New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-15
A. A. U. NEEDED POWERS
Admitted Promoter During Fight
for Its Existence.
SULLIVAN EXPLAINS FULLY
Declares He Did Not Vote to
License Madison Square
Athletic Club.

James f. sullivan. secretary OF the
Amateur Athletic Union and until recently
chairman Of the new state Athletic Com
mission, frankly admitted yesterday that
Pat" Powers and his Madison Square
Athletic Club" were taken into full
membership in the amateur body with tuil
knowledge by Amateur Athletic Union ON
Gals of their professional Affiliations and
activities.
The question came UP as a side issue 70
the fight which Frank S. O'Nen, the ooN-
ing commissioner is making 10 revoke the
License to conduct fights in Madison Square
Garden previously given to Powers by the
commission. Harry Pollock. partner OF
Powers. in explaining what purely
athletic club the Madison Square, under
Powers. has been volunteered the ln1or-
nation that since 1887 that club had heid
A membership in the Metropolitan Amateur
Athletic Association and had regular
voice in the management of the govern
ing body OF amateur athletics.
THAT is correct" Mr.. Sullivan said yes
,erdav al his home in Huntington, Long
leland we took the Madison Square
duh IN Knowing that II was a proprietary
cluh and knowing that Powers ana oii'
were behind It. because the Amateur AN
Ietic Union was engaged In big hEhl t'en
and we needed whatever help we cOuiu
get" 81
According TO Mr. Sullivan's open anu
free admissions YESTERDAY, Powers nau
,,u,,,,ca1 control OF Madison Square Gar
don Their. as ne has had since so lar n
n-onotion OF professional athletics was cur
cerned. The opposition 10 the
Athletic Union threatened TO enlist fo"ers'
u.itl, his control OF the Garden on '-iei'
eide of the fight. and had they accom-
rIisbod that. said Mr.. sullivan the ANA
tour Athletic Union would nave oee"
u,uod and by this time prooaDly the,
,,,a',1d,,.t have been any Amateur Athieuc
Union ...- that his
-,,..r,a,+ ~ pat" Powers in the Amateur
,,,ia+ic 1-nion was perfectly justined unuei
,e,,-.,.,,+ior Of the Union. and. further'
-. .ba fact that Powers proposed TO- anu
sts conduct certain basketball ana sKd'ii7
nv ,,raer Amateur Athletic Union au-
spices. line he
How are you going 70 ara" d ""e
tween clubs like that, proprietary
managed by such men as Mr.. POWERS an
bie clubs such as the New Aork A''i'e''
and other OF that type, which cohducl pio-
fessjoual boxing and wrestling H'"'cleS'
besides managing and participating III
amateur events" Mr.. Sullivan wanted 10
know.
Personally. he added he would he IN
favor OF denying TO all such ciuDs Oh
eitbor tvpe club membership in the DIG
governing body OF amateur athletics out
al the same time permitting them TO hold
amateur events under Amateur Athletic
Union sanction whenever they wanted TO
DO So
Then we'd see quickly how much or
how little they would do TO help amateur
athletics" he said.
The man who has been for years the
nractical director Of the fortunes Of the
Amateur Athletic Union admitted frankly
that the linking Of the name OF Pat
Powers or professional promoters Of his
TYNE with that OF the Amateur Athletic
Union was extremely discredting TO the
latter. About the boxing situation AS il
stands now Mr. Sullivan had little 10 say.
lie had conveyed word 10 the Governor, he
said. that he would not consider a proposal
10 take up any Work on the Boxing COM
mission again. He was through with that.
absolutely.
However. as a reiteration Of his ex-
pressed policy for the brief time he was az
the head of the body which IS supposed 10
see 10 II that the Frawley law is lived UP
TO, he thought that its records should be
public records He wanted 20 keep out Of
the boxing situation ne said, but when
Commissioner ONeiis statement that he,
O'Neil. was outvoted in the commission on
the proposal 10 give the Madison Square
Athletic Club a license was put up 10 him.
Mr.. Sullivan declared that the printed
records" would show that he had not
voted upon the license in question.
George Carlton Comstock. icc-presidenl
and treasurer Of the new syndicate which
will take possession of the Garden, con-