The age-herald., 1901-03-01
THE SHOE IS ON
 THE OTHER FOOT
Chattanooga Says Birmingham
 is Playing the Baby Act"
BASKE TBALL GAME IS OFF
Howard College Will Fill the Date With Athletic Club Team To- niqht-The Differences With
 the 'Noogans.

The Chattanooga Times of yesterday states that there will be no basket ball games this year between Birmingham and Chattanooga. There was some dif- ference between the two clubs over the attempt of the Chattanooga team to play Strang Nicklin, a professional baseball player. Under the rules of the associa- ton of amateur athletics of North Amer lea no team can play professional ath- lete under penalty of being classed as a professional team.
 It will be recalled that when rne Nash vile team was here last week the visitors insisted on playing a man named Wood ward, who was a professional bicycle rider few years ago. This fact barred him from participating in the game. A few days ago Prof. c. Harry Miles, phy- sical instructor of the Athletic Club, wrote to the Chattanooga Athletic Club stating that the Birmingham team would not go to that city If the Chattanooga club insisted on playing Nicklin It seems that the Chattanooga crowd will not play at all unless they can run in this profess sional athlete and the game for tonight has been called off
 Not Borne Out By Facts.
 The Times article states that Ed War ren of the Birmingham team was a pro- l fessional bicycle rider at one time but this is not a fact. MT. Warren did ride in a number of bicycle races and won most of them, but they were amateur races and only amateurs entered them. The Times says that Birmingham Is afraid to play Chattanooga and ascribes that as the reason the protest against Nicklin Is made. As a matter of fact, Chattanooga has only beaten Birmingham at basket ball twice out of six games l played. The two teams are practically l the same this year as last year, and there is no reason to believe that the Birming- ham boys would suffer In a contest with the athletes from Moccasin Bend. So much for that boast the Tennesseans have given themselves.
 Instead of taking their Chattanooga trip, Birmingham will play game with Howard College at the Athletic Club to- night The college boys have heavy team and are improving every game they play. An interesting contest Is promised tonight.
 Captain Ferguson Talks.
 Hill Ferguson, captain of the Birming- ham team, was shown the article in the Chattanooga Times last night, and refer | ring to 1t he said:
 "The board of governors of the Birm- ingham Athletic Club, as well as all mem bers of the team, have taken the position that unless basketball can be kept free | from professionalism, which will ruin any amateur sport, that we will not play at all. We notified Nashville of our deter imitation and protested against the play ing of Woodward, a professional bicycle rider, in the game here last week. Nash vile agreed that we were right and the game was played without him.
 We also notified Chattanooga that we would not play their team if they in sisted on playing Strand Nicklin. who Is admitted to be a professional baseball player, and whom we are advised will leave Chattanooga shortly to play thirt base on New Yorks National League team. Nevertheless they insist on play ing him, and in support of their position have raised a number of technicalities claiming among other things that the Southern Interstate Athletic League the organization under which Nashville, playing, Is defunct, and that each city Is playing individually, not as members of any league. They have also claimed that as none of the teams are registered in the Amateur Athletic Union of Amer ica, that each team could play anybody they chose, professional or amateur. We claimed on the contrary that he rules of the Southern Interstate Athletic League were still in force, and replied uniformly to all of Chattanooga's communications that we would play an all-amateur game or none at all
 Objected to Warren.
 They also saw fit to bring charges o professional bicycle riding against Et Warren, our right guard, whereupon wt promptly offered to remove him from ou, team if they would produce any sort o proof sustaining their assertions
 ''The proofs have not yet been receiv. ed. Everyone who knows Ed Warren a, all knows that he Is as clean an amateur Doth III spliil anu III IdCt, as there 1i in the South. He made affidavit toda, that he has never ridden in profession. al bicycle race in his life and that he nov has in his possession all of the amateu, prize he ever won. A. l.. Mcleod ant John Snyder, who are and have been fol years official handicappers for Alabama for the League of American Wheelmen also maoe affidavit as to Warren's un tainted record as an amateur
 'The Times article does Secretar, Harry Miles of the Athletic Club a seri ous injustice, as 1t. states that he wanted to play the game regardless of Nicklin The fact is that Harry Miles Is mos heartily opposed to professionalism il amateur athletics and as manager of tn Birmingham team has never given hi consent to a game with>a professional oi the opposing team"
 It is doubtful just what effect this af fair with Chattanooga will we on tn basket ball series. Birmingham has game scheduled with Mobile next weel in this city, and later in the month wil play Nashville on it's home grounds | The re a also a prnba ht1ity of the Mnapa,