The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-01-05


two professionals on Monday night.
Graduate Manager DR.. z. C Wilson.
OF George Washington, last night sent
Biddle a letter suspending him as man
ager Of the George washington Univer-
sity basketball team on the ground that
he had placed a stigma" on the uni
versity. The letter is as follows:
Action Stigma.
Dear Mr. Biddle. desire to inform
you that ! hereby suspend you as man
ager, and the I'VE men that participated
in the basketball game with Yale oil
last Monday night. pending action that
will be taken by the athletic council
of the university in the near future.
The stigma that is being placed on
@. W. u, because Of your action in
allowing alleged professionals to play
in our game with Yale compels me to
take this step, and il Is a matter that
must be invest gated by the athletic
council ,oTIi Of the university; Very respect
Graduate Manager OF Athletics"
Willing to Apologize
In addition TO this tart, even If tardy.
epistle, DR.. Wilson said he expected
George Washington would. If it found
the facts as bad as stated in the new $
the perverse action OF the suspended
manager in forcing the Eli basketball
team to play against two men who were
acknowledged professionals. Many folk
have been wondering whether this would
be done, and DR.. Wilson's statement Is
highly creditable to the institution.
DR.. Wilson also came out strongly
in support of the Amateur Athletic
Union, and declared it would be his pur-
pose to help its fight for clean sport
IN every possible way. He said:
Il am personally opposed to amateurs
playing with or against professionals
in any game, and think the A. A. u.
policy Of barring men for that reason
is proper. Along that line, here is our
statement of our position at George
Washington:
Position in Regard to A. A. U.
I'VE grant the right of the a. a. L
10 bar any man playing on a George
Washington team If it has just grounds
for doing so under it's own laws
We want the right of the A. A L.
to bar any team registered by it from
competing with a George Washington
team, if it has grounds under its own
A A. u. team.
We grant the right of gle A A L
TO suspend from A. A L. competitions
any member OF a George washington
team who is a member of the A. A. l..
if it has right TO do so under its own
laws.
We reserve to the university the right
10 say in any instance where bona fide
students athletic standing IS under sus-
picion whether, after due investigation
by the athletic council, he shall be per-
mitted TO represent the university.
All Should Be Punished.
This matter Of the basketball game
has been talked about far more than 7
thought il would be. and. therefore. I
decided to write today the letter sus-
pending Manager Biddle. II. after in
vestigation, We find the case as bad as
painted, am pretty sure we will apollo
gize TO Yale for putting her team in an
embarrassing position.
Il think, myself. that every man on the
two teams should be punished. for the
Yale men went into the game with their
eyes wide open. I am willing to admit
there were many extenuating clrcum-
stances in favor Of Yale, and its men
should not get as severe a penalty as
ours, but there is one point about fhat
which has not been published. Yale had
all Sunday 10 travel, but instead took
a train not due to arrive in Washing
ton until 800 r. m, and when that was
late the audience was held until nearly
II p. m, Therefore, Yale's embarrass-
ment in the way of finding a large and
exasperated crowd which demanded a
game after waiting so long. was
brought on itself.
Interesting Questions.
Many side issues hang on this case
and we shall watch the decision with
interest. Granting that Cramer and
Reyes were professionals. what is to
become Of the other three men on the
George Washington team? They were
members Of the school, playing on a
school team and against another college
team, neither OF the teams being mem
bers Of the A. A. L. VIII their asso-
citation with professionals in this purely
college contest bar them from A. 4. L.
events?''
When will Georgetown and George
Washington universities learn enough
10 either appoint managers who have
reached the years Of experience, or II
that cannot be done when viii they
learn TO control properly the foolish
undergraduate persons who have done
so much 10 hurt both institutions?
Youthful Marplots.
It might have been thought that
George Washington would have learned
a lesson from the horrible example fur
nished by Georgetowns youthful mar
plots of the past several years and
have seen that its appointees were
either lads of better judgment or under
a hrmer hand. but. judging from the
actions Of Manager Biddle, OF the
George Washington basketball team In
insisting upon playing two profession
ais against Yale, George Washington
did profit greatly by the mistakes Of
rivals,
From all accounts. Manager Biddle
was warned by several persons other
that DR.. Wtber, chairman Of the regis
tration committee of the South Atlantic
Association OF the Amateur Athletic
Union, not to play professionals against
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