The Washington times., 1902-06-08
Plea for Opening Public
Grounds Where Games
May Be Played.
ALL-AR0UND CHAMPIONSHIPS
Faculty Supervision Over College Ath-
letics-Yale Decliaes-Flanaga and
De Witt Will Try for New Records.
Y. NJ. C. A. Entries for Baltimore.


where young men. not members OF clubs
having grounds, can so to take exercise
and play the national game.
This lack of grounds is only one of
the many arguments in favor of setting
aside certain public reservations in va
rious sections of the city for the purpose
named.
In other cities grounds are laid out for
tennis baseball. quoits, and what not.
and these are open TO all who wish to
play, subject, OF course, to the usual
regulations; the grounds are secured
days ahead by this or that club or team,
and dates are assigned by the ground
keeper, and there is never any conflict
as to which team has the right TO the
use of the grounds.
Would Be Beneficial.
There is no good reason why the local
lover of sport should not enjoy the same
privileges. There are plenty of vacant
plots or squares which could be secured
and improved by a slight expenditure
OF money and made attractive to tun
dreds of men and boys who would be
made all the better citizens by the op-
por,unity afforded to develop the body
by means OF healthful and harmless
sport and competition.
1t is suggested that a movement be
made at once with a view of securing
playing grounds in the various sections
OF the city.
All-Around Championship.
The all-around championships of the
Amateur Athletic Union of the United
States will be held this year on July
at Celtic Park, New York city, and the
competition promises to be the most in
terestng that has been held in many
years. II is expected that E. E. Mer-
rill, of Beloit. the great Western all
around athlete, will come East and en-
deavor to win this much-covcted nonor.
Merrill is a wonderful performer, but it
remains TO be seen whether he can go
through the ten events and score sue
eessfully.
At the Yale-Harvard games last week
there was a great deal OF talk TO the
effect that Herman, Harvard's crack
high jumper, would make a bid for the
all-around honors this year. Herman
is looked upon as the best all-around
athlete at Cambridge, a great football
player, and can hold his own in any
track and field competition.
Gum Is Present Champion.
Adam B. Gum, the present American
champion. who won the title at the
Fan-American Exposition last year, has
sent in his entry, and z. Ellery Clark
the old Harvard all-around athlete, is !
likewise training for the event, and
will compete. Dan Reuse, who has sue
cessfully gone through the competition !
for several years. will enter as well as
J. T. Mahoney, of the Kn:ckerbocker |
A c., who was in last years competi- |
tion.
President P. J. Conway, of the Greater !
New York American Association. |
has an unknown that he figures will win |
close ON to $500 per cent in three !
events and is very good performer in |
the others and it would not surprise the
Irish followers if the Greater New York |
Irish American Association produces |
the champion this year for the all
around event
Faculty Supervision.
On account of the charges of various
kinds and the fact that several per-
formers have recently been found in
eligible to compete in the big collegiate
events, the effort to secure faculty su-
pervision OF athletics has been revived.
DR.. J. William White, of the Univers
ity OF Pennsylvania, has sent out invi
tations TO a faculty athletics confer
ence, but the plan has not met with that
hearty approval its promoters hoped for
it, The most recent declination to agree
to a faculty supervision comes from
President Hadley. OF Yale.
At last weeks conference nearly all
the big colleges we're represented, and it
was hoped that Yale might strengthen
the opinion OF some of those present. but,
instead of a representative, came Prof.
Hadleys letter, which is as follows. and
seems TO settle the Yale faculty's posi-
tion in the matter.
Prof. Hadley's Letter
ITO Dr.. White. University of Pennsyl-
vania, from Prof Hadley, Of Yale:
81 have had the subject of your letter
constantly in mind, and have talked with
several OF our best-informed graduates
concerning the natter They are agreed
in advising that the designation OF fac
ulty representative TO such a confer
ence would be unwise.
We may. OF course, be wholly wrong
In this matter, bus we believe that the
responsibility for the carrying out of
measures intended to promote honorable
athletics must OF necessity fall upon the
shoulders of academic public sentiment
graduate and undergraduate, and that
any action Of a faculty which is con
strued as assuming this responsibility !
tends 20 weaken its force in the places
where II reallg belongs.
Il have reached this conclusion with ,
much regret, for have the most cordial {
sympathy with every effort which is
made to raise the standard OF intercol
legiate athletics. and think there Is no
doubt that we could get our men to en- !
force any system Of eligibility rules +
which your committee could find IL pos
sible to carry out s
From this II will he Eeen what has (
often been stated before, that the ma {
jority OF the big colleges favor leaving {
athletic matters in the hands Of gradu-