The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-15
HACKENSCHMIDT IS MAKING BIG BLUFF Russian Hid Away When Gotch
 Was Near NOW ISSUES CHALLENGE "Purer Than Thou" Spirit of English Sportsmen Is Douched By Scot
 tsh Charges of Profes-
 sonaIism.
NOW ISSUES CHALLENGE
BY RICHARD pAhLeREN.

London. February 14-Sporung men, especially those of the sporting contin- gent are disposed to smile at Hacken- schmidt's side-stepping of Frank Gotch' the American wrestling champion It IS understood that the chief aim of the American wrestlers trip to England was to get a match with the Russian Lion, who had claimed that in his last match with Gotch in Chicago everything short of assassination had been done to him to prevent his winning. All of Goteh efforts to get on a match with Hacken- schmidt while he was here were unavall- ing. Now that Gotch has gone home the Russian expresses his willingness to go to America for match provided he is guaranteed Sl2,O00. win, lose or draw.
 It is the very general impression that Hackenschmidt has had all of Gotch' game he wants.
 The states will have a chance to see some high-class soccer football next fall when the Pilgrim team proposes to make another American tour.
 The Pilgrim team will be selected from "AlI England and will be explained by Vivian J. Woodward, who was the cap tain when the Pilgrims played the inter national match with Scotland before lOO,- GOO people last season. That game result ed In a tie, 1 to l.
 Fred J. Mines, another famous player will be with the squad which will arrive here the latter part of next September
 Games will be played in New York, Newark, Boston, Providence, Chicago and St Louis, and in the latter city an in ternational match will be arranged be- tween the best team which can be picked in America. After this game is played the Pilgrims and the All-Americans will both go to England where a long tour is being arranged.
 Americans who are rather tired of the superior air assumed by the British anna teur athletic world as to the taint of professionalism in American amateur athletics are smiling broadly over the mix-up in the Rugby football union. The Scottish Rugby union, one of the most powerful footbals associations in Great Britain, bluntly refused to play the an- nual game with the English teams, be-
  not only tainted with, but encouraged professionalism. The cause of the Scot tish unions action was the discovery that New Zealand and Australian teams vis- iting England in addition to receiving full expenses were also granted fur ther sum of $5 per week per man.
 The charges were not denied by the English authorities, but they are raising a hullaballoo because Scotland did not display more tact and have the matter settled without publicity. English foot ball men, instead of telling Scotland that the beam in their eye would be drasti- cally removed, are endeavoring to com promise the matter by not only enlarging the definition of amateurism, but by mak- ing the relations of amateurs and pro- fessionals intimate, permitting both to compete In all branches of sport.
 Scotlands action is the biggest sporting sensation England has known in years.
 Americans, with years of familiarity with various British sports, say a rigor- ous investigation would reveal the fact that professionalism, which Is now ad- mittedly attached to Rugby, extends through the fabric of other sports whose amateurism until now has been unques- toned. Some of the biggest amateur cricket players are said to constantly re- ceive substantial cash presents for their playing ability.
 While the general committee of the Rugby football union was sitting at Lei cester recently, MT. Crane, president of the union, left the meeting and handed the press a copy of the letter of his resignation, stating his reason was his disapproval of the policy toward profes- sionalism, 1t being rather encourag ment than an effort to eradicate pro- fessonalism. Altogether it is a very pretty miX-up.
 Miss May Sutton, the famous lawn ten his player, who won the English cham pionship in 1907. has decided to visit Eng land again next summer, and will bring with her a team of picked players. Miss Sutton did not compete in the cham ponship at Wimbledon last year.
 The result of the Longboat- -Shrubb race was a disappointment here. It was con- ndently expected that Shrubb would beat the Indian. Some satisfaction was ex- pressed that the winner was at least a fact the Canadian athletes are held only in a slight degree higher esteem here than those of the United States, and 1t Is only when the Canadian is pitted against an American that British sympathy is with him.
 Seet in Chicago.
 Chicago, February IA steady down. fall of sleet and snow made transporta-