‘Against Professionalism’

From the Cedar Rapids Republican, March 15, 1901:

Against Professionalism.

At the close of the football season last fall representatives of ten middle western colleges and universities met in Chicago and adopted a set of rules to the regulation of the intercollegiate athletics. It was called “conference of colleges,” and it was agreed those participating in the conference would live up to the rules and regulations adopted. It was further agreed the colleges would not compete with any outside college which did not observe certain rules and regulations laid down by the conference. The ten* colleges were Chicago, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin. Twelve rules were adopted. Of those nine are required for the non-conference colleges. In Iowa Upper Iowa at Fayette and Coe at Cedar Rapids have made the required adoption.

The articles of agreement entered into by these colleges were aimed to exclude those colleges who continue to employ professional men in their teams. No consideration of money or gifts may be accepted by the players, they must be bona fide students and every precaution has been taken to keep the college athlete in the strictly amateur class.

Well, that settles that, then.

* An astute observer will only count nine in that list, and it’s too early for Ohio State to be on it. Either the Republican reporter or the conference was unable to accurately count members, an error the latter exhibits in the present day.
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