The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-06-09

held the championship field and track
( games Of the South Atlantic Association
of the Amateur Athletic Union. Entries
for the events will close tomorrow.
These games should be Of intense IN
terest to every athlete in the S. A a.
AS matter Of fact nobody seems to
care whether they are held, whether
they are a success. or who wins. The
apathy in regard TO them in Washing
ton is really remarkable, and there does
not seem to be an intense enthusiasm IN
Baltimore or other cities in the assoc
cations territory.
DR.. Grant Hustling.
DR.. William Grant, Of Baltimore, the
old, original hustler, is working hard
Tor the games. but appears to be meet
ing With Indifferent success. Still, he
says, the Maryland Athletic Club will
send twelve men; the Mt. Washington
A. a, FIVE; Maryland Swimming club.
three; Baltimore Turnvereln, twelve;
Georgetown University. one or two, but
probably none. Eight volunteer officials
said to be going from Baltimore, and
two from Washington.
This list In itself is not such a poor
there is no popular interest worth men
tioning. The public mind is occupied
with the athletic events at jamestown
but little more than it was with the
games held at the Lewis ard Clark Ex-
position in Portland, Ore. last year.
Press Work Bungled.
The reason for this miserable state
manner in which the press work and
preliminary arrangements for the ath-
letics at jamestown were conducted.
The opportunity seems TO have oeen
grabbed To give a lot Of comparatively
unknown people a chance to get their
names into print and be prominent for
a minute or two. In addition. there
was little enthusiasm or ability shown
in going about the task Of attracting
athletes 10 the exposition. First crack
out of the box, a man was sent TO
Europe to induce foreign oarsmen to
come over. and this man was the SUBJ
ject of a number of stories IN which Il
was related that he had neither the
experience nor the standing to put the
exposition in the proper light before the
British and Continental aquatic au-
thorities, but did have a strong pull.
Made Sullivan Pooh-Bah.
Then, Il was thought impossible to
run the games without making James
+. Sullivan, the present president of the
Amateur Athletic Union. the pooh-bah.
Mr.. Sullivan went to Europe. hobnobbed
with a lot Of athletic promoters and ath-
letes across the water, came back, gave
out long interviews with himself about
what he had accomplished. and went
back TO his old job of keeping himself
in the limelight as the only really right
eous man in American sports.
Mr.. Sullivan also visited various Amer
lean cities and told them what a great
time we We're going to have at the ex-
position. but a daily search through the
exchanges fails to disclose any more in
terest I'm the games there than is 20 be
found I'm Washington. All around the
circuit the whole subject seems to be
as dead as Mr.. SuI1van's personal stand
ing among the athletes of Washington.
which is beyond resurrection.
Great Self-BOoster.
The press matter from jamestown Is
rot convincing, the men sending it out
have made no attempt to interview the
sporting writers and athletes personally
at least. in this city-the material is
poorly handled and excellent opportuni-
ties for good work neglected. AS pub
Lefty promoter where his own glorifca-
tion is concerned Mr.. Sullivan is No 1.
Glass A on the Revised List Of Self
Boosters, and he should display some of
this remarkable talent TO the advantage
of jamestown.
The jamestown exposition has had a
good many faults and a good many
things to contend with, but this bungling
of the press work connected with the
athletic end is inexcusable.
The Grudge Against Sullivan.
In the South Atlantic Association
proper and the South generally. a ready
explanation OF the lack OF interest in the
section which should contribute so gen.
erously to the games is TO be found ia
the very fact that the supposedly indis-
pensable Mr.. Sullivan is the big noise
In the preparations. Ever since Mr.. Sui
Ivan defended the Philadelphia clique
which tried 20 dominate the athletics of
the South and led 10 the revolt of the
present South Atlantic Association, he
has been in bad odor hereabouts. He was
the very dear friend OF the men who
were afterward expelled bodily and with
scathing comment by the A. A. q. in its
annual meeting In New York. Mr. Sulli-
van supported these men some years
ago after positive proof Of their methods
was offered, and man is judged by the
company he keeps
On January Is at an indoor meet held
in Richmond, Va, Guy Haskins. the
great mile runner Of the University OF
PENNSYLVANIA, deliberately foul,.d Pete
Herring. of Washington, in a race. and
his work was so dirty that he mignt
easily have injured Herring and other
runners for life. He was suspended Dy
the $ A. A. for fouling and unsports-
manIlke conduct. Two weeks or so later
The Boston Athletic Association held a
meet in Boston under a sanction from
the A A II. In that meet Haskins
was allowed 10 compete as a member
of the Pennsylvania relay team. which
beat Dartmouth.
Deliberate Slap at S. A. A.
Mr.. Sullivan explained that the relay
race was a closed and special event ia
which an outlawed man could run, de-