Thanks to everybody who responded to me either personally or on the
list about my question as to exactly what the age rule is about
eligibility.
 
As I had thought, this question had come up recently (less than a
month go, in fact) in connection with Tom Nevers in Minnesota.  At
that time Tim Brule posted in part the following:
 
        NCAA Eligibility Rule 5-1-(d)-(3) (Taken from 1989-89 NCAA
Manual)
 
        "Any participation by a student as an individual or as a
        representative of any team in organized competition in a
        sport during each 12-mouth period after the student's
        20th birthday and prior to matriculation at a member
        institution shall count as one year of varsity competition
        in that sport, provided, however, that in no event shall
        the student be charged with more than one year of
        competition in that sport in any 12-month period after the
        students 20th birthday. ..."
 
When I read this, I thought that it was clear, but from all the mail
that I have received, I am still confused.  I interpret the first
sentence of the rule as meaning that if a student plays in one or more
games for a Prep School, Junior team, etc., after turning twenty,
(s)he has lost a year's eligibility.  Thus a member of the Class of
'99 (this year's Freshmen) who was born in 2/75 is probably not
eligible to play college hockey for a full four years assuming that
last year's season went into March.  Seemed clear to me.
 
However, several messages indicated to me that the key time for
turning 20 was when practice began for the last year of Prep School,
Juniors, etc.  This would mean that someone born in 11/74 (and perhaps
earlier) who is a current Freshman would have four years of
eligibility.
 
I suspect that the second statement is true, because I was presented
with specific examples, but that does not appear to me to be the way
the rules reads.
 
By the way, the reason that I wondered about this rule had nothing to
do with Tom Nevers.  I had recently looked at the RPI roster and noted
that several Freshman were born in 1975.  I wondered if any of them
had only three years of eligibility.
 
Ralph Baer
RPI '68, '70, '74
Go Red Turkeys, beat BGSU!
 
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