Omaha daily bee., 1907-05-12
JUDGMENTS

naturally come within The scope Of the
Western Lawn Tennis association, where n
be game has made much headway during
b, last few years. Players here have only
or otcly felt the influence of the United
st1.cs lawn Tennis association, knowing
OF II vaguely as "a body to fix the dates for
tho annual 1ytures cf the sport. TO adopt
rulea governing the game, and In some way
TO exercise supervision over the general
aspects OF the game. The close touch that
indicates interest In individual clubs wa
LACKING, though. and the need for a body OF
scmo sort that would bring the control
closer to the many clubs Il the great west
was imperative The good OF the game will
fsurely be enhanced by tho new organization.
Locally a great deal Of satisfaction arises
from the appointment Of Mr. Conrad H.
Young as one Of the directors Of the or
ganzation. Mr.. Young is one OF the old
guards in tennis and for a score Of years
has kept the game alive in this part of the
world. His personality as well as his i'm
terest in clean, honest sport fits him for
ths position.
One or two more Burns-O'Brien affairs
viii about put prize fighting back where II
I longs. II has no place among high-grade
sports, for II is brutal in its essential quail
tiles. and the moral character Of the men
who pursue It for a livelihood has always
been questionable 1t is true that some
men have attained high fame in the ring
whose rugged honesty was undoubted.
The mighty John L. Sullivan still the idol
of the followers of the prize ring, is one
man whose honor was never questioned.
Jim Corbett is another But far as
late history goes these are about the only
ones. Bob Fitzsimmons admits he fought
a fake with Jim Hail. and the Lord only
knows how MANY he fought that he doesn't
admit. Joe Cans admits taking, and so
II goes through the whole list. Prize fight
ing has been commerclalized TO a degree
beyond that of any other sport, and prln-
cipals and promoters alike are out for the
money and nothing else. Only those of the
esoteric circle can tell what the result Of
the alleged contest is to be, and the
suckers who pay extravagant prices for the
privilege Of looking on do not enjoy the
spectacle because they are haunted by the
belief that the matter has been agreed
upon before either principal has left his
dressing room. Some interest might attach
70 a contest. however brutal, in which
the outcome depended on the merits Of the
contestants, but the average prize fight"
OF the present day has about as little to
attract public attention as the average
foot race between professionals. Foot
racing, one of the finest of sports was
killed. by the unscrupulous methods of
those engaged in IL. Horse racing in the
est has been ell but exterminated by the
Hstrong-arm'' methods Of the sure-thing
gamblers who came into control of the
race tracks, and now the prize ring is go
ing the same way. And honest sporting
men say with one voice: Speed the day.
y The sooner the lkirs are reduced TO work
or vagrancy as an alternative the better
It viii be for boxing, either amateur or
professional.
Manager Rourke is fortunate in at last
having secured for Omaha a field captain of
real ability Franck is a general Of no
mean qualifications and is handling his
team Of youngsters with rare skill. He
has taken hold OF base ball from the right
angle. and his life is not always to be spent
in directing the affairs OF a minor league
team, II present indications are good evil
denoe. "Buek" win some day be the guild
lng star Of a national champion team.
President O'Neil is reapine the reward OF
a well directed effort TO improve the condl-
ton OF the league Of which he is president
Those who were most ardent and persistent
in criticism OF his course last season are
most earnest now in his praise. His ex-
celent stan Of umplres has wrought the
change, Omaha has seen all OF them, and
most heartily endorses their work
The "Big Nine" is beginning to take no
.tice. Nebraska and Michigan are getting
along very nicely. and the chesty confer.
ence colleges are finding out that there are
others little llbernlity is not amiss even
in college amateur sports.
The Omaha Country clubs dip into tenni.
Is evidently earnestly intended This mean.
that the city tournament next summer will
be Of more Importance than ever. Omaha
can stand II to have Kenwood and On
wentsia repeated here,
Al Thomas has been reinstated ana VIII
be seen IN his sulky scar during the sum
mer plotting the best OF the fast one
around the track His permanent expulsion
would have been distinct loss to harness
racing IN America.
barney Oidheld continues cutting records
but the chief interest IN the automobile
sticks at its possibilities for business o
pleasure. Racing locomotives Is not likel
TO ever become Immensely popular in Amer
lea.
Little is heard these days from the Cut
on or Manawa sailors. but the summe
races on the lakes win lose nothing o
SAVIOR because the shippers and tars ar
silent during the tuning-up days.
The amateur parks will all be busy tc
day. These are the high schools for tn
professional clubs
II the weather man could only look at tn
base ban gate receipts he might relent.
Anyhow, they can't take that one gam
away from Brooklyn.
n Iw~n'~