The San Francisco call., 1896-01-21
AS TO AMATEUR ATHLETES
The Investigating Committee
Will Pass Judgment This
Evening.
BOXERS ARE ON THE RACK.
A New Track May Be Constructed.
George D. Baird Returns From
the East.
BOXERS ARE ON THE RACK.
The committee appointed by the Pacific

The committee appointed by the Pacific
Athletic Association, consisting of John
Elliott OF the Olympic Club, w. F. Hum
phrey, president of the Pacific Athletic
Association, W. A. Berry of the Reliance
Athletic Club, and J. A. Janeut of st.
Mary's College, will meet again this even
ing at the Olympic Club to hear what the
thirty-two athletes who have been accused
of professionalism will say in reply to the
question why they should not be expelled
from the amateur ranks.
The men who have been cited to appear
before the investigating committee are,
with few exceptions, members of the
Olympic, Acme, Reliance and San Fran
cisco athletic clubs.
Manager Long of the University of Cali
fornia football team has been asked by the
committee to attend the meeting and i'm
part any information he may be the pos
SCISSOR of regarding the conduct of the
athletic club teams during the past year
or so.
John Elliott, who is the stanch sup
porter of true amateur sport on this coast
and who has been instrumental IN great
measure in bringing about the present in
vestigation, said yesterday that, owing to
the disregard manifested by amateurs in
the past year for rules under which the
clubs of the association are governed,
something emphatic had to be done to
stem the advancing tide of professionalism
which was flooding the clubs of this coast
and causing Eastern writer's to overhaul in
their articles on amateur sports the West
ern clubs which were transgre ssing the
laws OF amateur athletics.
hn rp,A hor ~ foflr oh he flNof oro
annexed to the Pacific Athletic Associa-
ton must be taught a sharp lesson" said
Mr.. Elliott, otherwise we might just as
well disband and allow those athletes who
take part in boxing matches and baseball
games with the sole object of turning
their prizes into money by the sale of the
same to have their swing.
"Yes, this quasi amateur business must
be stopped. The athletes who are repre-
sentatives of the clubs that compose the
Pacific Association must either obey the
rules or suffer expulsion, and it is with
this object in view an investigating COM
mittee was appointed, and it was none
too soon, either as affairs athletic were
getting tangled up in horrible shape.
The committee will, however, en-
deavor as best 1t can to straighten matters
out on Tuesday evening and have it SO
understood by all concerned that in future
any member who is known to transgress
the amateur rules will be Immediately ex-
PEELED from the association. No further
excuses will be accepted.
''The rules are very plain indeed, and
are well understood by many of the
athletes now under the fire of investiga-
ton. AS regards prizes article X of the
laws that govern the Pacific Athletic
Association reads:
No prizes shall be given by any individual
club, committee, association or other organiza-
tion or competed for or accepted by any ath-
lete, except suitably inscribed wreaths, dipio-
mas. banners, badges, medals, timepieees and
mantel ornaments or articles of jewelry, silver
ware, table or toilet service. In no meeting or
contest shall any prize be offered awarded
to or accepted by the club whose athletes shall
make the highest aggregate score in different
events, but suitable team and individual prizes
may be awarded for team competitions in a
single specially. Not more than three prizes
in all shall be given in any event or competi-
ton Counting team prize allowed as above
as one prize). and said prizes snail not exceed
in cost $35 for first, $50 for second and $40 for
third prize.
The prohibitions of this article shall not ap-
ply to tokens or prizes (other than money!
composed in whole or in part of metal, and
bearing Inscriptions denoting the event or
contest, in any case which tokens or prizes
shall have been given or sanctioned by this
union or any of its members, or prior to the
formation of this union, by any recognized
amateur organizations; provided, that if any
person shall, at any time after April l, 1891,
sell, pledge or exchange for any other thing
duy SuCn token OF pF1Ze ne snail IneTed1Ier De
ineligible, and he shall likewise be ineligible
if at the time of the competition or the entry
therefor he is disqualified or under suspension
by this union, or any of It's members, or any
organization allied with or approved by it.
George D. Baird, the famous amateur
athlete and promoter of true amateur
sport, has returned from Chicago and will
permanently residein this City. Mr.. Baird
is one of the few champions of honorable
sport who has materially aided the officers
of the Pacific Athletic Association in sus-
tanning good amateur athletics on this
coast. Since his departure for the East,
about two years ago, interest in outdoor
athletics has almost fallen into desuetude.
Now that he is once again among his
friends it is safe to say that he will take
an active part in the good work of infusing
new life and new ideas into the athletes
who were rapidly straying away from the
straight path.
1t was rumored yesterday that some
wealthy men who are interested in ath-
letic sports have been figuring upon the
construction of large athletic park which
will answer the aims of the outdoor ath-
letes and wheelmen. The syndicate
thought favorably of the Mechanics In
stitute block, corner of Fifteenth and
Folsom streets, as an athletic site, and
may lease the ground, if favorable terms
can be secured. At present the matter is
in an embryotic state.