Chicago Athletes Most Expensive of Big Ten Gridmen

CHICAGO--A report from Big Ten headquarters revealed today that the University of Chicago, which abandoned football because of "a general over-emphasis" on the sport at other schools, led the entire Conference in financial aid to athletes in the last two years.

Major John L. Griffith, Big Ten Commissioner, released the figures with approval of all Conference universities.

In the three phases of athletic aid permitted by the Big Ten scholarships, student loans and campus jobs--Chicago was first in total value of scholarships to athletes, fourth in student loans, and third in total salaries for campus jobs over a two-year period.

Its two-year total was $75,943, Northwestern was second with $61,969, Iowa was third with $47,878.28, Michigan totaled $38,150.35, Indiana $35,048.76, Wisconsin $28,524.15, Illinois $28,402.50, Purdue $25,009.79, Minnesota $12,857.68 and Ohio State $11,589.02.

Quit To Be Honest

When Chicago announced it had withdrawn from Intercollegiate football at the end of its most disastrous season in history, a spokesman for the university trustees said the decision was reached because the Maroons "could not continue to play football and remain honest" or find suitable material without resorting to subsidization.

The Griffith report was not considered an expose but an explanation of approved methods for aiding deserving athletes. "The basic principle of the Western Conference is that an athlete is entitled to every consideration which might be accorded a non-athlete, but nothing further," Griffith said. "The percentage of athletes holding scholarships is almost identical to the proportion of the number available to the total enrollment.

Largest in Scholarships

Athletes hold 315 of the 4,475 scholarships granted by Big Ten schools.

Chicago's unusual total was caused partly by the fact its scholarships each are worth $300 per year, considerably more than those at the state universities which comprise most of the Conference.