The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-15
MEANS TROUBLE,
Total Abstinence
Athletes Under
the Ban.
THE OFFICIAL AK MAY FALL
Basket Ball Players in
Worcester Are Those
Aimed At.
THE OFFICIAL AK MAY FALL

Again the hammer of the n. E. A.
A.A. L. is swinging and knocking
whomsoever happens in its way.
And it means trouble for the Cath
Ollie Total Abstinence athletes of Wor-
| cester.
And unless some very active steps
are taken to right themselves, the keen
edge of the official ak will fall and
there will be numerous debarments
from participating in athletic events
| this season.
This is the decision taken by the N.
E. A. A. A. L. at its last meeting, and
is aimed directly at the athletes who
participated in the Total Abstinence
League of basket ball played in Wor-
cester during the winter months.
The knowledge of the games, which
We're being played by the four teams
comprising the Catholic Total Abstin-
ence League of Worcester was brought
to the attention of the official body,
and when it was found on investigation
that none of the players had been reg
istered by the union a meeting was
called and the result of it was as sta
ted above.
The meeting declared that one and
all, the temperance men were outlawed,
and under the official ak, and that I'M
less they sought means for the right
ing of the wrong committed, not one
of them could participate in any games
this season. This is the penalty they
will have to pay unless they seek the
cure which the union holds out in the
shape of reinstatement through the red
tape of the national union.
This means that a severe blow has
been struck at the field day of the
Springfield Diocesan Temperance I'm
ion, which is to be held in September.
This is the great day of the year for
the diocesan union, and it brings out
all the best athletes of the numerous
societies which are members of the
union. The meet is always a big oc-
casiOn. and some very fast work is
turned out at the meet. Besides this
feature of the meet, it means a neat
sum of money to the diocesan treasury
and if the union is cut off in its supply
of athletes, the receipts of the treasury
will be small indeed, and the ends of
the yearly field day will have been de-
feated.
The men who figured in the basket
ball teams of the four societies which
comprised the league last winter, in
Clude some of the best athletes in the
union. Worcester has always sent the
fastest men to the meet and invariably
the outcome of the meet has been a
win and a right royal victory for either
one of the Worcester societies.
And should the official ak fall as
there seems now to be every likelihood
Of its coming to that over 30 of the best
athletes of Worcester societies will be
cut out of the meet. The four offending
teams came from the Father Mathew
society St. Johns guild, st. Stephens
society and the Catholic Young Mems
lyceum.
John T. Sheehan, president of the
Catholic Young Mems lyCeum, official
delegate from the diocesan union to the
n. E. A. A. A. U. and thus one of the
governors of the n. E. A. A. A. u, re-
ceived letter yesterday from Kilburn
Adams, the secretary of the union, in
which it was stated that all those men
who had participated in any of the
basket ball games of the league, and all
those unregistered, We're suspended, and
that they should apply for reinstate-
ment and registration at once, as they
stand now debarred from participation
in any athletic contests or amateur
sport governed by the A. A U.
Mr.. Sheehan has charge of such mat
tiers in this district and he has been
advised by the secretary to see to it
that all those who have engaged in
the basket ball games be reinstated and
registered at once. Aside from the ac-
ton already taken, Mr.. Adams says
that he does not know what further
may be done in the matter, but advised
him to get the men into line as soon as
possible as it might interfere with the
field day of the diocesan union.
Mr.. Sheehan said last night that
there was little doubt that the men who
had played basket ball were ready to
be reinstated and registered so as to
be able to compete in the field day
events of the diocesan union.