The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-13
PROTEST IS
THROWN OUT
Seeker League Has a Lively
Meeting and UphoIds the
Diamond Heads.


The protest lodged by the Y. NJ. c.
a. against Referee Ffddes' decision in
awarding last Saturdays socker game
to the Diamond Heads. was thrown
out at a large and lively meeting Of
the Hawaiian Association Football
League. held yesterday afternoon in
the rooms Of thu Scottish Thistle
Club.
Present were DR.. Hand. L. c. Black
man. G. waterhouse. D. ". Ander-
son. J. L. Cockburn. ]. Macconnel, J.
MacauIay, ]. Clark, H Gray. J. Cat
ton, B F. Beardmore, s. Chilling
worth.
President Cockburn filled the chair,
The protest was read. It ran as fol-
lows:
Honolulu. T. H. February s. 1905
The Hawaiian Association football
League, Mr.. B. F. Beardmore, Sec
rotary.
Dear Sir: We beg TO protest the
game that was played this afternoon
between the Diamond Head Athletic
Club and the Y. NJ c. A. teams. The
grounds Of the protest are as follows:
The free kick which led up to the
scoring of the only goal scored, which
won the game. should never have been
allowed, and in support of the pro-
test We quote the following rule from
the Handbook of the Football Assoc
citation. Law Nine; subject. hands.
Ceases of handling of the ball may so
happen as TO be considered uninteu-
tionaI, and when this is so. no penalty
must be awarded"
Also. under Instructions TO Referees
Note the important fact that ii IS
the intentional breach OF law which
must be punished.
The official referee. Saturday, Feb
ruary s. gave his decision Hands.
afterwards declaring that he thought
il was unintentional. and under these
circumstances We ask that the game
played this afternoon be declared void
and the match be replayed- Yours
truly. G. WATERHOUsE,
Secretary, Y NJ c. A. Association
Football Team.
The following letter of explanation
from Referee Fiddes was next read:
To the President and Officers, Hawai-
ian Association Football Club
Gentlemen: Regarding the protest
fled by the captain of the Z. NJ. c. a.
team over the result of my decision
in Saturdays game with the Diamond
Heads, I wish to make the following
statement Of facts:
While there may have been some
doubt in my mind > as TO the offense
iteing intentional. there was absolutely
not shadow of doubt as TO there be-
ing an infringement Of the rules as
I interpret them, and it was only after
quick action that 1 considered free
kick the proper penalty under the cir
cumstances.
/ am willing TO admit that while the /
rules again and again reiterate that
ii is the intentional breach of the law |
that must be punished, it is some |
times very hard to decide on the spur
OF the moment whether certain Infrac- +
tons are intentional or not
You viii all doubtless agree with |
me that the referee is the sole judge
of this, and his decision must be rem
dered promptly without fear or favor |
Personally. 1 am of the opinion that /
there is an unwritten law that ref
in him at all times during the prog
lsess of a game, on troublesome ques-
tons arising. to render decisions which /
he may deem proper and just to the
best of his knowledge and interpreta-
ton of the laws governing the game.
He must also consider the trivjality
or seriousness of the nature Of the
ofense and the direct results emanat-
ing therefrom.
Were this not so. how many social
ed accidental cases Of handling the
ball to avert danger. by a defending
side, would be allowed TO go scot free.
on the pretense that 'it is the inten-
tionaI breach Of the law that must be
punished''2
In the particular case in question,
the handling OF the ball by Macconnel
(whether intentional or unIntentional
I am not prepared 10 say; he alone
knows gave him an opportunity to
play the bail and clear his lines which
I positively assert and now assure you
he would not have had. had the in
not taken place. In other
words. MacconneI was given an unfair
advantage (by accident, If you wild
to rid himself Of the bali and, incl
1erta!ly. perhaps save his team from
being scored against, as the Diamond
Heads were dangerously aggressive at
The time.
There are times when an altogether
too strict Interpretation Of the rules
are not applicable. especially in Asso-
citation football. and in my opinion
his was clearly a case where the ref
cree was called upon to exercise his
best judgment and privilege. I venture
. hope jUdiciously and honestly, in :
he best interests of all concerned
Had 1t been any other team than
he Diamond Heads. Of which aggre-
gationeI have the honor to be a uem-
2cr I would have acted just the same,
press fnsinuations to the contrary not
and can assure you that
would still repeat the dose under
similar conditions in the future.
In conclusion, I urge you 70 imme-
iiateIy dismiss without ceremony thls#
entirely uncaIled-for protest. and re- :
mind you all of your obligation as
good sportsmen . uphold your ref ,
srees, one and all whose decisions on