Friday noon. At that time, the Directors of the Field Corporation, and the members of the Financial Union, the latter made up of the Presidents of the different associa- tions with Mr. Walter Camp as Treas- urer, met at the New Haven House and signed an agreement,—the full text of which is appended below. This agreement had two important results. On behalf of the Field Cor- poration, it pledged the transfer, sub- ject to the approval of the annual meet- ing, (a formal and technical condition) of the Yale Field property to Yale University; with the understanding that at least a strong endeavor should be made to pay off all debts of the Field before the transfer was formally and finally made. This property was to be transferred with the further understanding that it would be managed by the University through an officer appointed by the Cor- poration, who should act under the ad- vice of an Athletic Board composed of undergraduate managers, and three grad- uate members, including two members of the Faculty. This was an important enough move in itself. Still more important was that part of the agreement by which the members of the Financial Union, to wit, the undergraduate managers, pledged their Associations to place in the hands of the officer to be appointed for the management of this property by the Yale Corporation, when the transfer had been completed, all the revenues of their as- sociations, which he was to disburse as Treasurer, under the advice of the Athletic Board already spoken of. Thus each President gave up his independent right to use the funds of his associa- tion. He agreed to place those funds in the hands of this graduate treasurer, who was to spend them as he saw fit, for the benefit of the Association, and for the benefit of all athletic interests, under the advice of this Athletic Board. The free and even enthusiastic way in which this right of individual control was given over, was commented on by all those who have been interested in the agreement, as an almost unprece- dented evidence of broad-mindedness and loyalty. POSITION OF FOOTBALL MANAGERS. The Football Asociation gives the most, of course, under this agreement, for it is the great revenue producer of the four associations. Mr. Rockefeller, the President of the Association this year, has been in very hearty favor of this movement from the first, and was one of the Committee chosen last July at the special Athletic meeting in New Haven, to prepare matters on this line. This step is the first definite result of that meeting. ; The agreement is a purely business procedure and has to do purely with the financial interests of Yale athletics. That it will, however, influence other sides of Yale athletics in a rational and helpful way, is believed by all who have studied the matter. In the first place, it places most eloquent emphasis on the unitv of all athletic interests here. Be- yond that, it brings, when it is finally completed, the athletics of the Univer- sity into direct connection with Uni- versity authority. The officer to be ap- pointed by the Corporation, to manage the finances of the Yale Field, is not a member of the Faculty, and will not be called upon to say whether a man shall or shall not be allowed to play or just what the different teams can or Associations,—Football, cannot do in the way of absences or other privileges. At the same time, in the handling of the property interests, by use of which the associations carry on their work and their sport, he can, of course, have very great influence in the proper handling of that sport. Be- ing recognized as a University officer, he can be easily reached by the Deans and other members of the Faculty, and can, on his side, have such ready access to them, that the result will undoubtedly be to remove some friction and to en- courage sympathetic and helpful rela- tions between the Faculty and students. It will be noticed, by the way, that this step brings all the property inter- ests of athletics together under one head, and in the control of the University. The University Boat Club is the only one of the three associations that does not directly use the Field, but it is a party to this agreement. UNDERGRADUATE ATTITUDE. - No one has been more anxious to carry this through than the undergraduate managers. Many of their predecessors have felt the necessity of it, but until this year the time had not seemed quite ripe to take a definite step. The mana- gers of the Class of Ninety-Eight had stich a move in mind when they called their University meeting and appointed their Committee, which was asked to re- port ways and means for the unification of Yale’s athletic interests. That Com- mittee never reported. The July meet- ing took up the work where that Uni- versity meeting left it off. That there was a desire for such a thine by the best managers was evi- denced long before this. A few years ago the managers formed the Yale Financial Union, which was, in a meas- ure a pooling, under the form of a voluntary association, of athletic inter- ests. Mr. Camp was made Treasurer of the Union, but his work was almost en- tirely to pay bills contracted indepen- dently by the different managers. The managers have been generally such ex- cellent men and have been so anxious to carry out the spirit of this move, and Mr. Camp has had such remarkable suc- cess in dealing with them and in ad- justing the different interests, that the very easy constitution of this Financial Union has resulted in great improve- ments in athletic finances. The present move takes up the spirit of that organiza- tion and puts it into much more effec- tive form. UNDERGRADUATE RESPONSIBILITY. If one point has been emphasized more than any other by the graduates who have been interested in this plan, it is that nothing should be done, even on this business side of athletics, which should take away any of that sense of responsibility which the undergraduate manager should have in the discharge of his duties. Of course this would be taken away if his power to carry out his trust were impaired. But the pur- pose of this move is to relieve him of a certain part of his work, which he, by the limitations of his experience, is less fitted for, and which therefore involves disproportionate time and anxiety, in order that he may be free for those duties connected with the active hand- ling of his team, which are enough, if not more than enough for the most able student executive. If this point were not assured, the graduates said that they would have been unwilling to favor it. Under the new plan, the football man- ager knows that certain business opera- tions, which he has not had any experi- ence in executing, with parties with whom he has not previously had to deal, will be cared for on the best business principles, and to the best good of his association, while that nart of his work for which he, better than anybody else, is fitted,—arrangements of schedules, the direct handling of the men, and other such matters on which success or failure for his year depends, will be in his hands more than ever. It is understood that Mr. Camp, who has been the Treasurer of the Financial Union, will remain as Treasurer under this new and more finished plan. It will be a purely business situation, which will require only stich time as he can give outside of business hours, and he will still keep his position as Assistant Treasurer of the New Haven Clock Company. By giving up a large part, if not all of his outside work of a literary nature, he will be able to take care Of this work at the very reasonable compensation which has been suggested. It might as well be said here as any- where, that it will not be a financial gain to him, but the opposite. He has, how- ever, expressed a willingness to take hold of it and at least see it through until it is formally established. The agreement which was to be sub- mitted at the University meeting, is as follows: : _ Memorandum of agreement entered into at New Haven, Connecticut, this 1oth day of November, 1899, between the Directors of the Yale Field Corpora- tion and the Presidents of the Yale University Football Association, the Yale University Baseball Association, the Yale University Boat Club, and the Yale University Athletic Association. It is mutually agreed between the parties as follows: t-4 hat the: Directors ofthe Yale Field Corporation shall unanimously recommend to said Corporation at its annual meeting, to be held in October, 1900, that the title to and control of the property of said Corporation be transferred to the President and Fellows of Yale University, (as provided in the articles of association of said Yale Field Corporation) to be held by them in trust for the purpose for which the same is now held by the said Corporation, and under the advice of the athletic board, hereinafter named and provided. 2. That the President of the Yale Uni- versity Boat Club recommend to a duly called meeting of the Club or members thereof, that the title to and control of the boathouse be transferred to the Pres- ident and Fellows of Yale University, to be held by them for the purposes for which the same is now held by said Club, and under the advice of the Athletic Board, hereinafter named and provided. 3. That the aforesaid Presidents of the said Associations and Club, pledge themselves, and, as far as in their power lies, their Associations and Club, to pay over into the hands of a duly authorized agent (or graduate athletic treasurer) of the President and Fellows of Yale University, all the funds now held, or hereafter received by said Presidents or other officers of said Associations and Club in their official capacity; said funds to be dispensed by said agent (or grad- uate athletic treasurer) upon the ad- vice of an athletic board, which shall consist of seven members; namely, said four Presidents and their sticcessors ex officio, said agent (or graduate athletic treasurer), and two persons, members of the Faculties of Yale Uni- versity, to be appointed by the President and Fellows of Yale University. 4. It is further mutually agreed that said agent (or graduate athletic treas- urer) shall receive as compensation for his services, a stm, to be agreed upon by said Athletic Board, and to be paid from said funds received from said Presidents, or Associations or Clubs. s. It is mutually agreed that the Di- rectors of said Yale Field Corporation and said Presidents of said Association and Club endeavor to pay off all or any debts or encumbrances on the property of said Corporation, Association or Club, before the same is transferred to the President and Fellows of Yale Univer- sity, as hereinbefore provided. ’ This agreement is made and entered into upon the express condition that the President and Fellows of Yale Univer- sity shall first, accept the said property and agree to perform the trusts upon which the same is to be conveyed to them; second, agree to the formation of said athletic board for the purposes hereinbefore set forth; and third, agree to appoint such agent (or graduate athletic treasurer) and Faculty members of said athletic board, as before set forth, and to fill vacancies in such agency or faculty membership as may from time to time arise. And until the conditions precedent to this agreement are fulfilled, and until the various articles of this agreement are fully carried into effect, it is fur- ther mutually agreed between said Direc- tors of the Yale Field Corporation and said Presidents of said Associations and Club: 1. That said President shall pay into the hands of the Treasurer of said Yale Field Corporation, all the funds held by said Presidents or other officers of said Associations and Club, in their official capacity, to be dispensed by said Treasurer on vote of the Directors of said Yale Field Corporation; this ar- rangement not to continue longer than January Ist, IQoT. 2, That the Directors of said Yale Field Corporation shall, within twelve days from the date of this agreement, call a duly warned meeting of said Yale catalogue as such. Field Corporation for the purposes of amending the by-laws of said Yale Field Corporation to include as a Director of said Corporation the President of the Yale University Boat Club, ex officio. © In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands on the date first mentioned herein, at New Haven, in the County of New Haven and State of Connecticut. Percy A. -Rockefeller,. President. of the Yale University Football Associa- tion: Reuben C. Twichell, President of the Yale University Baseball Associa- tion; Richard J. Schweppe, Jr., Presi- dent of the Yale University Boat Club; Jesse D. Dana, President of the Yale University Athletic Association; -Eu- gene L. Richards, Theodore S. Woolsey, Henry B. Sargent, Walter Camp, Rob- ert N. Corwin, Samuel H. Fisher, Direc- tors of said Yale Field Corporation. RAISING THE DEBT. A very important part of this plan, and one necessary for its thorough ap- proval by the Corporation, is the final clearing of the Yale Field of debt. This means about $8,000, at least. It has been a great help to this plan that several New York alumni who have been nar- ticularly interested, among whom are Mr. HS: Brooks. “86, “and Mr. 8. Reading Bertron, 785, have agreed to attack this problem with the utmost energy. After the meeting last July, the general plan of athletic reorganization was dis- cussed with President Hadley by a com- mittee from the meeting, consisting of Mr. Rockefeller for the undergraduates and Mr. Tompkins and Mr. Welch for the graduates. The President expressed himself in thorough sympathy with the plan to systematize and make more ef- fective the organization of Yale athletics, and since that time has done everything in hisepower to further the general plan. He has brought the substance of this particular agreement before certain mem- bers of the Corporation and it seems now already settled that the Corporation will take up its part and will accept the prop- erty as soon as the conditions of the transfer are completed. As soon as they have accepted this property, they will be ready to appoint a Graduate Athletic Treasurer. The Yale Field will thus be- come a part of the educational part of Vale University and will be listed in the Its Treasurer will be, therefore, a University officer. The Agreement Ratified. The University meeting was held in Alumni Hall at 7 o’clock, Tuesday even- ing, November 14. The attendance was rather small, a fact which showed that the College generally approved: without question the action of its leaders. The meeting itself further proved this. The meeting was called to order by Mr. Percy A. Rockefeller, President of the Yale University Football Association. He read the agreement and gave the reasons which had induced the managers to sign it. He then introduced Mr. H. S. Brooks, Yale ‘86, of New York, who said that he spoke on behalf of a num- ber of alumni who have been interested ‘n this matter and who had asked him to say for them that they would be glad to undertake the work of raising the sum “of $8,000 or $9,000, necessary to free the Field from debt and thus make it possible to turn it over to the University. His remarks were heartily applauded. Mr. F. B. Adams, Chairman of the News, moved to endorse the action of the President of the Football Associa- tion, in signing the agreement. The motion was tnanimously carried. The - meeting of the Football Association then adjourned and Mr. R. C. Twichell immediately called to order the meet- ing of the University Baseball Asso- ciation. A similar motion of endorse- ment was made and carried unanimously. The same process was gone through with the Yale University Boat Club and the Yale University Athletic Asso- ciation. Mr. Richardson, the Assistant Manager of the Boat Club, called the meeting to order in the absence of Mr. Schweppe, the President. Mr. Dana presided at the meeting of the Athletic Association. Among the graduates who attended the meeting was Mr. Julian W. Curtiss, ’79, of New York,
