The evening world., 1890-06-04
HIRED AMATEUR ATHLETES.
A Question Upon Which There
Will Be Hot Debate Soon.
Upon Whom WIN the Mantle of
Malcolm Ford FAM

There is going TO be discomfort and hot
debate IN athletic circles before long.
The conservative element among the
athletic clubs is watching with marked
disnpproval the ever-increasine tendency
Of the richer and more power
full organizations TO acquire athletes
by indre bribery--though there Is
nothing 80 particularly indirect about IL.
For instance, A crew belonging to some
OF the boat clubs ON the Harlem or
Passaic wins succession OF races
and proves that II contains more
than average ability. The leaders
of some big athletic club get together and
my to one another; That's q mighty
fine crew OF the Constitution Boat club.
We must secure il to represent us. :"
| Forthwith the crew is approached and
told: IF you will join our Club
and represent us on the water
YOU can practically, live at our
privileges Of the tnr, restaurant, bowling
alleys, billiard rooms, training. quarters
and every other advantage our Club Offers
tree. The Club will pay all your ILLS.
You can even have rooms at either our town
or country club-houses free. That is to
MY, you Chu, III llNt Nv tht Sluu
expense. What do you sny r" The
crew. in great majority Of Instances,
replies as might be expected OF
frail human nature. OF course,
this crew episode is taken only al
an illustration. and because 80 many
crews about here have been. in plan
language. bought by just such means.
The same method is employed with regard
to all branches of athletes. The big ath-
letio clubs are very largely represented on
field and water to-day by this species of
athlete. As he IL not paid the actual cash,
he is not regarded as professional ath-
lete. He becomes simply q professional
the equivalent Of o large salary, though
the letter of amateur law il evaded.
OF this law is violated. This evil is one
which has increased so that all the large
clubs are equally guilty and none can
consistently call the other TO. account.
The athlete who accepts this sort, of
cannot help losing his self-respcct aud
manlIness. He is tho real sufferer. The
element which believes that athletic
clubs are for the benefit of athletes is
much disturbed by n lot Of rich men get
ting together and forming social club
and then practically hiring professional
"nmateur athletes TO do their athletic
work for them.
It seems odd to read over the list Of
competitors who will strive to win the in
dlvitiual amateur all around championship
Of America. The absence of the name of
Malcolm w. Ford is the cause of this
strangeness,
Well. lie has won SO often in tho past
that he may we'll be content to rest on
his laurels. Those who will meet next
Tuesday at the Staten Island Athletic
Club grounds to decide who is to
wear Fords mantle are A. II.
Green, the Harvard phenomenon ]. @.
Deyereaux. of the Manhattans; II. L.
of Yale; Alex. Jordan, of the New York
Athletic Club, and M. o. Sullivan, of the
Pastimes. Jordan ought to win, with
Green in the place.
The Northfeld Athletic Club will hold
q three-mile run Saturday evening for
the Lamcerti medal. The Northfeld
cross-country team recently defeated the
team of the Corinthian Athletic Club.
Billy Dacey, the popular lightweight Of
this city, Is hard at work training for his
coming match with the redoubtable Jack
Hopper. This will be one of the best
pugilistic contests OF the year in this vi
clnity.
The Jersey City lacrosse team is all
ready for business now. and is anxious to
hear from other good teams to arrange
match games. 1t is a strong aggregation.
S. 3. Isles is captain.
@. G. Eames, the skilful English lawn
tennis player. will be q competitor in the
singles of the New York lawn-tennis
tournament.
George II. Huber has taken possession
of the road. house on Jerome avenue just
above Macomb's Dam Bridge. which Gabs
Case occupied SO many years. Many
parties on the way TO Morris Park find 1t
convenient to stop there.