New-York tribune., 1909-01-04
COMMENT ON SPORTS
THE BOOM IN ATHLETICS.
Ners and Vic1os on Current Topics,
4mateur and Professional.

L begins TO look as II the sweeping victory OF
the American team IN the Olympic games In Eng
land last summer had worked for eva IN our oN
athletic midst. and that the interest ana eAc"e
,,,.r+ sroused over the winning OF the Olympic
Marathon by John J. Hayes, after It's sehsatiollai
ending which led up 20 the dsqualhcAuoh u
JDorando, had opened the doors 10 greedy CON-
,,srrtslisrn among our athletes and athletic pro-
rnote-s The bomb burst Monday. when the
registration committee Of the metropolitan asso-
citation of the Amateur Athletic Union suspenoeo
six athletes. four of which were Olympic cham
,7lons and two national champions, on the ground
OF professionalism. If such it may be called rom
the -1eagre accounts TO date. The high stanoing
Of the men involved and the fact that their Of
fences as charged have been condoned In some
quarters make the action OF the committee lhe
more important Just how important viii oe deter
mined only at the hearing on Wednesday. when
the men will be heard in their own defence and
final action taken
The condition that exists in the track ard field
sthIetio world to-day is deporable If one-half the
rurnors that ara floating around or any OF the
charges made are based upon fact Where there
Is smoke there is to be some fire, and while
the six athletes whose standing the slur has
cast may be able 10 clear Themselves, as II
S. hoped they WILL there is every reason TO believe
shat the time has come for a good housecieanlns.
Nobody is more opposed than am to the constant
stirring Of muddy waters There was quite enough
81 il IN athletic circles previous to the Olympic
games, from which gooG resulted, so far as
can he SEEN but under the conditions that obtain
et present the registration committee would throw
.1self open If It did not take cognizance
Of all that has been written and said recently
ceruing some of leading amateurs The action.
which looked radical at the time. appears to have
been more or less justified under a rule of the
Amateur Athletic Union rule. by the way which
reeds revisionl. and following the statement that
the athletes in question were duly notified and
asked 10 give explanation II has been claimed
that It not fair that the should be tried
and condemned without hearing, the ground
that tbs law OF every land holds a man innocent
sr1til proved guilty. 1t IS not my purpose to cham
,ior the registration committee Of the Amateur
Athletic Union or prejudge the men who are
under cloud but in point Of fact the athletes
against whom charges have been made have not
been punished as get and Will not he until they
get q fair trial. The suspension in this case
amounts simply 70 the detention of under
charges before his trial.
On The fane OF it such Of the charges have
been published do not appear to be OF kind from
which the men viii have any difficulty IN clearing
themselves unless the registration committee is
holding something back The demand for exorbi-
tant expense money is an offence against the
Of the Amateur Athletic Union, but S35 hardly
Re termed exorbtant demand for expenses from
ThadelphIs Buffalo and return This. Of course,
may be only one count in which case some of the
men may be forced 30 Join the professional ranks,
or st least absent themselves from amateur meet
fngs Nothing inmical 10 the best interests of
the sport for professional 10 masquerade as
sn amateur, and nothing is offensive to the
spirit Of fairness petty graft There is nothing
against professionalism in athletics The profes-
sonal runner. baseball player what-not is de-
serving Of the same respect and consideration as
the amateur If he plays fairly. There is no place
for the eni-professcnal however, for man must
he the other II he would hold the respect Of