Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-07

from the awful presence of the registra-
ton committee of the Amateur Athletic
Union metropolitan districD last night
with a tat cigar in his right hand. Il
never smoke" said he, as he gave the
thing to a waiter But il beats the
band how nice the registration commit
tee can be when they are in wrong and
have to exonerate you on fool charges
after suspending you without hearing
The cigar was given to me as peace
offering, / suppose"
They say burned child breads the fire,
and somebody some time, has said that
fools rush in where angels fear to
tread Well, the registration committee
wrote itself down last night as willing to
stand for the horse sense in both of these
maxims.
Suspended for Trifes.
A few days ago Mr.. Obertubessing and
Mr.. Warner. who comprise two-thirds OF
this extraordinary committee, threw into
the outer darkness of suspension six or
Americas greatest athletes on charges
so flimsy that a protest loud and en-
phatic was aroused throughout the coun-
try. The men were Melvin Sheppard,
greatest middle distance runner in the
world: Harry F. Porter, worlds cham
pion high jumper; George Bonhag, dis
tance runner: Charley Bacon, hurdler. all
of the Irish American a. c.; Frederick
Bellows of the New York Athletic Club,
distance -:nner. and Jimmy Lee. formerly
OF the Boston A. c.. but now unattached.
Bonhag was accused of accepting
prize of greater value than $50 at set
OF games in the 74th Regiment Armory
at Buffalo. Jimmy Lee was accused OIL
being out Of a job The other four were
accused of charging for meals and sleep
ing berths on the trip to Buffalo
The presumption evidently on the part
of the registration committee was that
an athlete with worlds record must
travel in cattle car and sleep on
dock when he is invited to compete at
meet. So that all six were suspended
December - without hearing or decent
regard for their rights.
Ready With Defense.
Last night the committee met in the
Astor House. The suspended men were
notified to be on hand with whatever
medals or junk they had won in their
career in amateur athletics. Four of
them were there. Sheppard had a box
of prizes as big as a circus wagon. He
had tucked the stuff all the way from
Philadelphia, where he is Employed in the
customs department.
They accuse me of charging S31. 10
from Philadelphia to Buffalo and back"
he said Well, it cost $3.50. Maybe
they didn't expect me to eat in transit
and thought l would sleep in hallway.
/ have over 800 prizes in this box-mostly
firsts-and they can have them all back
if they expect me to travel like a hobo
when l go as a star to one of those
meets"
And that's the key to the whole bust
ness.
Every aspiring athletic club which con-
templates holding a meet thinks first of
all the drawing cards. Naturally the
stars are sought. When the expense bills
are turned in there Is yell OF agony.
Then follows a long, low mysterious
growl and then-the registration commit
tee with its ever-ready AK.
Not one of the bills offered by the ac-
cused men last night showed anything
that ought not to have been charged and
some of them indicated that the men
were losers on the trip.
The Two Absentees.
Harry Porter and George Bonhag were
not present Porter is in Chicago, and
Bonhag is taking night course in en-
gineering.
Jimmy Lee, who was accused of what
may be classified hereafter as athletic
vagrancy," was called into the sacred
presence of the three inquisitors, and
when the charge was recited against
him he was bowed out respectfully with
the apologies of the committee.
1t was worse in Bacon's case. He was
accused of receiving So to pay his hotel
bill in Buffalo. He did not stay in a
hotel the night of the games, December
II. He took the 1920 train back to
New York city after the contests and
sent the So hotel allowance to Maj. Violin
of the 74th Regiment the very next day.
for which he got a receipt dated Decem-
Der Is When the committee saw the re-
ceipt 1t doubled itself up. Why Bacon
sent back this money is one OF the jokes
of the whole proceeding. Did Bacon
think he was not expected to sleep on
bed?
There were no difficulties in the way
of the other accused men. 1t was plain
that the committee wanted to undo the
foolish work it had already done in be-
smirching the whole body of amateur
athletic sport, and it admitted that this
had followed a fool roast In some news
paper.
In the case of Bonhag, 1t was shown
that a special prize awarded at the Buff
falo games had not been accepted by him
because James E. Sullivan had advised
him not to receive 1t.
Mike Driscoll of the Mercury Athletic
Club was also on the carpet on some
charge. but he was told to beat it..
Some Real Business.
The committee having disposed Of the
suspensions announced that the A. A. u.
would not tolerate an athlete who de-
manded appearance prizes7sthat is, a prize
whether he won or lost; that II would not
allow professional coaches or trainers to
receive expense money for an athlete or
set of athletes; that it would not allow an
athlete to accumulate prize orders and In
stead of several small prizes receive one
expensive one; that 1t would not allow an
athlete to choose his own prize and that
il would not deem a scratch event con-
test where only two athletes were en-
tered.
IL decided against the Irish-Americar
Athletic Club in regard to the point tro-
ply won at the Eccentric F'iremen's games
held recently at the 18th Regiment Ar
mory At that meet the Pastime A. G.
captured the most points of the scheduled
events. but in order to allow several
champions TO compete a special event was
added to the program and the members OF
the Winged Fist organization scored
enough points in this event II bring their
total above those Tailed by the Pastime
latter clnh protested and its