Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-04-30

| the Amateur Athletic Union should
| recognize cxtenuating circumstances.
Some of the colleges that have faced
the same situation have decided there
is extenuation for some offenses and
have abrogatcd to themselves the right
to determine when offenses disqualfy
and when they do not.
Taking the gamut of sport it is
| found that widely different amateur
regulations exist The strictest in the
letter of the law is the definition of the
Intercollegiate Association OF Amateur
Athletes Of America, under which for
instance, it was possible to disqualify
Arthur Duffy. the discredited sprinter
where the Amateur Athletic Union
rules did not cover his case. The
Tennis Association has very lax regu-
lations, out OF which grew the squabble
over the eligibility Of Beals c. Wright
which caused considerable stir and
placed the association in an unpleas-
ant light abroad In tennis circles
there is today regrettable laxity, one
Illustration of which is given in the
open betting by players upon the out
come Of matches in which they con-
test.
Cricket is another sport which pre-
sents anomalous conditions, where
professionalism is recognized and pro-
fessionals regularly play on teams
which they coach, something that dis
qualities an amateur in baseball. for
instance. capt. Collins Of the Column
bia University nine Was disqualified
both by his university and by the
Amateur Athletic Union for just that
Cffense.
Another illustration of lax govern
meTt is afforded IN Hockey. where the
Amateur Hockey League permits regu-
larry men who have acknowledgly
received salaries for playing, and who
have been imported from Canada for
the specific purpose of playing hockey,
IN the past to compete as amateurs.
Inc hockey players say that their or
sanlZation is close corporation and
they have the right to play whom they
please as long as it is 50 and no one
has the right to object to their prac-
tees.
While this may be true in the alb
stract it is easy to see how the abro-
cation of such a right if permitted to
extend to all organizations would soon
1.
stead of having law to protect those
who wish to compete with men who
do not engage in sport for a livelihood
ana in consequence have scandals OF
thrown games and races" and like
constantly creeping out. such as
once was characteristic Of the turf
racing game.
The cleanest organization in existence
today is unquetionably the National AS
ISOLATION of Amateur Oarsmcn Yet in
1t such cases as that of the Vesper Boat
Club at Henley develop aud America is
forced to submit to such ignomnious
snubs as grew out of that case at Hen
ley.
In the last analysis tn, question Of
amateu"ism involves ones conscience. II
Is not the idea to set up a standard
winch shall be rigidly enforced because
lnere IS anything ignomniouS III profess
SlonallSn1., The professional athlete mas
again and again in individual Instances
abused and defraudcd the public by hip
rodrrming and worse. 1t is to prevent
SUcn men from entering INTO competition
with clean men that an amateur stand
ard Is demanded to avoid the unpleasant
necessity OF explaining ones reason for
competing.
1t has been demonstrated repeatedly in
various sports that men, whose pers0nai
honor Is generally regarded as tinassaiI-
anle. VIII take petty advantage Of an on
ponent. will trick and deceive in an effort
10 secure a prize the monetary value, Of
WHICH has no interest to them whatever
The reason for this condition undoubted1v
rs moral-thc lack Of appreciation Of the
underlying principles of true sportsman
snip. To minimize this unfortunate atti-
tude the most earnest effort is; being
made by such organizations as the Pub.
Tic Schools Athletic League and the In
tercolleslate Athletic Association of the
United States, which seeks to raise the
plane of sport on just these lines
II would be well if some central body
could lie organized to contain such men
as TO place its dictum beyond question to
unity athletic laws and to enforce as a
count OF last resort its regulations: in
which should be vested the right to quail
lily the letter Of the law TO prevent in
justice and yet to maintain the highest
code OF honor aud to generally prevent
the creeping into gcntlcmcn's sport Of
nave brought it into disrepute.-N Y
Times
In the Interpretation of statutory law
1T is customary to consider not oniv the
phraseology of the statute but the in
tent of its trainers at the time of its en-
actment. If this same consideration of
the spirit. as well as the letter of THE Law
was applied to the Interpretation of ath-
letlc rules. many of the arguments CON
corning the standing of athletes would
be obviated. Then. too. no one who has
any reason for inclining either way in
any case should help decide it.