We are fortunate in having from the Yale representatives at the Springfield conference a clear statement of the position taken by Yale and of the reasons why this stand was taken. While the reasons are very clearly stated, they appear to us to be not altogether logical. In the first place there is the matter of "playing the game on neutral grounds before either of the other two games," - another way of saying to play the last game of the series on the grounds of either one of the colleges, in this instance on Yale grounds. To this matter Yale said that taking for granted each college wins on its home grounds, the game on neutral grounds was practically the deciding game, and that they thought it was as well to play it before the other two games as after them. At any rate, they added, it was "a matter of opinion." As a matter of opinion, then, it seems to us that the game on neutral grounds should be played not before, but after the other two games; and for this reason. If we take for granted that each college wins on its home grounds, then the neutral game is the deciding one; and if this is played at first and finished, what interest is left for the succeeding games of the series? It is decidedly an anticlimax. But if on the other hand nothing is assumed as to the outcome of the games played on home grounds, then it is manifestly unfair that the last game should be played on the grounds of one of the contesting teams.

Looking at the reasons Yale gives for refusing Harvard's proposition to play three games, one at Cambridge the day before class day, one at New Haven on Yale's commencement day, and a third, in case of a tie, on neutral grounds, we find Yale's reasons are three in number. The first, that it would bring three games within ten days, seems hardly a very urgent one, since only two years ago, it was no great hardship for Yale to play three games within eight days.

As to the second objection it must be admitted that no game on neutral grounds will draw quite as many college men as a game on home grounds. A few figures on this point, however, may go to show that, as far as can be judged by precedent, such a neutral game would not be a failure in point of view of numbers or of interest. Two years ago when we last played Yale in base ball, the first Yale game played in Cambridge took in $2260 as gate money; the class day game took in $3880 and the game at Springfield $3,500. This certainly does not show such a failure in numbers as Yale suggests.

As for there being only three days in which to arrange a tie game, many of the arrangements might be made beforehand provisionally, and if any base ball town like Worcester or Hartford were settled upon for the tie game, in three days, as we learn from one who has had ample experience in managing Harvard teams, all necessary arrangements could be perfected finally.