Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-28

OF contest between Fred Johnson ana
| George Dixon But things begin to look un-
| certain again. II these two champions are
| In earnest about battle it really is surpris-
ing that they cannot come to terms. I'm
sure purses quite big enough have been Of
An Interesting Boat Race.
Quite an interesting boat race took place
| It Is interesting, because it to q great extent
| explodes the notion that the London people
| had coming champion in Haines Readers
OF TIE DISPATCH read few days ago
about q letter Billy Spencer. Of London, had
| sent Wallace Ross, remarking that Haines,
Of windsor, was the coming man" IN. when
| that two youngsters at least on the Tyne
| could beat him.
The match race above referred to was won
rover, bnt not a coming champion, I fear,
because he has been too long out. The race
was In working" boats, and the betting was
miles and Haines was very badly beaten.
They are to row again in best and best boats
over the full championship course, and this
may be more favorable to Haines.
If Carr wins again then we may fully ex-
pect to get him and East matched to row Tor
the English championship. There are scores
of runners in England, and 1t is really re-
markable that no real champion spr1nter
springs from the lot.
Aworthy Amateur Athletic Club.
The local public seldom hears about the
West End athletes. what / mean by the
West End Is the vicinity of Saw Mill Run. In
that locality there is an amateur athletic
club, and it has good roll Of membership.
But the club has at various times met with
difficulties and while the difficulties have
not been fatal they have been very dis
tressing.
But those West Enders are pluckv fellows,
and they are still to the front and they mean
to make themselves more prominent
going to have an indoor athletic
Entertainments at which some of the
best local talent will perform. am also In.
that can be developed in prominent COM
petitors in almost all the branches of ath-
letics This being SO; these very promising
STa should MAKE % their i minds mind p up to SaVs try
for everything in sight. They must never
be afraid OF being defeated. No good club
good roo % athletic Ii CLUB. S u that stand high today
had to struggle long and arduously for their
laurels. Let the West Enders como before
the public and make beginning: Other
enter all the local contests when field meet
ings are held. When they are known they
may make progress, but when nobody knows
OF them at all their chances OF success Will
be very small indeed.
Quite = Hopeful Sign.
words to say about the trouble among the
amateur athletes. I am now very happy to
say that there is a very hopeful sign Of the
trouble being smoothed over. At least the
Manhattan Club officials are wishful for
con ference to see If the A. A. o. cannot come
to some understanding that will put things
in the right way again.
The turn affairs were taking were indeed
very threatening to the stability of the A. A.
o., and the proposed meeting OF the malcon-
I,a1R
the Manhattan Club not hesitated until all
efforts at reconciliation had been exhausted.
The NJ. A. c. did avery manly thing, and the
club officials deserve credit for it. Without
doubt the big athletic organizations have
had reason to rebel on more than one occa-
sion, but to try and break everything up
without trying to mend matters Is foolish
way OF procedure. 1t may be that the meet,
ing of A. A. o. governors, which is to be held
on March g. will bring about q satisfactory
termination of the enupleasantness.
The Manhattan's Complaints.
1t will not be out of place here to give the
Manhattan side of the case. Mr.. Hughes,
Secretary OF the club, says:
Eyes, I have asked for special meeting to
consider our propositions. The Manhattan
A. C. does not seek to displace or force out
anybody. Let Mr.. Sullivan be Secretary and
Mr.. Curtis Treasurer. But the club does
want what is due to 1t. 1t is one OF the
largest clubs in the country, and yet it is not
represented on the Governing Board of the
A. A. U. For two years this has been the
case. Let the A. A. o. change its constitu-
tion and by laws so that each association
shall have four delegates, with a tacit under
sanding that the New York and Mahattan
Athletic Clubs be represented, they being
the two largest clubs In this association"
, "Then let there be legislation whereby
there will be . Long Island and Western
with the western Association of Amateur
Athletes and the Seventh Regiment A A.;
IN fact, bring all athletic bodies under one
governing board and do away with all exist
Ing difficulties. 1t can all be done by q
proper revision Of the unions constitution
and bylaws
"Athletics are in a position where they
should be fostered and nurtured. Harmony
is needed. The Mills reorganization scheme
has been tried and its Strong and weak
hated hated and % the whole ' athistic @ so World Id made made
stronger. By so doing Mr.. Sullivan would
be stronger in his office and Mr.. Curtis in
asks ask is nothing % II not not M fair, and dts It Is hoped
that the A. A. q. will recognize its claim, in
asmucn as there is not large athletic club
in the organization which is not represented
on the Governing Board"
Some Grasping Magnates.
But those Western magnates are so grasp
ing as to be extremely inconsistent. While
they have resolved to value the services of
as paying salaries Is concerned, they have de-
cided to put much higher value on them
when anybody else wants them. They want
the major leagues to pay 81, coo per player for
every man taken from the minor leagues,
and further, those players can only be taken
between November and February l. Did
ever anybody hear of such a monstrously
unfair proposition. Why, these Western
magnates are almost getting down to the
level of . Simon Legree. Their aim is to
knock all individuality out Of player, and
the next thing we'll hear Of move to keep
the players as old-time apprentices were
kept, viz: Give them nothing but board
and lodging and suit of clothes in the year.
After keeping them this way they can be
sold for 81 900 per head If the new League
encourages any such squeezing, cheap,jack
and greedy methods as proposed by the
Western League, it may live to see the day
when it will regret It,
object the welfare OF the ball player as well
as the welfare of anything or anybody else,
and any agreement chat fndorses the plans
Of the Western League as voiced by Presi-
dent Williams will be unfair and unjust,
and Will eventually lead to dissatisfaction
already had. It is a pity that in formulating
plans of organization by that prfZe-package
method, the Western League magnates ap-
parently did not take the interests of the
players into consideration st all Every
new feature is moro or less opposed to
the players interests, and this is a foolish
policy.
/ am glad to find that there are some of
the new League magnates generous and
fair minded enough to stick up for the play
it. The drafting" system, as proposed by
Colonel Rogers, Is nothing more than a fair
treatment of the player. While it would
probably be temporary Inconvenience to q