The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-29

reiqsd without oheck1
Nov, what connection can be made
out between the circumstance that .
student earns a little money by playing
summer baseball and either one OF the two
evils which can be attributed TO profes-
.Dsionalisn? .19aa experience shown that
such q student -comea 70 make baseball
bis one business while in college 70 any
greater extent than "a the case With other
players who do not derive a pecuniary
benefit from playing baseball In summer
But II Is said the present restrictions
cannot be removed and the other regula-
tions be retained and efficiently enforced.
Consistency would lead 10 their abandon
ment. And with that abandonment We
should have again that deplorable oondi-
ton from. which, thanks 70 the genius Of
amateurism, we have been 20 happily req
cued. yIfisI take II Is Prof. Wild's main
defence Of the present regulation.
But | think Prof. Wild should show for
what particular reasons this restriction
muAt be kept on In order to maintain ehec-
lively tho other regulations, admitting. a
/ am willing 10 do. that they are necessary
for good college athletics. In particular
let maabk, II We permit q student 10 earn
money IN summer by bic skill in baseball,
Why must we In order 10 be consistent allow
tn practice of Offering pecuniary induce
NNEAANl ~ ANoAN AA nAALNlAA INV WI
leEel 10 We permit summer baseball with
pecunlary compensation. how win Il Be moro
dlt1oult 10 enforce the regulation against
Offering pecuniary i~nduoements 10 secure
desirable playersi Are moi the reasons for
this regulation quite different from, quite
independent Of. those reasons which would
justify the removal Of the restriction upon
summer baseballi And II the reasons in
the two cases are not the same, how can II
be inconsistent a 10 annul the ons regula-
ton while We keep In force the othsrf'
Prof. Russell belongs to the party which
contends that a student should be In college
in good faith and In h~illstanding and should
play a clean and manly game for all eligi-
hllity qualifications. He and those who
think with him do not believe In restrict
ing participation In athletics by any such
Determination az Ia Indicated by the tlnan-
dRl qualification. Prof. Russell believes
that the rule against summer baseball
playing Ia unfair because II entails upon
those students who desire and who deserve
the privilege Of representing their college
needless %pecuniaTy sacrifice The answers
10 these arguments; ~ set forth by Prof.
Wild, appear 20 be inconolusive, There
is one point reached by those who are
against summer baseball which when they
have attained It ends the argument,
They say, az Prof. wild says PRO
fesslonAlism, even the professionalism
Of high minded men, works wrong to col
lege athletics,' But that Is a statement
merely, and is not supported by any arEu-
ment, These men insist that an athlete
must take his choice. Either he may
play summer baseball and be loyal 10 his
own interests or Ire may play college base
ball and be loyal 10 his college. II ID con-
tended that the regulation iB as reasonable
"a one requiring o man 10 have certain
lung capacity in order to make a team.
II lie has not the capacity required he
may 60 to soma other college where that
rule ia not in force. The argument re-
duces itself 10 this: In some colleges
there Is n rule against playing baseball
in summer. like SHINE other college rules
II is there 10 be obeyed. II It Ia not, the.
student should he punished. But because
it is a rule is no sign that II 10 right. II
the students who are governed by those
rules object 70 them there should be re-
vision or at least review.
Prof. Wild says " the desire u win
spirit we're eliminated there would be no
talk Of summer baseball. because thsp the
athlete would not attract so much atten-
ton and the games would not draw the
professional amateur. The Williams Record
saws about this: Nov, at the outset, II
must IN admitted that sport for sports
sake is the highest ideal OF amateur sport.
No one, however, will gainsay the state
ment that the desire Ia win Is a strong
element in intercollegiate contests. II Ia
likely. moreover, 20 remain 80, represent
ing a. II does a natural tendency. But
this desire for victory is evidently as strong
in the institutions restricted by eligibility
rules as in those in which summer baseball
restrictions have been discarded II II Is
present under restrictions as we'll as with
out them. in what manner is the sport 10
be injured by the removal OF these limita-
tions?
'The point Is Immediately raised that
professionalism will honeycomb college
athletics 10 their utter perversion. What
reason Ia there 10 believe that a removal
Of restrictions at Williams will affect clean
ness Of sport by leaving open the door 10
the inducement Of professionally We feel
sure that at Williams at least the senti-
ment is sufficiently strong and effective 10
d-iscountananca any such practice OF ringer
employment. THE may sound. indeed, as
a claim for the impossible. But in certain
other colleges, where summer baseball re-
strCtions have been withdrawn the anti
professional sentiment is Of sufficient
strength 10 prevent any such practice. Is
there any reason then 10 regard the senti-
ment Of Williams in regard to professional
ism az inferior 20 that displayed at other
institutional
In taking a general view OF the alleged
evil OF the victory lust we take occasion
70 inquire into the conditions attendant
on games in which the desire 10 win has
been totally eliminated To doubt the posi-
bility OF any such games being played may
seem heresy. The more we think Of II,
however, the more difficult do We find It 10
form a conception Of a game played without
that desire. A lucid description, therefore,
OF a game played absolutely without that
desire for victory would prove interesting
az we'll az instructive. Competitive athletics
can hardly be engaged In without this de-
sire. For is not competition a strife for
superiority or the essence Of rivalry?,
'We fail TO see how the creation Of a re-
s~trictive code OF rules will avail In fostering
a spirit Of playing a game merely for the
satisfaction Of giving an exhibition Of skill
Adjustment OF competitive athletics would
then seem necessary for the attainment OF
the ideal, Such a step would be a con-
fession Of inability to meet the. situation.
1t would be q waving Of the question and
a resorting 10 destructive where there
ought to be constructive methods
After Chicago's basketball team won
the Western championship by beating
Wisconsin on the Madison floor the Ddilp
Cardinal OF Wisconsin said: We are
proud Of the second best team In Western
college basketball; we believe in Eastern
college basketball as well. Without con-
lectures on what might have been. We are
proud Of the men and OF their coach for
what they have done during the last two
months and for the splendid record with
which they closed the season. Chicago IL
to be congratulated not merely for victory
but for winning on a foreign floor and be- !
fore an audience which while not in any