Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-15
Summer Baseball.

| The discussion of summer baseball
which occurred at the recent annual
meeting of the Intercollegiate Athletic
| Association of the United States, in
New York City, has called forth
large amount of comment from various
sections of the country. While there
was a division of sentiment among the
delegates to the meeting, the opinion
Of the members seems to have been
quite general that there is no sensible
or logical reason why bona fide
students in colleges or preparatory
schools should not be permitted to
play ball during their summer vaca-
tons, if by so doing they are enabled
to earn money towards defraying the
expenses of their education.
| Very many college students in all
parts of the country, and especially in
the East, are obliged to depend in
whole or in part upon their own
resources in securing an education. If
|
money playing ball during the summer
vacation than they could possibly Sc
cure in any other temporary employ
ment that might be open to them,
there does not appear to be the slight
est reason in good sense or go ID
morals why they should not be per-
| ,,,;%< oI ,lo - T,r ho-y
read the arguments advanced against
such liberty being allowed to students
of this class, as presented at the re-
cent meeting of the intercollegiate
Athletic Association, we are frank to
say that they impress us as peculiarly
narrow and bigoted and bound
1t was a pleasure to see such eminent
men as Professor H. c. Tufts and
Professor J. P. Welch have the courage
| to present the other side of the case
with a logical clearness and force
which must have carried great weight
with their associates at the meeting
since they at least awaited to prevent
the association from adopting rules
that would prohibit students from
earning money for educational pur-
poses in this manner, the matter being
left, as before to the decision of each
of the various institutions represented
in the association.
| Coach A. A. Stage Of the Chicago
University appears to have been the
| leader among those who would shut off
this opportunity for poor students to
and legitimate manner, and we have
faith to believe that the arguments
which he advanced in support of his
contention-which impressed us as
peculiarly short sighted and narrow
did not carry great weight with
the older and broader men
who participated in the meeting
We do not understand that Mr.
Stage would object to students
earning money for educational pur-
poses during his long vacation by
waiting upon table or canvassing for
books or by engaging in any form of
manual labor but he holds up his
hands in holy horror az the idea that
students who are able to play ball,
and who by playing on summer teams
at various resorts would be able to
earn vastly more than would be pOssi-
BILE in any other pursuits that would be
open to them. should avail themselves
of such opportunities.
1t is matter of general satisfaction
and congratulation that here in Maine
a broader, and, we believe, saner
view prevails upon this subject While
professionalism is even more strictly
excluded from the institutions of our
State than is the case in some institu-
tions where summer baseball playing
is vigorously prohibited. no attempt is
made to prevent bona fide students
from earning money during the long
summer vacation by playing on vari-
Gus summer baseball teams, the
restriction being very properly made
that this shall not extend to teams
that play ball under the national
agreement, which agreement covers
practically all the strictly professional
ball teams of the country.
BY all means let US give the hard
working students of our State who are
endeavoring to secure the advantag es
of a liberal education every possible
possible by playing on summer ball
teams.
The postal savings bank bill is now be-
fore the United States Senate as unfin-