Evening star., 1898-01-19
CONTROLLING BASKET BALL.
Hecretary Sullivan States the Po.ftto,
of the A, A. H.

"ecretary Sullivan States the Position
of the A. A. L.,
james E. Sullivan. secretary of the ANA
teur Athletic Union, has sent out the fol-
lowing statement:
Ihcre seems to be a misundersta ndine
III So lar as 1t pertains to the A. A. u
taking up the control of basket ball Tn
fact In Philadelphia, where there seems to
pe a desire to run sports without any de-
sire to recognize controlling BODY a
statement Was made that the A. A. q. as
sumed in dictatorIal way control of the
game. The records prove that such is not
the case Basket ball was invented by Dr.
Jamss Naismith and DIR. Luther GuIick
poth OF the Y. NJ. c. A The Y NJ c. A.
maze the game, and no one else When It
grew TOO large for the Y. NJ C. a tn
handle, and 1t became a national sport.
Dr. Gullck. representing the Athletic
League or Young Mems Christian Associa-
tions of North America, came before the
A. A. U. board. and demanded that the A
A u, in its capacity as a governing BODY
take up and control the game as it should
De oenne rules, define an amateur and
have the game played Svith some system.
In some sections of the country profess
slChal promoters and schemers are work.
ing basket ball the same as amateur box
ing was worked years ago and it is their
desire to eventually kill off the sport The
A A. Z. does not arbitrarily come out and
say that basket ball players must register
They are merely drawing the line if YOU
Please, between the professionals and un-
registered players, and the registered play
ers. In other words, they are CHASING the
players as amateurs and professionals and
it is the intention of the A A. T. to man
age basket ball and control it; and at no
time, now or in the future. will they re-
linquish their national jurisdiction over the
game to any combination or clique in any
part Of this country, nor will they recog-
nize any association that refuses to regis
ter and abide by its rules and decisions
throughout the country.
There is widespread interest in ba sket
ball. and very few objections have as yet
BEEN made to the A. A. l.. controlling the
amateur end of basket ball. In so far as
1t pertains to the professional end of it,
and those that like to play under any rules
milton. We are going to have amateur
basket ball if only have six amateur
teams in the whole United States.
1T is pleasing to note that in New Eng
land and the metropolitan associations the
prominent clubs who are in the sport for
the love of sports are recognizing the au-
thority of the A. A. L.
THE A. A. L. is the strongest governing
body in America, the strongest organiza-
ton of it's kind in the world. 1t has al
lance with every athletic organization of
any importance in this vast country of
ours; then why should any insinuate
that we are assuming control over a new
sport which had no right to control?
The A. A. U. is here to make laws for anna
teurs, to govern amateur sports when it is
not already governed by national asso-
citation, and We feel perfectly confident in
our ability to handle any sport that desires
aid, and our aid has already been
asked by the originators of the game of
basket ball. We are here to fight on any
lires for the advancement and maint nance
of pure amateur and honest SPORT