(Ed. Note--The Crimson does not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in printed communications. No attention will be paid to anonymous letters and only under special conditions, at the request of the writer will names be withheld.)

150-Pound Football

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

This letter is to take the shape of an appeal; an appeal to all men who are interested in Harvard football, more particularly to men who are at all attentive to the affairs of 150-pound football, and especially to men who have any ambition to playing on the 150-pound football team.

Recently the rumour has spread--and from a place of no less authority than the H. A. A. office--that 150-pound football is to be done away with, discontinued, forgotten. Such an action would be a monstrosity of the first magnitude. Two years ago the 150's was started as an experiment, was looked at askance, was challenged to prove its worth. The stage of experimentation in the sense of proving its value is past, as may well be illustrated by the following two facts; first, the large number of candidates that report for the 150-pound team each fall; second, the general interest shown by the Harvard and Yale partisans at the lightweight games of the past two years.

The H. A. A. will carry on any sport that will help Harvard give her men a real physical education, provided the facilities for that sport are not too inaccessible nor too expensive, and, provided the student demand is strong enough. In fact, is not that the business of the H. A. A.? Do we not pay them, through the medium of the University, to manage and direct the sports we choose?

House football is not, and never will be, a substitute for 150-pound football. The very purpose of the 150's is defeated in a house team; on such a team there is no equality, for you still have the very heavy, the very light, the very large, and the very small. As an illustration of a direct contrast, look at this year's 150's; perhaps two men over 5 feet, 10 inches, the same number below 5 feet, 7 inches, the highest weight of any man during the season was 158 pounds, the lowest, 135 pounds. The house team is the extreme of informality in football--too much "maybe" and "who cares". The men who play 150-pound want the work, the competition, the team-play of a University team, among men of their own size and weight. If I may corrupt a popular advertisement, "Ask the man who has played on the 150's."

Two years ago the 150's began under the assumption that the team was to represent a regular minor sport at Harvard. In the fall just past Harvard 150's played one 150-pound opponent (Yale), while the Yale 150's played the four other institutions in the East that have thus far established 150-pound teams (Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, Villanova). Although I risked my name in so doing, I predict that the lightweight game will be even more popular than it has thus far proven if we play the 150-pound teams of these Eastern Institutions, i.e., if we have the 150's as they were originally intended, a football team representing Harvard.

The success of the team has been demonstrated; we have a new and worthy child. Are we, then, to turn an old Eli trick and "leave a bastard son on the stops of Durfy"? Or are we to befriend and act as a father to this little fellow who is, after all, such a likeable and deserving chap?

The appeal is written above. The procedure necessary to retain the 150's as a minor sport? Think! act! Talk! Clamour for the game! Since a proof of your opinion about 150-pound football has been required by some "doubting Thomases", be sure to give that proof to them. But on the pressure and never let up until you are sure that we shall have the lightweight game next fall, and the fall after that, and every fall thereafter. Keep the 150's!

Cambridge, February 9. W. E. Butchins.

(Ed. Note--No definite information has emauated from the H. A. A. as yet in regard to the possible abolition of 150-pound football. The CRIMSON, ever since the beginning of this sport, has felt that there are reasons enough to place it in the Harvard athletic program. But the practical aspects of 150-pound football must also be considered. Where are the men to come from to fill the ranks of the second teams, the seven House teams, and the 150's also? It would be useless to operate all these sports in the face of lagging interest. If one must be dropped the entire case will have to be considered).