New-York tribune., 1909-02-22
COMMENT ON SPORTS
pT-LLI4M AND BASEBALL.
Nesrs and Tie1cS on Current Topics,
Amateur and Professional.

Nesrs and Tie1rS on Current Topics,
Amateur and Professional.
-cfv days as s baseball man are numbered"
-ere the words Of Harry G Pullisul president Of
Sbe National League. at dinner IN Chicago on
wednesday, and truly it would so. unless
so-aethng can be done TO end the constant bicker-
ing and strife with his associates MI Pullians
statement that the National League did not want
hin ss president any longer, and that it wanted TO
70 back 70 the days OF dealing from the bottom OF
.he pack hiding the cards under the table, and 10
the days when the trade mark the gum shoe.
4ns the result, no doubt, Of overwrousht ner-
v7ous condition Ban B. johnson. president Of the
American League and member Of the national
commission. suggested his kindly way that Mr..
7'ulsz1 had been under a strain in the last
Few weeks. and that baseball men would refuse to
believe there any substantial grounds for
his rtatement- This probably true. but It be-
gins 10 look II Adr. Pullian had outlved his
fulness unless he maintain at least show OF
poise in dealing with his associates in the league.
He himself acknowledges that he ordered Barney
Dreyfus and Charley E5bbets out Of his Office in
Nev York recently, ana his wordy war with
Charles W Murphy, OF the Chicago club, has had
undue publicity. The provocation needs have
been great for NJ. Pullian 10 take such radical
action as ordering club from his Office, and
without knowing the Facts It would be unfair to
critic.se his action harshly, but the fact re-
mains that "a house divided against itself cannot
stand" and that the president Of any organization
must command the respect and secure the COOP
Grafton Of his associates Il the best results to
be obtained
Harry c. PuIiaTn has done much for organized
baseball IL the last few years. and il is cause for
deep regret that fiji health and q peculiarly high
strung temperament have led him at times TO an
fasonize the very interests which IL should have
been his study hold together. I have been and
still an great adirer Of PuldaIn for his straight
forward and vigorous fight for clean sport He has
chs Grr1-1frT7 rf thA MIA n
heStated to take up the cudgels In their be-
half IT, his opinion. they In the right Only
s xsar ago he won. practically single handed, 8
Sght against the famous blacklist resolution
OF the minor leagues and at that time was so
wrought up over what he considered the looseness
Of associates that he threatened to hand in his
resignation Followers Of the sport ere not clear
the causes for the present outbreak. but
there is 8 feeling that the umpire bribery is
bottom OF il all It begins 70 look az II the
club owners were in favor of letting the subject
drop. whereas N all probability Pulliarn in his
straightforward way. Is destrous Of giving IL 1ul
publicity prevent the faintest sur being cast on
the good name organized baseball II this is the
case Mr. Pullam is in the right The directors OF
the National League should have heststed 10 make
the charges public if Il WAS not their purpose TO
follow them Up. II is hoped that g long rest may
Go PulBanl a world good and that he may re-
turn 70 take his work with all his old v1gor.
He is strong executive 20 lose. and It IS
well that the troubled waters were snaoothed over,
least for the present
Some two weeks ago in this colt 1 felt called
Uron 20 criticise unfavorabiy the newly adopted
rule Of the Western Golf Association hasten
now 10 correct q mistake which was unwittiugly
made through incomplete report Of the proceed
fngs Of the meeting Having secured copy Of the
new amateur rule, find that one section. end
important one. omitted in the published
report TIE criticism directed against the
final clause of the amateur rule which read: NO
person shall he considered amateur golfer
who has been professional in any other
tranch OF a1hleucs' This struck altogether
unfair and uasportsmanlike. but entirely new
complexion is PIT upon the rue by the following
provision. which, said before WAS lot reported:
Any person having become ineligible 10 compete
SECTION may be duly reinstated upon his giving
ciaIion Of uIeriCing such reinstatement
This cuts the claws of the tiger. to speak. and
removes what would have been unfair discrim
nation against many golfers who in spite Of being
professionals tiTns smother In nns
Of sport. are playing golf for recreation and
with the true amateur spirit The rule AZ It
stands IS z good one, q IT throws down the
gauntlet &c the nesr-amatsur in uncertain way.
Princeton and Cornell appear be drawing fur
Ther and further away from each other in athlet-
sos. and Il cause for regret. as that Cornell
Is ranked with the five leading colleges in the
East a.hletcaily the two should natural rivals.
Football relations were cut OF last fall because
date could not be arranged. and now the base
ball games dropped for the same reason.
Strange that with thirTy-three games the
schedule Princeton could find date two
that would bs satisfactory to CornalL It would
be interesting know which manager at
fault whether there something back OF IL
al which led both colleges to avoid meeting.
Princeton gets strong opponent IN place OF Cor
rel by The game with Brown. but it would have
been satisfying Il both games could have
been arranged When the time comes for Yale,
Harvard Princeton. Pennsylvania. Cornell. Brown,
Dartmouth and. say Columbia Amherst to
chance 70 pick out the real champion Of the col
lsge baseball season
Il begins TO look as If Harvard had solved the
problem for the proper control OF athletics
through the organization Of the Student Council.
Several months ago. when the agitation at Cam
bridge against intercollegiate sports reached
point where it appeared Il the faculty would
adopt prohibitory measures. a breathing spell
granted 70 the undergraduates petition. signed
oy sixteen hundred students. to try a plan,
and the council. made up Of twenty-one members,
vas formed 70 save athletics by eradicating
tain obvious evils connected with them and TO
graduate activities. That the plan worked
70 the satisfaction Of Harvard men is apparent
from the following excerpt from article the
subject IN The Harvard Bulletin:
Ths position Of the council is unique. II has no
authority except what is given It by public
any Of the governing bodies. or TO assume general
function In general Is that Of influence not Of
coercion II confers with the governing bodies and
makes recommendations 10 them II watches
closely all the UNDERGRADUATE activities open
competition. such the athletic teams the musical
clubs, and the Dramatic Club. but the only definite
ority IL has assumed Is the right prevent
from participating in the various student activities
those men who show an u1willngness TO co-operats
with council In its effect TO put such activities