The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-18
FOR CLEAN SPORT.
Caspar Whitney Condemns Cali
fOrnia Amateurs.
IMPORTING OF PROFESSIONALS.
The Pre<fominating Idea. eve Must
Whit should BE Sport for
sports sake.


r. c. He vas Immediately taken 10 the
Terrier Club. on Minor avenue. where he
vas entertained At dinner by j. ). Cold
smith. president OF the Seattle Athletic
Club: Capt. A j. Ballet. ". 3. Goodwin,
A Cookirgham, Columbus T. Tyler and
George Poison. During the evening Mr..
Whitney and President Goldsmith had a
long consultation about athletic matters,
and the result VIII be OF great Importance
generally Go the Pacific Northwest
Mr. Goldsmith said: "Mr. Whitney,
from now on the Seattle Athletic Club
Viii not play football or other games with
any association which has an objectiona-
bic member upon its playing list We in
ted To be the judge OF the qualifications
or our opponents and they have the same
privilege as concerns US
That position viii necessitate the 3. A.
G. having its team absolutely free from
faint Of professionalism. Said Mr.. Whit
ney. Certainly" replied Mr.. Goldsmith.
THAT Is a splendid stand TO take. re-
piled MIR whitney 1T will win surely in
the long run. ! am more than pleased 10
have the :. a c. which has a good repu-
tation take such a step IL VIII give me
pleasure to make mention of IL when re-
turn 10 New York
Mr. Whitney. as has been said. was en-
tertained az dinner at the Terrier Club,
bat his "reminiscences Of hunting adyen-
lures i'm reality made him the entertain
er. II is great pleasure To listen to him.
He tells q story In such a charming man
ner that the time fairly flies. II would be
hard TO imagine a better story of hunting
than he told. and especially IS this true
OF his experiments with the big OK 10
find out II IL would charge after having
been wounded. he walked up within
about fifty feet OF the wounded beast
Just 10 see If the many stories told about
them were true. The mad rush did not
come. bat the animal stood It's ground
and always kept its head IN line with the
hunter.
suppose the OK had made a charge at
YOU, suggested Mr. Goldsmith. what
would you have 1one?''
Well" replied Mr.. whitney after il
was all over | thought how foolish ! had
been, bot then you cannot always figure
out why man will do some things. of
course | was prepared with my rife, but
/ found that bullet made no impression
on the overlapping horn / should have
over it's head as it came toward me-"
Mr.. Whitney has the appearance of a
studious man. bat also impresses one as
being active. lie IS of medium height. has
clean cut features. and. as physiognomists
would say. there is character in his nose.
tie has dark eyes and they are bright and
sparkle when he is interested in a discus
sion. He dresses neatly in clothes Of dark
colors. For a man who has attained The
position he holds with such a publication
as Harper's he Is much younger looking
than the average person would expect.
Il came 20 the Coast" he said TO inn
blbe information. instead of talking for
publication. ] am simply ON IAN editorial
trip IL IS necessary for a publishing house
"a n
parts OF the country, and 10 find out what
lines OF articles viii please our readers ia
different sections. While making such
trips ! always make ii point TO pick np
any Information ! can about the athletic
world. You are wrong in the belief that I
am going TO San Francisco to rake the
Olympic and Reliance Athletic Clubs over
the Goals. My criticisms regarding the
condition OF athletics in that section We're
not made hastily or without proper mate
rial az band. What / have said | shall
stand by"
What Is your opinion of the condition
of the athletic worid?'
'-The condition Is more encouraging now
than II has been for years. There is gem
erai awakening. especially in the Middle
West and South / hope TO see II on the
Pacific coast south Of the Pacific North
west The Pacific Northwest has not
fallen into as bad repute az California.
Sport Is newer here and I hope TO see all
tendencies toward professionalism In
true amateur sport eradlcated be-
fore thu germ springs Jp and ruins
the sport If the s \. c. carries ont the
principle laid dawn BY Mr.. Goldsmith il
Will DE grand thing for the state. one
club that takes a stand for the right and
sticks 70 IL will do incaleulahle good. II
Is noW ABOUT ten years that / have been
driving away at the proposition Of reform
IN our games. Nv recent criticisms. which
touched the California athletic clubs about
San Francisco. came about from the fact
that Il required specially directed words in
order To have any effect \ general criti-
eism that the athletic affairs on the Pa
cinc coast were ia a bad condition would
not have reached with telling effect. any
club + was acquainted with affairs in San
Francisco TO a considerable extent They
never Mere on very good plane. and when
I tried 10 have a change made for the bet
ter through personal correspondence and
failed was compelled IN resort TO public
exposure.
''The trouble In this country. and espe-
cially tn the West Is that the predominant
ing idea Is. We must win. Sport cannot
nuCcecd unless n Is sport for sports sake
The spirit Of rivalry between clubs has
brought about a state of affairs where
sooner or later there is a rcvUlsion in
spirit. interest IS lost and the sport is
ruined Take for instance. n club that
commences the practice Of going outside
its members 10 get players This system
may bring apparent success Tor one or
Two years. hut IL tends 90 discourage the
pure amateur from training or attempting
70 secure position on "A football or base
bah team He nnds cut that II the club
can pick Up a fine outside player IL will a.
So az the first opportunity. and he VIII be
iropped \ clab cannot keep these outside
players more than year or sn. The man
ageIS are constantly conBiNiue to outao
each ather. There are constant changes
the personnel az the team changes. hs
character az representative organization
disappears. ana in its place We have a club
On which uo interest IS taken This sys-
tenn ~ securing men positions Ora order 10
have thfir services in athletics S. Haa ard
Should meet With universal condemnation
az tbs taua~ If the press Here on ;ha
Pacific caast thr \ = 4 has f---ofne 80
isainfreaf 20 the principles 20 represents
that - allows tha5 aggregation known as
the Butte feoihaU team 20 play with clubs
f6at claim to te uufrly amateur. Speaking
Of the res-auou ~ amateur athletics
brought 3af-f Ny this position business .
We have "a good example la the Butte team
That ls uua8estiona6iy SIRE rotteHest or
ganizAt7on in use country. II represents
the extreme departure fron amateur ath-
letics ana shows what IaNitv la sporfs
VIII bring anout There as case ~ here "a
millionaire gathers together q set OF nav
srs from an parts ef she country ana Sc
cures o. gives them positions. That team
| EXnorIencp