The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-25
VINO Are Pr,ressfonaiss

who Are Professfonniss
The spirited action of the Watkins Glen
Rowing Association in arranging for a
spring regatta on Seneca Lake, open to all
amateur crews, with the object of testing
the qualities of our amateur oarsmen who
are to go to England as the representatives
Of the United States, has excited much in
terest throughout the country. The regatta
takes place on Tuesday, Wednesday and
Thursday of next week, and, if properly
managed, will be one of the most important
amateur contests ever held on American
waters. In order to be success, however,
it must steer clear of the squabbles and
jealousies of self-constituted associations"
and be conducted on Independent and Just
principles. The object Of the regatta is to
find out which are our best amateur crews,
whether they belong to one association OF
another. The Watkins Glen Club must
Judge of the qualifications OF the contes-
tants and make its own rules, otherwise it
will get into the quicksands of rival in
terests, iealousies, and it may be fears,
which will destroy all it's proposed plans
The dangers to be avoided at Seneca Lake
are shown in an article recently published
in an English sporting paper. and re-
produced in the HERALD last Thursday.
From this it appears that body styling
itself the National Association of Amateur
Oarsmen has arrogated the right to decide
dogmatically what oarsmen shall or shall
not be regarded as amateurs. The ''associ-
alton" is simply combination Of forty or
fifty amateur clubs out of about six hum
dred in the United States, which has formed
itselfinto aself-consttutedj judge ofthe quail
ifications of oarsmen not connected with
it's own body. Eleven other similar associ-
atoms might be formed by the five hundred
and fifty clubs outside this combination,
with equal authority to make such de-
cisions. The National Association chose
to pronounce member Of the Argonauta
Club professional" and to disqualify him
as an amateur oarsman, the reason being,
according to the London Field, that she had
been fisherman" The Schuylkill Navy
Board of Pennsylvania refused to recog-
nize the assumed authority Of the so-called
National Association" and allowed the
oarsman in question to row in the Centen-
NAL International Regatta. The Long
Branch Rowing Association also laughed at
the protest of the National Association, :"
and recognized the right of the same oars
man to row in the regatta at Pleasure Bay
last year. The Athletics, the Columbia
College crew, the Nautilus, the Dauntless,
the Nereids and other clubs have rowed
against him since his pretended "disquali-
fication" by the Nationals. The ''disquali-
fed" oarsman has rowed at Henley for the
amateur diamond SOULS in the Atalanta
boat against the London Rowing Club
in the international regatta at Saratoga
Lake. and has never before nor since his
disqualification" done any act Of pro-
fessional character, either by rowing
against professionals or for money prize.
But the "National Association" has made
itself still moro ridiculous by assuming to
"disqualify" other amateurs who have
rowed against this first disqualified" oars
man. The whole action Of these self-con-
stituted judges is farcical, but it is note
worthy that their protests" and "dis-
qualifications" are made only in the cases
of oarsmen who have shown qualities
which the members of the National Asso-
citation have cause to fear. The Watkins
Glen regatta, if controlled or in any way
Influenced by such q body, will be a de-
cided failure, and will be no test of the
real qualities of our amateur crews.