The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-04
CURRENT SPORTING TALK.
ATTITUDE OF THE \. a. y. ON
AMATEUR BASEBALL OUTLINED.

Chntru1nm Nulltvnn OF tne EteDlntrnItuu 10"
uittee shows How the spovI viii ise rnri-
ned-CoIere Graduates VIII 10 Investi-
Entsd-A Man Thought lo was Hinkey.
In It's crusade against profes donalism in va
rious branches OF sport tho Amateur Athletic
Union will soon make an effort TO purge ana
teur baseball of existing evils, which have
grown into such proportions OF late that some
action seems necessary. Professional base
cali 10 under such good control That players aro
held in check by tho National and minor leagues
and the interests OF the sport are protected,
especially in point Of honesty ON the baseball
aold. But amateur baseball has never been
handled by a governing body in such n way
that q line could DO drawn between the pure
amateur and the semi.professional. The Regis
tration Committee OF the A. A.U. ,ofwhich James
Il. Sullivan 10 Chairman, is preparing circu.
lars TO be sent to leading amateur athletic and
baseball clubs all over the country notifying them
that they must forthwith apply for sanction for
their games and registration for their players.
In the metropolitan district, over which Barlow
6. Weeks OF the Registration has
Immediate control. II is the intention OF the A.
A. U. to organize IN amateur baseball league.
consisting of the New York A. c. the New Jer-
eey A. c., tho Knickcrbocker A. c., and other
clubs, and ultimately to inaugurate a national
amateur baseball championship, which shall
produce tho strongest team in the country. In
that way the A. A. U. officials believe they will
form a basis for further successful operations
among minor clubs and players. Chairman
Sullivan outlined the movement yesterday in
the following manner:
'.The Union will take the same step in anna
tour baseball that has already been made among
basketball, billiard and hockey players. 1t In
not the Unions intention to be in any way arbi-
trary, but to carry out our original principles
t. -,,.N Ap,A In Arin
branches of sport, hitherto uncontrolled by
governing bodies, Persons who have been
inimical to the action Of the A.. A. U. are ask
ing why we do not assume control of golf. row
ing, bicycling and skating. Our reason is an
excellent one. These particular sports are all
admirably controlled by the United States Golf
Association;the EationalA Of Amateur
Oarsmen, the L. A. W and the National Skat-
ing Association respectively. But,like basket
ball, billiards and hockey, amateur baseball has
hitherto been permitted to run itself, and the A.
A. u, in the interest Of pure sport, has assumed
control of 1t. Our idea is that all athletic clubs.
members of the A. A. T., will support lib and
will register their players without trouble. All
other outside clubs will be asked TO register their
men, and IL they refuse they will be ~dis9uali-
fed. BY this we do not mean that we will puT-
sue every amateur ball club that puts chal-
lenges in THE SUN, for that would entail a fear
full amount Of work for our committee. but We
lHltnu W Bt IL u VI IL iiAi
which profess to come within the amateur rule,
and yet violate it by hiring, players outright;
members of that clubs bali team are paid. We
will send a circular to the club. and IL the men
IRE! HFs not o6T resiS WiII bt they %grs will all Mit be s disgqe einb Of
prominence. In this district we intend to form
an amateur league Of teams representing ath,
several others: i W have, say, SIX clubs in the
y. will receive only about 800 as registration
fees. half Of which. goes to the Metropolitan
A. Ass 8e 6. Is me a1sEs1eFf Is s absurd fdarf Il o aaH Of the the
above players, after being registered, takes part
in a game on an unsanctioned team. he will be
disqualified and will be unable to take part in
has jurisdiction. This win prevent a man who
team from going off somewhere else on Sunday
under an assumed name and playing for 81.
tered as a member of the New York A. 6. team
cannot play with any other team during. the
RsSs eeiiGGa players "a Une Ss Something hi shs aft Sny the Sts1 manner Gan ro in
which National League clubs hold their men
'"As far as collegians are concerned, I wish
we have no idea Of interfering with them while
have graduated and have become member Of
various athletic club teams. then they will
we learn that a number Of ex-colege men are
playing on q team at Cape May, for instance.
S Sr IN e lf fssorts Ii IN tR the A Mhi,S Mesnt or at a shs
elsewhere. we will promptly ask them to fill
out our registration blanks, and If they. come
up to the requirements they will be sanctioned
as G team to play bal, for one year., when they
viii have 70 go through the same process again;
out who arc playing baseball for pure sport and
who are playing for money outright, hotel bills
drawing the line between strict amateurs and
semi.professionais; The A: A. y; may ask the
control of college baseball and thereby get ut
the men, who, in vacation time, play on ath-
letic club teams and other mines not strictly
ton With walter Camp Of Yale. asking him Il
the A. 4 A. Y. cannot receive the assistance OF
graduates who play football on various teams
and violate the amateur rule. OF course. If a
mar wishes to play baseball for money or foot,
A. A. U. does wish to prevent semi-profes-
SIGNALS from masSuerading as pure amateurs
gigantic undertaking. but we feel that it is well
to make q beginning now, rather than to put it
or until the evils are even more pronounced
Rowdyism on the ball fields controlled by the
National League makes the following rule APP
pear in q somewhat humorous light:
Rule So. Section 2-The umpire must be addressed
BY the players as "Mr. Umpire"
There's a game being, played between the
names are substituted for those Of two noted
Kicking teams in the League-and the score is
Hawks are in the field. The man at the bat
has two strikes and three, balls, and the pitcher
shoots one over the outside corner. Two men
are out and the umpire hesitates. The crowd
bowls ~angrily. until finally the umpire, screw
ing up his courage, yels:
-four balls, take your basel
According to rule SO, nobody has q right to
dispute this decision; but as the o wners q these
clubs In question believe in the motto. XIII the
umpire!' the Black Hawk players, on hearing
the above ruling, rush at the unfortunate Judge
Of play from all parts OF the field. Not one of
them obeys rule So, section 2. Instead of that.
the first man to reach the umpire grabs him by
the throat and bawls:
Say, yer miserable. drunken, crooked, rob-
Der, what ell der yer mean by robbin' us dis
wayi Heyf'
ut was just outside the corner,' explains
the umpire, while other players lay violate
hands on him.
YOU'RE a common. everyday theft roars the
tough captain. 'and I'll break yer jaw in q
minute"
Then "Mr. Umpire cannot stand the strain
longer. and assuming that he is clothed In
legal authority. he fines one or two, rowdies
and puts The tough captain Off the field, there
by enforcing rule 20. section 3. But after the
game, as he is leaving the grounds. the tough
"You robbed us. and III knock your eye out