New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
WR SULLIVAN HAS FRIENDS.
THEY DEPLORE THE ATTACKS MADE ON
HIM.


"A G.
AGAINST THE AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION.
sne publication yesterday Of the charges of a
..,,esentative OF the Manhattan Athletic Club
inst the Amateur Athletic Union in gen
~, and secretary James f. sullivan in par
Gro. .''",.r created an athletic sensation The mem.
sors Of all the athletic clubs in this neghborhood
.,bsd about little else yesterday. {. G. Hughes ard
s Manhattan Athletic Club were sustained I'm some
CHARTERS and condemned in Others
while the controversy will create much i'll feeling
md hitter comment the athletic managers are of the
i,,,n that no serious will follow They say
AZ, the old Union ~ As war was all the war that
odern amateur athletics could stand up under. The
acials of athletic clubs, while c0ndemning the course
,rsned BY Secretary Hughes. said that they did not
seleye that President George W. Carr had melted tho
comments They all expressed the greatest friendship
and esteem for the Cherry Diamond president.
A. g. Mills. the president Of the New-YOrk Athletic
cnb was seen last night and although loath to die
cnss the matter at present. finally said
ain regard TO the article attributed to c. G. Hughes.
unfinished this morning wherein he assa several clubs
q, the 4. A. L.. on account of the course taken by
.br pese natives in selecting members of the board
n governors of that body, must that am very
,orrv 10 see such statement in print and il seems
,rorsdible that it could enlanate from responsible
.mcer Of so conspicuous club the Manhattan Ath-
.e Cb. That it does not represent the sentiment of
the membership of that club fully believe: and that
The use made Of Mr.. Carrs in the article must be
most distasteful to that gentleman. cannot doubt.
h,nnn TO know the views of several of the delegates
and that the action taken by any in selecting members
r the central board dictated by personal hostility
10 Mr. Carr or unnendliness to his club. believe TO
no without the slightest foundation in fact.
at is true that the board made up without Mr..
Carr and also without great many other men who had
,een conspicuous in the service of athletics: but the
tsct was well known that Mr.. Carr already occupied
a more conspicuous and responsible place than any
member of the board-ih that he president of the
Metropolitan Association. by far the important
subdivision of the Amateur Athletic Union numbering
two thirds Of the entire Amateur Athletic Union club
membership. and including many OF the oldest and
biggest clubs in the union. That this sufficient
share of duty and responsibility for any one man was
doubteSs the general opinion of the delegates, and as
,s well known TO Mr. Carr and TO Others. Ii my
opinion and if il be the fact that Mr.. Curtis. of NV
club voted other delegates the Central Board he
did precisely what without the slightest dSparagc-
ment of Mr.. Carr would have done had been In his
place.
In nv Judgment the article simply puts Mr.. Carr
in false position. l fully believed that when he
allowed his TO be used candidate 1t was upon
the implied condton-which every gentleman assumes
that he would cheeIfully abide by the will of the
majority had the pleasure OF meeting him Just after
the election, and again last night; and in way ha,
he indicated the possession of any such small. petty
spirit as pervades the article under consideration And
the fact that he handed last highland that there
Is now posted upon the bulletinbOard of my cuban
invitation, over his name President, in the most
cordial and courteous language to the members of my
club to visit the NJ. A. c. clubhouse next Friday night,
furnishes complete refutation of the insinuation $50
far he is concerned that the NJ. A. c. has no desire
10 affiliate with and will give wide berth in future
TO those who took the action which Mr.. Hughes-or
whoever speaks for him in this artice-so strongly
critcises.
"There is doctrine advanced in this article that is
certainly novel; l. c.. that the Manhattan Club wanted
representative on the Central Board in order to pro
tect its large athletic interests As understand il
the big athletic clubs of the country abundanty able
TO protect their own interests The interests requiring
protection so far the clubs concerned. those
of the smaller clubs whose growth and cOnst
,ue the chief object of the reorganization plan. If
had believed that representation upon the Central Board
was necessary to suitably protect the individual inter
ssts of clubs would certainly have advocated
bersbip In tlat body equal to the number of small
clubs in order that their interests might be directly
looked after by their own members in the Central Gov
erning Board.
"The theory Of the article is entirely unsound in
ms Judgment, this point; and what Is said by
way Of appeal to the smaller clubs would expect
n emanate from some ward politician rather than from
the veteran officer of the NJ. A. G. In my belief the
interests Of the clubs large and small, in safe
hands and the Central Board consists Of A splendid
hody of representative men throughout They repre-
sent athletic interests in all parts of the country
and are well qualified to protect and promote them
do not say that any member Of the Board is better
qualified than Mr. Carr 10 serve the cause OF a'h
etcs but / repeat that, in my opinion he mas
larger share of this work. matters stand than any
member of that particular body.
at is not at all my understanding, either tfat
W. b. Curtis was selected as the representative OF
uartic1,lar club but he selected as understand
IL because no other man in this country is SO well
yersed in athletic rules and history, or Is better
fitted in every way to egslate wisely for the best IN
terests and advancement Of athletics He would be
eoualv ouaIifed and his election would be equally
appropriate if he came from the smallest club In the
Union.
@Perhaps the most deporable feature OF the entlN
article IS the coarse and causeess attack upon James
E. Sullivan Here is a splendid type Of the American
athlete: a generous warmhearted man. and one of the
best posted and hardest working representatives OF
athletics 10 be found anywhere. While it is true that
he TONIGHT vigorously for his side In the unfortunate
athletic war; which terminated nearly two years ago.
yet az soon as ended ne became foremost in the WORK
Of reconciliation: and from that day to this no more
active and useful friend Of the Manhattan Athieuc
Club could be found anywhere Ontside the ranks OF s
personal membership. Indeed to my knowledge, no
had been charged with partsanshp because Of the con
tinued and fattering comments which he has had
published concerning the splendid enterprise Of that
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