Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-17
Tom Eek Tells About
Trouble Over Longboat.
English Universities Decline
American Challenge.
Another YawI Enters For Ocean
Race to Bermuda.

Bosthn Feb. 1G-In a signed state
ment regarding the controversy be-
tween the Amateur Athletic Union or
the United States and the Canadian
Amateur Athletic Union over tha
standing Of Longboat, Tom Eek re-
cites the trouble Of year ana tells Of
Longboat's reinstatement. He then
continues:
The A. A. L. officials had an AK to
grind with the Canadian Union and
their time came at Buffalo last sum
iner An athletic meet was advertised
ana sanctioned by the A. A. T. About
~ athletes came over from Canada to
compete An extra event vas put on,
an automobile race, to take place after
the games, with Kid Mccoy and son7a
one else to compete. This was a BRO
feSsional event, and when James i.
Sullivan, president Of the A. a. 4
heard Of this he withdrew the permit
for the games. But his representative.
IN Buffalo did not tell the Canadian,
athletes or the American athletes that
the permit was withdrawn. They had
about 10000 people on the grounds: Re
was not giving back any gate receipts.
The Canadians won their prizes, re-
ceiVed them and went home. to fni
themselves all suspended by the A. 4.
L. But the American athletes were
not suspended. No one told the Cana
dian athletes or Longboat that th4
permit was Withdrawn, and Sullivan
suspended his representatives in Bufra-
10 for life.
THE Canadians had their cards from
the Canadian Union TO compete at Buff
falo and they thought everything was
right. If they had known the permit
had been withdrawn they would have
respected the A. A. L. president ana
all of them would have walked off the
field.
The above are facts and that is all
that stands against Tom Longb1a+ ana
the balance Of the Canadian athletes,
one of the most fimsy and boyfsn
charges that has ever been brought up
against q body of athletes A CON-
mittee of school boys could have
Strengthened this affair out in ali hour.
when it was thought of having
LonSboat run in Boston Mr.. Fiana gam
got permit from the G.. A. A. IT, to
hold his meet in Boston and he had
permit for Lcngboat ana the other
men to compete here. He cut out the
bicycle races ana the roller skating
races, as these lines are affiliated with
the A. \. T., 50 no one competed in
Boston but Canadians, and there is
no rule in the Canadian or American
Union to stop either from giving a
meet in the others territory So the
meet here was nothing more than an
offset tG the Montreal meet of last
summer
"Shrubb ran two races in Boston at
the Park Square coliseum ana came
close to the worlds record each time.
l saw him run here and I thought the
track short. Longhoat came here and
ran 10 miles over the same track Now.
when | say the same I mean exactly
foot for foot that Shrubb ran. | will
admit the track was short hut il cuts
no figure how much short; il was ey-
actly The same short track Shrubb
ran on. And the floor does not shrink
and expand for Longboat IT was an
nounced he would attempt to lower the
time made by Shrubb ana he accom-
pEshcd exactly what Mr.. Flanagan
thought he could do. Tom I.ongboat
does not claim any record for the
event nor does Mr.. Flanagan. but the
fact remains that Longhoat went II
laps to the mile and was timed by Il
watches
Il see some of the critics are trying
TO ring me in as manager Of Longboat.
L do not manage him in any shape or
form. | could be his trainer just the
same as Mike Murphy or any other
trainer could handle athletes. ana
LOngboat has as much right to have 4
trainer as any other athlete"