The Washington times., 1906-06-19
SUMNER BASEBALL
IS AGAIN SCORED
Difference of Degree" Says
Mr.. Alexander.
CON CERNING CORNELL
Only Few Students and Alumni Would
Encourage Pros.-Amateurism
and Good Citizenship.
sportlns Editor. washington Times:

Sporting Editor. Washington Times;
In view OF Gerald Egan's denial
OF the statement attributed 10 him by
your paper on June III. that Cornell had
declared in favor OF summer ball. 1 beg
TO state that my interview setting forth
Cornell's position in this matter would
not have been given had Mr.. Egan or
any of the athletic authorities at George
town showed an inclination Immediate
ly and publicly to deny that the state
ment had been made
Instead of so doing. it will be found
that in the Washington Post for June
Il, a member Of the executive commit
tee OF the Georgetown Athletic AssocIa-
ton (probably other than the one who
took down the exact words') is quoted
as making practically the Identical
statement Mr.. Eg3n's prophecy as 10
Cornells future attitude in regard 10
summer ball IS amusing. We know that
there are Comedians who advocate
abandoning the rule against IT, but they
are in the great minority ard their ulti-
mate motive rests in a desire TO see
their alma mater always victorious on
the baseball field
Rules relating TO amateurism cannot
be strictly enforced by the universities
until We have educated. not only our
college athletes. but also their college
mates. up TO a complete understanding
and appreciation Of the fact that Il Is
unfair and unmanly TO endeavor TO sue
ceed IN any branch OF walk OF life at
the expense Of violating either secretly
or openly an established code or a writ
ten law
Good citizenship is at the bottom OF
the fight against summer ball Take for
example our interstate commerce laws.
Are we 20 repeal them just because they
cannot be strictly enforced2 What Is
the difference between a business. cor
poration imposing upon one OF these
laws in order 10 attain financial success.
and an educational corporation accept
ing the services Of a man who imposes
upon the A A L. rule defining an anna
teur. in order that IL may attain ath-
ietic suCCesS2
Mr.. Egan's reference to the poor mans
son discloses en attitude OF extreme So
cialsm. Are we 10 establish laws OF
recognized worth. the observance OF
which may be disregarded during Ger
tain periods Of the wear solely because
OF the state Of depletion OF the pocket
| books Of some individuals OF society.
thereby leSseninE the majesty OF the
said law and weakening its moral effect ,
In conclusion let US consider the new
" in view Of the many statements which
nave been made concerning the ny
pocriSy Of the institutions who are at
present endeavOring 10 live up 10 the
rule against summer bah.
Georgetown's New Rule.
NO student will be allowed 10 repre-
sent the university at any public ath-
letic contest. either Individually or as a
member OF a team. who either before or
| since entering the university has played
on any baseball team under the national
agreement or I'm the TTt-State League %
IN. B.-National agreement shall be
construed = include the leagues under
tie supreme baseball commission and
national association Of professional
| baseball leagues"
In this rule what dinerentiatos an
amateur from a professionals The con-
clusions we must reach are these: First
Il is a difference in degree OF skill
Second 1t is a difference in salary paid
-money-earning power. Third Both
skill beyond the ordinary and salary
beyond a certain amount. These are the
only reasonable deductions that can pos
sioly be reached and they relate simply
TO matters Of degree. Otherwise. why
should we not permit the players in
the big leagues TO enter college in the
fan, and play on the college baseball
teams in the spring. Think how much
better these teams would then be and
the only difference between them and
those composed Of collegians permitted
to play summer ball would be in the
degree OF skill and in the amount OF
money earned at baseball during the
summer by the players. Where is the
real hypocrisy in the SituatiOn2 Yours.
truly, EDWARD R ALEXANDER.