Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-16
WILL BAR MANY AMATEURS
HENLEY RULE APPLIED TO
ENTRIES FOR OLYMPIC RACES.

THE rules promulgated by the Ameri-
can committee in charge of arranging en-
tries for the Olympic regatta next July in
England have caused an intense fiutter
among the rank and file OF oarsmen con-
nected with the hundred OF rowing clubs
throughout America" remarked local
rowing authority recently, simply be-
cause the Olympian committee has
adopted the English rule in regard TO the
qualification of an Oarsman.
The rule which Messrs. Julian Curtiss
and James Pilkington have just issued to
the American clubs reads: That the entry
does not contain the name of any who is.
and never has been by trade or employ
ment for wages. a mechanic. artisan or
laborer. or engaged in any mental work.
This is the rule that is employed at the
Henley. and confines the entry list eX-
clusively to those dubbed jim England as
gentlemen
The American oarsmen were under
the impression that the rules of the
Olympic regatta were to be more liberal.
and that this clause would be left out, in
order that America could send over its
best men to meet the pick of the world.
"Why, the very man who is acting Spon-
sor for this drastic English definition OF
eligible to enter such a regatta, and in
his club, the Harlems of New York, with
d membership of over one hundred. there
are not ten who will pass muster. and he
knows that what applies to his club also,
with few exceptions, is applicable TO most
of the amateur clubs of America.
eff the rule is adhered to-" declared the
aquatic expert, there will be very little
chance of securing a frst-class rowing
club crew to represent America. and the
Arna cOmrnitfaA will have To lunr
colIegianS to do the trick. Zane, the
celebrated stroke of Philadelphia, who.
by common consent. is regarded as the
principal candidate for a position on the
crew is ineligible under this definition. as
he is a draughtsman and is employed in
the office of a Philadelphia architect.
Under the English definition he is an
artisan and gets money for his handi-
craft. hence he cannot compete with
the gentlemen of England.
Think of 1t; right at home here among
our own local clubs, Analostans and
Potomacs, any of the members of either
club who are draughtsmen in the Interior
or Navy Department, designers in the
architects office of the Treasury, or en-
gravers over at the bureau of engraving
and printing. or a compositor or electro
tyDer in the office of The Star-none
would be qualified to row in a race across
the water
when the stewards of the Henley re-
gatta cut out this year all outside entries
and stated that the Olympic regatta would
afford foreigners full scope TO show
their mettle. it was thought that this OBJ
iectionable rule would be cut out. and
every man welcomed because his club
stood sponsor for his amateur standing,
but the issuing of the rule which adhereS
to the English definition has caused. as l
said, a great wave of Indignation among
our amateur clubs.
There are very few oarSmen who Will
compel for the places in the boat, as it
will now be more than 30 per cent harder
to get the necessary men together to
train for such race, hence ii would look
as if the American committee will have
to select one of the college winners of
either Poughkeepsie or New London to
go abroad as the representative crew OF
this country.
THE difference between the oarsmen
of England and America" said President
Merritt of the Potomac Boat Club. lis
manifold. In England only men of lei
sure and no occupation row boats; ia
America it's the man of occupation look
land the man of leisure is the gentleman
and the man OF business the tradesman;
in America the man of business is the
gentleman and the man of leisure the
tramp"
The Olympic regatta is a farce as far
as American oarsmen are concerned. and
President James Pilkington ought to be
ashamed to append his name as a big
gun of the National Association of ANA
teur Oarsmen Of America to such a docu-
ment as he sent out last week. was the
remark of a prominent Analostan MEM
her,