The San Francisco call., 1899-01-28
DON'T WANT TIN MEDALS.
Oarsmen Dissatisfied With the Prizes
Awarded by the Pacific As
sociation.

For some time past there has been grow
ing among the amateur athletes, and es-
pecially among the rowing men, of San
Francisco, a feeling of dissatisfaction
with the medals awarded as prizes at all
events held under the management of
the Pacific Association Of the Amateur
Athletic Union. The oarsmen say that
the practice of awarding medals as the
only prizes inures to the benefit of one
jeweler, who is a member of the board of
managers, and does not conduce to the
best interests of the sport. At the last
regatta of the Pacific Association held at
Long Bridge on November 6, 1898, sew
eral of the competitors protested against
the award of medals. DR.. c. c. Dennis of
the South End Rowing Club, and formerly
outrigger skiff champion, suggested that
the winners should be allowed to choose
their prizes.
One Of the board of managers of the Pa
cific Association took offense at this sug-
gestion, and at a meeting of the board ex-
pressed a desire that. the doughty sculler
should be disciplined. No action, how
ever, was taken in the matter.
In recent interview DR.. c. c. Dennis
said: The rowing men are greatly in
terested in this question. They are put to
considerable expense for boats, oars, row.
ing costumes and other necessary articles.
They go into training, practice regularly
and then sweat and row their hearts out to
what do they get in return? They get
what are commonly known as tin med
ais, which are never worn, except by
very young athletes, but are showed away
into a drawer or a cupboard. OF course,
the rules of the Amateur Athletic Union
do not permit athletes who wish to retain
their amateur standing to receive money
or clothing as prizes, but they may accept
SilYerWare or articles of jewelry; in fact,
anything which can be engraved, and that
does not wear out. / do not see why the
h I'D Of CHI frtx-
winners orders upon a dealer in athletic
goods. Fred Ayers of the Alameda Boat
Club, who won the outrigger skiff cham
pionship at the last Long Bridge regatta,
feels just as L do about the matter, and
so, / am sure, do several others. / have
no doubt that l shall make myself unpop-
ular in certain quarters by this expression
of opinion, but the matter should be VEN
tilated, and some one must open his
mouth first. The feeling of dissatisfac-
ton is by no means confined to myself
but is quite general among the rowing
men"
S. ]. Pembroke, well known oarsman
and member of the board of managers
of the Pacific Association, on being asked
his opinion about medals as prizes for
rowing events, expressed himself thus;
Medals are all right for championship
events, but at other regattas prizes of a
different character should be given. The
object of awarding medals is to do away
with the mercenary element, and to
award something which cannot be worn
out, but must be kept as a memento of
the victory. The rules of the Amateur
Athletic Union say that no prizes shall
be accepted by any athlete except suit
ably inscribed wreaths, diplomas, BAN
ners. badges, medals, time-pieces and
mantel ornaments, or articles of Jewelry,
silverware, table or toilet service To-
kens composed wholly or partly of metal
and bearing inscriptions may be awarded
No prize should be given which can be
converted into money. Anything which
fairly admits of being engraved Is proper,
but it would be an evasion to affiX an en-
graved metal plate or shield to a sack of
flour or a case of bottled beer and award
it as prize.
Amateurs may not row for suits of
clothes, tons of coal or sides of bacon
Men who want prizes of this sort are pro-
fessionals in spirit and should become pro-
fessionals in fact. They should make
matches with each other put up their
money and get it covered. The amateur
q 1Ihn n1ncr ir, Il. IL