The San Francisco call., 1908-08-16
Soccer Clubs TO Return
to the P. A. A. A.
Grievances Oufgrown and De-
SerfiOn of Four Years Ago
Viii Be Forgotten
By Bob Shand

The return of the association foot
ballers to the ranks of the Pacific
amateur athletic association is one of
the biggest surprises of the season. At
the meeting of the executive board held
the other night the matter was
broached with tardiness, but when
every one had had his say it was
found that there was a unanimous
sentiment in favor of again being af-
iliated with the parent body. 1t will
be remembered that the association
was a member of the Pacific amateur
athletic association four years ago,
but withdrew from the leading
legged lack of interest in the football
yerS. Since that time the football as
sociation has had a registration body
of its own, and committee was ap-
pointed to look into the amateur
status of every player taking part in
matches under its jurisdiction.
This arrangement worked well for
time and the Pacific amateur ath-
letic association was willing to rec
ognize the amateur status of a
player registered with the football as
sociation, but, on realizing the whole
situation, the delegates were of the
opinion that there was nothing to gain
by remaining out of the association and
that there would be added prestige to
tie amateur SIduQlHR Oh the players
We're they affiliated with the oganiza-
tion. AT the meeting the other night
1t was, of course, impossible TO do any
thing definite, as the gathering was
only preliminary to the general meet
ing. but the members of the executive
committee were unanimous in declar-
ing in favor of going back into the real
amateur fold.
The original cause of the desertion
of the footballers is an interesting &
story When the California football
UNION, as 1t was then known. became
affiliated with the Pacific amateur
athletic association it was understood
that the latter body would take an
interest in the soccer game and see
that all the players were bona fide
amateurs. This arrangement worked
all right for few months, but it was
ultimately discovered that the Pa
cific amateur athletic association had
little interest in the amateur standing &
of the football players, but was more
interested in the membership fee This
fee amounted to only quarter. but
there were at least 400 members of
the football league and the aggregate
sum amounted to a size that appealed
TO the finance committee of the asso-
citation. Things came to such a pass
that the registration committee
passed the names of a dozen members
of the football association without due
investigation and the football COM
mittee began to sit up and observe
things.
The deliberations of the committee
resulted in the withdrawal of the body
from the ranks of the Pacific
ing alleged that the parent body was
taking but little interest in soccer and
that it was an easy matter for a few
professionals to slip through the hands
of the registration committee unknown.
The registration committee of the foot
ball union was then appointed and any
player wishing to play soccer In this
state had to become affiliated with the
football committee direct instead of
registering with the association Now
that the latter body has been reorgan-
I lied and some capable men placed at
the head of affairs, the football men are
willing to forget their former griev-
anceS and join forces with the parent
body with a view TO purifying amateur
athletics in the state. 1t has long been
the boast of the soccer people that their
game was the purest bona fide amateur
game played in California, and this is
probably the truth. Although an ad-
mission fee is charged at some of the
games, tle majority of the contests are
open to the public free, and the sums
taken at the gates where admission is
charged hardly cover expenses.
BURNS CLUB ELECTS OFFICERS
The Robert Burns football club held
an enthusiastic meeting at Jefferson
Square hall the other evening and
elected the following officers to serve
through the ensuing season: Honorary
president, Joseph Journeay; honorary
vice president AL Abrahams: president.
A. F. Conner; vice president, Craig
Wallace; secretary, ]. b. Low; treas
urer, Tom Forbes. An enormous
amount of business was brought before
the meeting and when the members
found themselves flooded with amend
ments at midnight it was resolved to
adjourn the meeting and call another
session in 80 days. The matter of
grounds will then be settled.
The annual general meeting of the
San Francisco football team has been
called for Tuesday. August Is, at
Eighth and Minna streets. Officers for
the season will be elected and a large
gathering of past and present members
of the club is expected. The annual
meeting of the Independents will take
place at the same place some time in
| the first week of September. Tom
Wood, secretary of the league has an
nounced that the league will hold it's
annual general meeting between the
1st and 10th of September. but he is
waiting to hear from the delegates
before fixing a date There promises to
be lively doings at the league meeting
as the delegates have long been wait
ing for a chance TO take a soak at the
association.
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