Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-04
PRESIDENT SULLIVAN
SUSTAINS DR.. WIDER

James E. Sullivan, president of the
Amateur Athletic Union, has taken his
usual firm stand against PROFESSIONALISM
and sustained DR.. Wiber of this city in
his suspension of the George Washington
and Yale basket ball teams. DIR. Wiber
is the chairman of the registration COM
mittee of the south Atlantic division or
the Amateur Athletic Union, and as such
acted wholly within his authority when
he placed the ban against the two col
leges. President Sullivan in his ruling
says:
"Dr. Wiber has jurisdiction. and acted
in the interest of clean amateur sport in
suspending Yale and George Washington
for playing professionals in basket ball.
1t is just such actSaS this that VIII
clear the atmosphere and rid us of unde-
Sirable characters.
Yale can go on playing colleges if 1t
wants to. and so can George Washington,
if the colleges will play them. The ANA
teur Athletic Union is absolutely sound
on the question of professionals Compel
ing. George Washington should be barred
by the Amateur Athletic Union. and the
colleges as well, if the facts are as Dr.
Wiber states.
Every lover of pure amateur sport
in America should applaud DR.. Wiber s
act Through our alliance the colleges
recognize our right to disqualify for pro-
fessionalism The George Washington
players should be barred from amateur
sport forever. They are not the kind of
athletes that build up amateur sport. Dr.
Wiber would be unfaithful to the cause
of amateur sport II he did not take ine
stand he did.
yale can apply to DIR. Wiber for re-
instatement. George Washington players
must wait two years George washington
should be barred from amateur competi-
ton until such time as it rids itself of the
professionals"
The George Washington committee has
been cutting at stPaws when it. tries to
draw the line on itself on account of not
being a member of the Amateur Athletic
Union. The union. of course, cannot sus-
pend team that Is not a member of its
organization, but it can issue ban
against other colleges playing against it,
and that is what DR.. Wiber has done
the colleges of the country and the Anna
teur Athletic Union, and 1t will be bat
tie royal.
When asked today by al Star represent
alive relative to the statement of James
f. Sullivan. president of the Amateur
Athletic Union, sustaining the suspension
of the George Washington basket ball
team by DIR. Wiber of the South Atlantic
division of said organization, member of
the athletic council of George Washington
University said that he had read the
statement with considerable interest, es-
pecially in view of the fact that it comes
from one VINO Is ana mas been making
such commendable fight for clean attn
lettcs among the athletic clubs of the
country. 1t must be borne iri mind. said
the member. that while Mr.. Sullivan s5s-
tains the right of his organization to sus-
pend II they are members and bar If they
are not members those persons constftut-
ing the George Washington team he at
the same time disclaims the authority to
order any college team from engaging in
game with the George Washington team
in these words: Yale can go on PLAYING
colleges, II 1t wants to, and so can George
Washington. if the colleges will play
them"
Referring to Mr. Sullivan's statement
that Through our alliance, the colleges
recognize our right to disqualify for pro-
fessionalism.' the member said: "As
far as George Washington is con-
cerned this statement could not apply be-
cause our institution is not a member of
the Intercollegiate Association of Anna
teur Athletes of America. but is a mem
Der of the intercollegiate Athletic Asso-
citation of the. United States, the latter
having no alliance whatsoever with the
Amateur Athletic Union. In the case of
Yale the member continued, "she is