Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-06-14
Walter CIarkson Sions
With American League.
Is Promptly Suspended from
Playing With Harvard.
Admits Signing Contract May and
Having Received a Good Cash Sum
in Advance-And Boston Thought
She Had Him!

Cambridge. Mass, June 13.-Waltcr
Clarkson, captain and pitcher OF the
Harvard Varsity zine, was. tonight
barred from further participation in
college games by Il vote of the Har-
ward athletic committee CIarkson has
signed a contract with the New York
American team.
Clarkson signed with the New York
team. May 6, receiving at the time a
bonus.
report was sent out from New
York Il week ago that Clarkson had
signed contract TO play with the New
York American baseball team for an
animal salary of $4,000. This report
ClarEson denied. but continued state
mcnts from Ban Johnson. president of
tho American League, and Captain
Griftths of the New York team. caused
the Harvard Athletic committee to
make an investigation.
\ meeting of the athletic committee
was held at the Harvard Union. to-
night, continuing from o'clock until
1l.30. At this meeting Clarkson denied
that he had signed a contract for an
annual salary of sSO0O but made a
statement in which he said that. Nav
G, he signed n contract to play ball
with the New York American team
during the coming season, and that on
that day he was paid a considera BILE
sum of money, outside the amount
stipulated in his contract, as an in
Gucement for him to sign the contract
at once. BY verbal agreement with
Capt. Griffith the Harvard man was
not to begin work with the New York
team until after the close OF the college
season.
Clarkson said that it was his inten-
ton to keep the matter secret until
the college season had closed. His last
game with Harvard was played against
Amherst. last Wednesday, He played
continually with the team this season.
and in six games since signing New
York.
Although the college season Is nearly
closed. there still remains the two
games with Yale on the 23d and 2Sth.
and Clarkson's absence from the team
will be severely felt.
In addition to being captain of the
team, ClarksOn had for four years been
the best pitcher in the college. In his
iotl yCdiS III IoSl Olls i've SdHleS, tHrca
to Princeton and one each to George
town and Williams.
A new captain will be selected by the
Harvard nine, tomorrow. 1t is believed
that Proctor Carr of Cambridge. the
only senior on the nine besides Clark
son. will be elected captain of the team
for the remaining two weeks of the coll
lege year.
The athletic committee removed
Clarkson from all participation in COL
lege athletics. not because he intended
to play with professional team, but
because, by accepting money and sign
ing contract, he violated the rule
which governs the amateur status of
Harvard athletics. 1t is expressly stip-
ulated in the athletic rules that no stu
dent shall be eligible for membership on
any college athletic team if he has ever
received. either directly or indirectly,
remuneration because of athletic abil-
ty or powess.
Orville G. FrantZ, known at Harvard
as Home run FrantZ, forfeited his
membership on the college ball team,
last season, because several years ago
he received money for acting as athlet-
ic director at a preparatory school, al
though he had never received any emOl-
ument from the promoters or managers
of any baseball team.