The Washington herald., 1908-03-15
FIGHT SUMMER BALL
Colleges Preparing to Settle
Much MOOted Question.
SOME FAVOR LOWERING BARS
Maine Colleges, Brown, and student
Bodies of Wesleyan, Williams, and
Amherst Fail to see where IL Dis
qualities Student To Accept Money
During Vacation for Playing hail.

During Vacation for Playing Ball.
Boston, March H-"Summer baseball
playing by college students for remunera-
tion has been one of the most serious
questions confronting faculties and ath-
letic committees.
For years those having supervision OF
the sports of the colleges made de-
termined Efforts TO eradicate the practice
and no institution Of the country was free
from what was generally recognized as
an evil and a grave menace TO amateur
sport. Ia many cases the athletic authori-
ties accomplished little or nothing; others
minimzed the number of offending cases.
while some OF the larger colleges practi-
cally eliminated the evil after years OF
persistent effort.
In those institutions where success was
not attained. and where students per-
sisted in playing for money under as
sUmed names and covered their tracks so
cleverly that il was next to impossible 20
secure evidence that would lead to their
veloped a reactionary sentiment Many
leading educators came out openly in
favor OF summer ball playing" on the
ground that playing professionally in the
open was a lesser evil than the deceit and
lying practised by those students who
played under cover.
Another idea WAS advanced at the same
frna H1f ~r.. -
work his way through college should not
be deprived OF an honest method Of earn
ing money to pay for his education; that
10 employ his talent as ball player was
rar better than 10 DO mental service for
less pay. and that II he did play for
money for the honorable purpose OF gain
ing an education. he ought not to be de-
graded by the dlctum that he was not
III to play upon the same nine with boys.
more fortunate than himself who were
not compelled 10 earn their way through
college.
Maine Is willing.
These various estimates are held by
many educators whose motives cannot be
questioned. The result has been that all
the Maine colleges several years ago
adopted rules which let down the bars
and permitted their students to play base
bali professionally with clubs not un Ter
the national agreement. Brown University
followed suit and after numerous meet
ings adopted a similar rule. Last summer
most Of the members of the Brown nine
played professionally in the South.
That the sentiment in favor Of letting
down the bars is growing. especially
among the sO-called smaller colleges. is
plainly indicated by the recent votes
taken by The students OF Wesleyan. Will
Jams. anC Amherst. In each Of these col
leges the student opinion was over
whelmingly in favor Of summer base
baIl' under conditions similar 10 those OBJ
taining at Brown. These votes are not
official and do not necessarily mean that
these colleges viii countenance summer
ball"
Last fall the Dartmouth athletic coun-
ell took the most drastic steps 20 eiimin-
ate summer baseball and disqualified
almost a whole nine. The council re-
ceived the unqualified support OF Presi-
dent Tucker and many members Of the
faculty, and the student body has ac-
cepted the edict with a splendid spirit.
and has taken up the task OF building up
new nine with enthusiasm.
At Harvard and Yale the athletic au-
thorities believe they have the situation
well in hand and they hailed with de-
light the courageous stand taken by the
Dartmouth council.
As one prominent athletic committee
man expressed II recently: Some Offend
ers may get by once in a while, but in
the main we have eliminated summer
bali playing and DartmOuths action
helps the cause
The argument against summer ball
playing is perfectly sound. There is no
class distinction in this country al least
between the college amateur and the
college professional man for man. un-
less the professional engages in a sport
that is not reputable. This is especially
true of baseball which is generally rec
ognized by those at all familiar with the
subject as the cleanest and most hon
est OF all professional sports. Whatever
criticism we may make Of those who
control professional baseball. it must be
admitted that they have maintained the
integrity Of the sport. and have made It
worthy to be called the national game "
No Injury 10 Players.
There is no odium attached 10 a pro
fessional ball player. Ex-baH players
who played for money hold honorable
places in the priesthood, in the profess
sions. and in business life. The cases are
without number. No one has ever inti-
mated that Grant and Storke the Ma
tional League player in the Harvard
law school. have lost caste among their
fellows because they are professional ball
players a man is accepted for what
he IS rowdy ball player. amateur or
professional. is likely to show these traits
in other walks Of life. and is judged ac-
cordingly.
Amateur sport in its highest ideal is
sport for sports sake. 1t is a high ideal
and worth striving for. IN our colleges
most OF all. The definition of an amateur
is almost universal The line between
amateurism and professionalism IS not
imaginary; the amateur who wishes TO
maintain his standing knows positively
when he gets to this line, and ne who is
not so conscientious knows when he has
crossed it. The college ball player who
accepts money for his services plainly
violates the rule that governs all anna
teur sport, and is liable 10 disqualified
ton In any other branch Of sport in
which he may wish 10 engage
1t is maintained that the sports OF our
colleges should be conducted upon a
higher plane than the sports governed by
the A. A. L. and kindred organizations.
and yet the A. A. P, with all its imper-
fections, would never let down the bars
in one sport and thus discriminate in
favor of baseball though there was a