Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-11-28
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General reform in athletics is looked
for next season. The Amateur Athletic
union has departed from its usual custom
Ill adopting new rules that will euualize
the chances of the small and large ath-
letlc organization members in future com
petitions. While increased interest was
manifested in field and track competitions
this year, the results at the various meet
ings were not satisfactory. Placing or
CARNATIONS upon an equal footing Il
bound to create interest and incite rivalry
among athletes in the future but in the
PAST the conditions that have governed
competitions under the Amateur union
have been strikingly unjust and calcu-
lated to lnjure the promotion Of the sport.
Clubs like the New I Ork Athletic club
have held forth as the leaders III all sorts
of contests. This distinction was earned
not through SpOrtsmanlike promotion of
athletics, but rather by the judicious Sc
lection Of crack athletes from all sections
OF the country, who were enrolled under
the standard of the local clubs. Members
of the university teams who attained
leading positions in intercollegiate games
invariably turned up as representatives
OF the \. I. a. G. summer teams to the
discomfort of the small club men and 10
the injury of athletics. AS result dis
trict and national championships were
Won by the \. Y. a. c. men, to the intense
dissatisfaction Of the younger and less
championships were won by men hailing
from Western towns and cities on the
Pacific coast. The ridiculous feature Of
such performances finally appealed to the
a. a. L. leaders, and urged on by the
demands of the small club members re-
form measures have now been installed
that are expected to boom athletics next
year. The adoption Of restrictive rules
preventing clubs from corralling crack
cOlleglans and entering men in district
championship events who have not le
gal residence in the state Will act bene-
hcially. Placing all the cu.s on an even
footing is sure to inspire confidence in
the younger athletes who are ambitious
to attain front rank. Another very eX-
cellent move Of the A. A. Z. has been
the creation of senior and junior cham
plonships. This innovation is the result
Of desire to give the men who do not
now rank as leaders an opportunity to
enter the Junior competitions and earn
championship distinction before they are
forced to start against the real cham
pions.. There is general feeling CT sat
lsfaction over the deliberations of the A.
n. u. officers The new rules are rad
zeal in their change and are bound TO re-
suit III creating more widespread inter
est IN athletic contests. The union will
benefit by its new rules insomuch as in
creased interest in athletics means extern
sion Of its power and scope as the gov
-
this country.
The first appearance Of Albert Cham
piOn, the French middle-distance crack,
will be in a twenty-fve-mie paced race
against Harry Elkes. They were matched
den, New York, on December 2. Cham
plon's record at the hour is 200 yards
better than that of Elkes
Joe GOddard's manager has matched
him against Jack Mccormack. The battle
will be for twenty rounds and will be de-
cidcd next Saturday night in Toronto
before the Crescent A. G..
Much interest is felt in the coming
fight between Frank Ernie and Jack
O'Brien at the Coney Island Sporting
club on December f. Erne is now train
ing at Sheepshead bay.
". H Watkins, formerly manager OF
the indianapolis ball club and late of the
Pittsburg club last week closed a deal by
which he becomes the sole owner of the
Indianapolis club in the American league.
The club was purchased by him from
John T. Brush and w. II. Schmidt.
This deal takes Brush permanently out
of the baseball business in Indianapolis,
and the only interest he retains in base
ball is the control of the Cincinnati club.
He has been chief owner Of the Indian,
apolis club thirteen years.
Tommy West defeated Frank Craig,
the Harlem Coffee Cooler" last week
at the Broadway Athletic club, New
York The bout was to have gone TWEEN
ty rounds. The men fought at, eaten
weights. Craig was mark for his OBJ
ponent, who beat him as he pleased:
Craig went to the floor repeatedly and
Referee White gave West the verdict IN
the fourteenth round