Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-16
OPEN DEFIANCE
From College Athletes to
Amateur Athletic Union.
Pennsy Decides to Send Team
10 Next Olympic Games.
With Her Splendid Athletes She
Ought 10 Make Fine Record.

Phila,lclphia. Pa. Dec. l5.-The first
intI,natinn Of Il serious clash that IL
likely &, cause Il grave rupture be
tween the colleges and the Amateur
AthE.tic Union came Tuesday night
when t.lc University of Pennsylvania
decided to send its track team tn the
Olynipic game, in London next sum
mcr. TIL" \. \. l.. Immediately inter
posed the objection that the members
of ti,c team could only be entered as
REPRESENTING America and that in or
der 20 :;din places in that squad they
would have to- take part in the regular
tests thrt viii b" held for athletes in
Both East and West.
Thii il; obviously impossible for Penn
syivania, as it.; athletes VIII b" en-
gagged with the intercollegiate meet
and III addition there would be nothing
gained by sending tho Red aud Blue
athletes abroad if they did not rep
resent their own college.
Pennsy Ivania authorities Immediate
IL decided that some means must be
found to circ,lmvcnt this new arrange
ment. This is clearly flying in the face
of the \. a. L. and may precipitate Il
clash. The colleges have been the sub
icct Of much legislation by the ANA
te,r Athletic Union during the past
few wears Just Il few weeks ago this
body voted to exclude all college men
frcm competition in the big meets I'M
less they represent the Amateur Union
Of their own district.
PENNSYLVANIA men felt that this WAS
direct slap at them. particularly IN
view of the fact that Colonel Bowie. ii
mcrlDer of the Southern delegation,
Openly hoasted that he had been in
strumcntal in having this rule passed
in order to bar out J. Il. Taylor, the
colored athlete. champion and record
holder for the quartcrmilc. who.
while a Pennsylvania man. has raced
under the colors of the Irish American
Athletic Club
Just what PennSylvania'% action will
be- it is impossible to tell yet. The
time is still somewhat distant. and it
may he amicably arranged before the
time. On the face of it. however. there
appears but two solutions. Either
Pennsylvania must induce the \. A.
l.. to change its ruling, or else remain
at home.
This latter the university authorities
refuse 20 consider for minute Even
if it be found impossible to gain adj
mission to th2 olympic games the
Quakery will go abroad and compete in
the English championships and the
ll-t,nGlish championships I'm addi-
ton there are a number OF other good
meets in England during the summer
in, to
Tho Pennsylvania Athletic Associa-
tinn is but redceming promise made
last spring when it does this. At that
time Penn WAS about to enter into the
intercollegiate track and field cham
pOm hips at Cambridge. facing the
Cornell team. holder of the champion
ship, and Michigan. the strong con-
tender from the West. AS Il spur Mike
Murphy. with the consent of the Ath-
letir Association. promised to take the
track team to the olympic meet in
1908 if it succeeded in winning the inter
CoIlegiatcs.
How well Penn succeeded is a matter
Of history. The matter WAS not dis
cuSSed. however until last Wednesday
night. when the Athletic Association
held its big annual meeting and cleo
ton. Then the promise WAS redeemed
and the board of directors ordered the
track committee to proceed with tn"
arrangements. The objection III the a.
a. L. was offered at the meeting ami
the ire of the delegates WAS aroused
so that something is likely to happen
within a short time
In 1900 Penn had the same experience.
The track team had won the intcrcol-
leSiate championships the previous year
and had also taken it that season.
Mike Murphy. the coach. then took tho
team to Paris without interference from