Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-02
SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT TIMERS.
A Few Words About Local Football Players
and Some Plans to Popu-
larizs the Game.
A LESSON In BASEBALL EXPERIENCE.
slEvins Challenge to Fight Sullivan, and General Re-
marks About the PugilistA

have decreed this. and l suppose that when
they cope their mouth let no dog bark"
That committee has been in session and pro-
nounced upon many things, and, generally
speaking, their findings appear creditable,
but lnasmuch as they are human beings
don't think that they will lay absolute
claim to infallibility. Doubtless, there
wouldn't be much surprise when it was
known that Mr.. Carey's claim Of running
100 yards in 81 seconds was re-
jected. All past experience was against 1t,
and, as remarked last week, the claim was
entirely on the defensive. While we are
bound to accept the ruling of the committee.
don't hesitate to say that there is much
cause for complaint as to the method, or at
least the reported method, of arriving at the
decision in question. A very able and lucid
report of the meeting tells us that the claim
was mot investigated at all" and that after
few very brief remarks the following resolution
was unanimously adopted:
Resolved. That this Board refuses to invesd-
gate claim SO manifestly absurd.
The afidavits that had been prepared and
sworn to in defense of the claim were entirely
ignored. This very expeditions and evidently
self-willed plan of getting through very I'M
portant business in remarkably fast time
was INDUCED in simply because the claim
of MIR. Carey was an extraordinary one
am not dealing with the right or wrong of the
decision, but am contending that the board
in its very off hand way of settling very im-
portant question displayed a remarkable lack
of earnestness and wonderful amount of
prelu9ce. If there is any difference between
an ordinary claim and one OF an extraordinary
nature. by all means the latter needs the most
careful investigation OF course / am aware
that some things arc so absurd that they need
no investigation but any fair minded man VINO
has paid any attention to sprinting during the
last ten or fifteen years will not contend that
Mr.. Careys claim was so absurd as to make
it ridiculous on the part of the
board to investigate it. 1t is as a
rule the extraordinary that marks the
progress of not only amateur athletics
but also of other affairs of life and if we to
follow the example of the Amateur Athletic
Unions learned representatives we will not
stop to inquire into any extraordinary claim at
all IL this rule had been strictly followed Sal
Vator's 1861 reeor7 would be contemporary
thrown TO the four winds because it was SO ex-
traordinarily better than the previous records.
Accepted claims of pedestrians like ]. White
w. Johnson. Hutchens and others would have
been trampled under foot But the very blgot-
ed manner in which the affidavits of gentlemen
u take it for granted that they are gentlemen.
because / presume that the A. A. U. has
nothing except gentlemen under its protecting
wings-1 say the manner in which the sworn
statements of gentlemen were ignored leads us
TO the conclusion that those who signed these
attdavitS were either cousumm2te fools or iufa-
nous liars. That is the plain English of it.
Why, the very fact that three or four watches
recorded almost the same time is sufficient
matter in itself for investigation. A fact of
that kind can only be discarded because of one
of two things, viz: that it was conspiracy or
shat it was the result of every timer making
mistake exactly alike. In either case submit
there was ample grounds for inquiry, if for
other reason than enlighteniDg the public.
But the-e is certainly one very important opIn-
ION expressed by the board, and which can only
be read between the lines. That opinion is to
the effect that the gentlemen who timed Mr..
Carey were extremely questionable. Now in
all fairness the statements of these gentlemen
ought to have been examined and an opinion
expressed rs to whether they were the result of
. misunderstanding or whether they were the
result Of something else.
Had Their Minds Made Up,
There is certainly every reason to believe
shat every member of the board in question
had his mind made up on the claim of Mr..
Carey before the board met. If mistake not,
one or two members of the board had publicly
placed themselves on record regarding the
claim long before the board meeting was held.
This is prejudging claim with a vengeance
III an importan board such as that with which
we are dealing. is to % characterized by feat
ures of this kind its prestige will not last long
The board membe e before making up their
minds on the matter, should certainly have met
officially, and heard all arguments and state.
ments The fact OF their not doing so leads to
the conclusion that prejudice against deal
ing with anything extraordinary was the
entire source of their ofisial opinion
Mr.. Owens record was accepted without
murmur as far as know, and most certainly,
laying aside the extraordinary feature of
Carey's claim. there were stranger objections
TO Mr. Owens claim than to that of the Man.
haitian runners. But it may have been fortu-
nate for Mr. Owen that Mr.. Carey's claim was
made at all. am quite aware that there was
very remarkable difference between Sprinter
Carey at Washington and sprinter Carey at
Princeton, but this difference / emphatically
maintain ought not TO have prevented a thor
ouGh and courteous investigation of the claim.
These recent contentious regarding records
would seem TO suggest the advis .biity of the
A. A. .. adopting some plan that will tend to
prevent great misunderstanding in future. 1t
might be well for the union to have one or
more representatives to time the races at anna
teur meetings OF any Importance. Amateur
athletics are Incoming more and more numer-
Gus and better The union could without much
trouble and probably no no expense
TO time that class of events. the
mining of which invariably causes
30 much unpleasant contention. Indeed this
suggestion might be carried further. The
unions representatives could see that every
thing was laid out and measured according TO
rule before an event of any kind took place. If
there were fees TO pay let the clubs holding the
sports pay it, because the very fact of their con-
tests being under the direct supervision OF the
A. A. Z. would be very great attraction in
SHlcnQlQ
organization and its Importance is growing
yearly. It could not fill Worthier function
than formulating some plan that will guar
antee correct records without the customary
unpleasantness.
The Union and Boxing.
The Board of the Athletic Union discussed
amateur boxing, and, as result of their de-
liberations, they passed a resolution which
reads as follows: Resolved That any amateur
athlete who shall, on OF after October q, 1890
compete in a boxing contest of more than four
rounds shall be suspended for such stated
period as may be determined by the Board of
Managers of the A. A. o." Matters got little
mixed regarding this resolution. There was
another to the effect that only amateurs
connected with the A. A. U. would be
prevented from boxing more than four rounds
1t was reported that the latter resolution had
been carried, but the statement turned out 20
be a mistake. But the new rule is q sad com
mentary oil the men who have fought for more
than two hours under Queenberry rules; that
is, if the board thinks that four roands are
sufficient to prove who is the better man of any
two who may be boxing. II the hoard SO think
don't agree with them because there have
been and will be again very many contests
where four rounds will not give both contest
ants fair opportunity to win. McCaffrey and
Dempsey boxed ten rounds, think. and
scarcely a bona fide blow was struck in the con-
test However, there are some good features
in the new rule. l have all along contended
that Queensberry rules are only boxing rules
and that when they govern fight to finish
they are brutal. If they are rigidly applied
they in the majority of instances, WORK well
enough even IN four-round contest.
The Football Players.
There is no doubt whatever now about the
football boom. The game is going ahead all
over the country just like house on fire. East
and Vast old taamS are sfrenrthening mn and