New-York tribune., 1911-02-12
MORAL SIDE Of SPORTS
Something Wrong with System
in Scholastic Athletics.
so SAYS JAMES E. SULLIVAN
National Controlling Body Need
ed, Together with Teaching a
Higher Standard.

James F. sullivan, secretary OF tne rAihd-
teur Athletic Union. who has ms ions
and strenuous fight for the pro, ;ontroi
OF amateur track and field srei or tne
opinion that there is sonnet rons
with the present educational n1n its
failure, as he says. to instiI ne poys
high and lofty ideals IS stands ~ sna''
extend into their work in arn.-ucs- he
thinks a national controlling body Is I'M
portant for the schoolboys, and believes
the work of making eligibility laws and
controlling the games should be done py
| the intercollegiate Association Of Amateur
Athletes OF America.
Mr. Sullivan also decries the disposition
to pay too much attention to the COM
petitive side and not enough to the moral
in writing on the subject Of what is
Wrong with Scholastic Athleucs?" In the
current issue of Teacher and Home a
magazine of education. He says, in part:
The strongest arguments advanced for
athletics in the schools, apart from the
physical advantages. MAINTAIN that IL
establishes manliness in our boys, TO-
eether with the other elements so vital IN
the work OF character building, and in
sist that the boy will be a better citizen
morally as well as physically because ne
has been trained as truthful athlete OIL
the frank, straightforward type. and pre-
pared to compete in the battle of life along
the same lines.
Now this Is what We have been
preaching but have we not closed SG bsve Sye
we not, for quarter Of century or
more, been going along the wrong lines?
IL would appear to me that we have been
petitiye side and not enough 70 the
moral. for when We have Instances In
our most important scholastic champion
ships, where students have deliberately
have really been professionals posing as
amateurs, it is evident that there is some
thing radically wrong with the moral train
The history of scholastic athletics in
the United States for the last thirty
years convinces me that we have not de-
voted enough attention 70 the scholastic
structure, in so far as it pertains to the
moral side. II is not too late TO change
and mend matters. but TO start 10 do the
work along moral lines must be begun
II | had control Of the public or. private
schools Of this lan1, and | found a boy
deliberately lying about the question OF
MS MS, eligibility slsn 70 compete, would expel
well remember the first scholastic
championships held in America, some
thirty years ago. At this very first meet
Ing there was a disagreement regarding
the eligibility of certain contestants, one
school entering barber on it's team.
while another entered. as a schoolboy, an
American record holder. What was the
result? Trouble. and plenty of 1t. And
so 1t is to this very day.
Rarely II ever has a scholastic group
been organized and controlled by the boys
in school, the teachers or the principals
that trouble has not arisen. and generally
over the. eligibility Of some boy to repre-
sent school. We seldom have trouble with
the bona fide schoolboy in competition
sc. ,z1A
it in : manly and straightforward way.
In J. !" cases he seems to have It clearly
settle IN his mind that he must obey the
rules rtrei,n3 OF the game and be honest and
We have, II is true, scholastic groups scat
tered throughout the United States, prop
erly organized and conducting athletics
along the right lines and doing fairly WELL
and l nave noticed that the smaller the
groups the better the conditions They ap-
parently understand things better The
larger the group the more unwieldly II
seems to become, which WILL perhaps. ac-
count Tor the fact that We have not to-day
a national interscholastic athletic associa-
tion. There is not in this great country a
national body to control the athletics Of
pervision. no doubt, will eventually neces-
sitate one Of two things: In the near fut-
ure either the Amateur Athletic Union or
the intercollegiate Association OF Amateur
Athletics Of America will be forced to take
over scholastic athletics, make eligibility
laws, etc, and control the games. The lat
ter Is the logical body In this case. as it is
qualified 10 take over scholastic athletics IL
those who should supervise such activities
will not do so.
The whole situation, however convinces
me that there Is something absolutely
TEN. falling as It does to instill into the
boys high and lofty ideals as standards
that shall extend into their work in ath-
letics
The trouble is that we have devoted our
efforts TO the development OF the expert
and the competitive side. to the exclusion
OF the moral side and the upbuildng of
char acter. Apparently the admonitions OF
teachers against the iniquity OF lying and
deceit are not respected, at least in mat
terS of play
Athletic sport, when conducted on sane
and safe lines, with high standards, will
benefit any group that takes part in II. But
IL we are TO allow and encourage the boys
to deceive the teachers, principals, officials
OF games and others, then we are not at
tanning the benefits we claim for our youth
in participation In athletics. Instead of
making them honest. straightforward citi-
zens, we are developing them along un-
truthful. deceitful lines.
This IS rather strong language. but
have always contended that the quarrel has
not been between the professionals or over
the professionals, but over the line that
divides the amateur and the professional
i'm competition. one who will go out night
I
play basketball or some other sport for
81 or So. or will play baseball I'm the summer
for money under an assumed name, and
then come back TO his school or club and
PLAY under his right name, and thus rob.
by disqualification. his team mates OF glory
and the medals they might otherwise re-
ceve is the type of boy that is going to
make one of our worst citizens.
Something more than rules or regula tions
is necessary to guide the schoolboy In the
pa tn OF uprightness in his sports. what Is
needed Is teaching: teaching that will cause
him TO regard his conduct in the athletic
arena as quite az much part OF his char
acter as all his daily actions are, and that
trickery and subterfuge do not constitute
good craftsmanship If a boy is ineligible
is a Understandable should get up i'm his
classroom and admit il like a man. and
not go out with team and have Ii dis
qualified afterward on account OF his in
eligibility. deprving his team mates Of
their medals and the school Of a trophy
that might have adorned its walls with
credit.
II the boys were brought up along the
right lines OF honest sport there would be
no trouble. II is no disgrace to be an in
eligible boy, ii IS no disgrace to be a pro-
fessional. bui the boys should he taught
that they cannot play for money one day
and as amateurs the next day. They must
n 4