The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-11
WHITNEY THE CRITIC
His Words Fall Heavily in the Reli-
ance Club Rooms.
PROFESSIONALISM CHARGED
Pringle Says the Man Is Away OFF.
That Every Player Was Bona
Eide Member of the Club
Other Comment.

Caspar Whitney. who is generally re-
gaTded as the ablest writer on amateur
sports in this country and whose foot
ball articles in Harper's Weekly have
attracted the greatest attention
wherever the game is played. is after
the Olympic and Reliance clubs with
charges of professionalism which have
stirred up a great deal of California
dust and prompted vigorous and en-
phatic denial In his last criticism of
western amateur sport he charges that
the spirit of commerce. of cold-blood-
ed purchase and sale exists in both the
Reliance and Olympic clubs to an ag-
gravated degree and he refers directly
to the unsportsmanlike manner in
which these teams doubled up, besides
pressing the crack players of Stanford
and Berkeley into service, in their re-
cent games with Butte. The pertinent
paragraph in Mr.. Whitney's latest ar
ticle is as follows:
ION the Pacific coast the Reliance
and Olympic Athletic clubs have fur
nished considerable cause for criticism.
All these methods are exceedingly
harmful to the game. and very short
sighted policy, because II there Is no
attempt made to develop material In
the club itself, and the personnel of
ferent institutions and as many differ
ent sections, IL very shortly becomes
question of dollars and cents and hus-
Ting collecting agents. If this sort OF
thing continues IL will not be long be-
fore the club which has the largest
bank account will have the best team
of professionals. OF course, IL Is a farce
to call this sort of an aggregation
amateur and IL is disgraceful that a
cltt xyh q cd Y
respectable citizens should permit such
scandalous conduct. 1t is plain, un-
adulterated dishonesty. Curious how
morally lax some people grow!
None of this is pleasing to contem-
plate, and there seems little comfort
in IL for the sportsman; but. as i said
feel that the end is very near in this
club defiance of the ethics of sport"
The San Francisco Chronicle says in
regard to these charges:
William Pringle. manager of the
Reliance eleven, was much incensed
over Whitney's comment. 'Caspar
Whitney has no cause to make such
statements, Pringle said yesterday
The Reliance club does not nor would
IL, buy outside people to play on its
football team. Every member of our
eleven of 1895 is a bona fide member
of the club, with a clear standing on
the books. Caspar Whitney ought to
know that every athletic club as well
as college endeavors to secure the best
material for its teams. We do no more
than the colleges. Commercial positions
are obtained in some cases for good
football men who have signlfied their
intention of playing with us. l posi-
lively assert-and as manager l should
certainly know-that no money was
paid to any man who wore our colors >
Leonard Gill, Splinter. director and
football manager, was so trate over
Whitney's unfriendly criticism that II
was only with difficulty that he could
frame his thoughts into coherent Ian
guage. He said: Whitney does not
know what he Is talking about. The
man knows absolutely nothing of the
Olympic team of this year. With but
$500 allowed US by the directors, is II
possible, after paying for suits, band
ages. splints and training expenses. tc
purchase players? 1t is absurd on Its
face.
"'Caspar Whitney gets his informa
tion from people who misstate facts
The man who sends Whitney the data
about the clubs is not friendly towarS
us. and Whitney. TN trusting spirit o
ignorance, puts the stuff In his col
umns. The Olympic club doesn't care ;
rap for Whitney. but II angers me L
read such stuff"
Manager Pringle's statement that ev
cry man who played on the Relianc'
team last year was bona fide membei
of the Reliance club and that none o
them were paid for their services Il
open to serious question. Admitting
that 1T Is true. IL Is not Mr.. PTfngle'i
fault that he Is able TO make such 4
statement truuhfully. When Relianc'
was securing the coast to make up
| team that would beat Butte. the man
| agement of the club offered sport
Donnelly, captain and coach OF the Sc
attic team. $500 to play with their team
| in the game against the Montanans
DCnnelly did not notice the proposition
| and the Reliance management then tel
| egraphed him to name his own term
| for the game. Donnelly was sick at TN
time. however. and was unable to TAX
advantage of their catering offer. Tina
Donne1ly Is a professional As unques
tioned. As II was. there was one pro
| fes sional On the Reliance team when /
played Butte, in the person of Harr.
| Walton. StanfOrd's famous half back
who played under the name OF Hanlon
| Mr. whitney can easily satisfy himsel
| of the truth of these statements.