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The Spike: or, Victoria College Review October 1907

Notes from Other College

page 74

Notes from Other College.

Notes from Other College

We have again to congratulate the Otago University First Fifteen on having won the Senior Championship in Dunedin football. Several members of the gained places in the Otago representative team.

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The Sydney University football team succeeded on reaching second place in the Championship competition. The total number of points scored by them was, however, greater than that of any other in the competition.

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"Be this the citadel that we shall guard,
Inviolate, by service for her fame."

Mackenzie.

The following paragraph, culled from "The Weekly Press," will be of interest to more than one of our colleges as showing that the troubles of the patriot exist outside the confines of the Dominion of New Zealand :—

A curious point in athletic law recently cropped up in England, and it is of special interest to holders of challenge trophies. It appears that a runner named T. S. Stafford entered for the 100 yards race at the Birmingham University sports, and as he had won the race twice previously Victoria would have secured for him the Sir Oliver Lodge Challenge Cup outright Stafford, however, had previously refused to play hockey (he is an international, hockey representative) for the Birmingham University Club, preferring another team. Whereupon he was requested to resign from the University Club, and a notice to this effect was handed to him after he had entered for the 100 yards race above-mentioned. It was urged by the club that Stafford was ineligible to compete, and on the matter being referred to the referee, he ruled that under the A. A. A. laws the Sports page 75 Committee had the right to refuse any entry, and consequently Stafford, though stripped, was not allowed to compete. Subsequently the case created no little interest, and was taken up by the "Sportsman," which contends that the referee's ruling was wrong, and that if Stafford takes his appeal to the A. A. A. he will no doubt establish his claim.

It will be observed that the Birmingham University Club took advantage of a doubtful point in athletic law to protect itself from this intruder upon its holy of holies. They said in effect that the trophy hallowed of the name of Sir Oliver Lodge, was for the "true University man," who put college first and his own advantages afterwards; that the University—divided into many parts—is indeed one. We presume that in Birmingham, as in Wellington, students may reap all that knowledge from books may give, and go their ways, to join the ranks outside—with freedom and without bitterness. But it cannot be believe that the Birmingham University Club acted wisely in asserting the principle that rewards of service are not to be gathered in by those who refuse to bear the burden and heat of the day. The incident, however, goes to show that such a matte should not be left to be decided at the starting post, but that, in these days of reciprocity, there should be an understanding between all College clubs that, while ever ready to receive the prodigal son (or daughter), they will stand shoulder to shoulder in the common cause.