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very enthusiastio about him. I said I was not interested. Ohio State,
Illinois, and some of the schools supported Major Griffith, and he was
eiected. ;

I am not endeavoring to hold myself out as a & date
who might have had any chance at all, but lL am trying to show you the
trend of things in the life of Major Griffith only as I see theme

Le We. St. John’ of Ohio State University, the most adroit
politician in the conference, formed a fast cleavage with Major Griffith,
aud at the present time |. W. St. John and Major Griffith run, ~- literally
run the N.C.A.A., her policies and her polities. Major Griffith has
served am president of the N.C.A.A. and is now seoretary-treasurer.

But I am getting a little ahead of the horse. With the
Olympic Games coming on every four years, the N.C.A.A. found herself in
the position of furnishing most of the athletes, while the A.A.U. of the
United States named all the coaches of the different sports. Major
Griffith, working behind the scenes, used General Douglas MaoArthur and
Major General Palmer BH. Pearson in the N.C.A.A. to fight the A.A.U.'s
_ domination of the United States Olympic team personnel and coaches. James
E. Sullivan, the president of the A.A.U. in those days, was a powerful
figure end he had the A.A.U. lined up then as Major Griffith and St.John
control the N.C.AA. at present. Major Griffith stimlated and incited
the fight by the colleges om the A.A.U. So far as I was concerned, I was
strong for the N.C.A.A. exerting her rights because the A.A.U. did not om
any equipment of any kind, nor did they develop the athletes or even the
coaches.

The colleges were in no position to dictate because the
International Olympic Games Committee decreed that no athlete could ree
present a country unless they were certified to by the Olympic Committee
of that comtry. Frederick Rubion of New York, and James B. Sullivan, —
the president, and Dan Ferris, secretary, had the control of the American
Olympic Committee through their association with the A.A.U., and the

colleges had no power.

Alonzo Stagg took the first Olympic team to Athens, Greece,
and the A.A.U., seeing an opportunity to get hold of the organization, took
it early and the colleges were left out. In the early twenties Major
Griffith started the fight on the A.A.U., contending that the colleges
furnished the participants, therefore they should have college coaches.

The fight became so bitter when Avery Brundage was president of the A.A.J.,

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