New-York tribune., 1911-12-28
DEFINING AN AMATEUR AUTO NEWS OF THE DAY
Athletic Research Society At
tacks Difficult Problem.

An attempt to define the meaning OF
pure amateursm as II is known in sports
was made yesterday by the Athletic Re-
search Society at it's annual meeting IN
the Hotel Astor. The society will try 70
determine this long debated question and
give an official decision on the type OF
athlete who may be considered an anna
teur.
Representatives Of leading amateur ath-
letic organizations who were delegated 10
meet as a federated committee under the
auspices of the society to consider the
athletic situation in general and as per-
petual body met for the first time ana
organized.
These representatives were DR.. Paul {.
Phillips, director of physical education az
Amherst College; william Orr, Deputy
Commissioner of Education, Boston, Tor
the public schools; e. B. De Groot' di-
rector playground system, Chicago; Lee
Hammer. Of the Sage Foundation, New YORK
City, for Boy Scouts of America; George
]. Fisher, international secretary Of phys
ical work for the Young Mems Christian
Association; Charles W Brainbridge, Ger
mantown, Penn, National Federation or
Settlements; DR.. John Brown, jr., secretary
physical work. New York City Young Mems
Christian Association and rural interests;
w c. Pearce, international Sunday school
committee, Chicago, and w. A. Sncher'
Philadelphia, Turner's and North Amel-
can Gymnastic Union.
Dr. Phillips and his associates studied the
question of amateurism according TO the
case method-that IS, from actual disputes
or protests filed before some recognized au-
thority-but OF the ten cases considered only
two OF them differed, and the committee
believed this was a too narrow considera-
ton of the subject from which to arrive
properly at a satisfactory determination OF
the problem. The work will be continued
with the assistance OF a subcommittee
from the federated committee on athletics.
ut is certain that the solution Of the
question of amateurism will not be decided
upon the simple question Of the receipt or
non-recept of money" said Or. Phillips.
THE committee will decide on the broader
basis Of the influences involved in the ques
ton of the amateur or the professional, so
that the determination will go further than
any of the commonly accepted rulings on
the question now in force or that have been
dppHeu.
George L. Fisher, secretary of the Ath-
letic League of North America, which is
composed largely Of Young Mems Christian
Associations. told of the reasons for break
ing with the Amateur Athletic Union last
July He said:
II had to think in the terms of No q
Warren street, and We were forbidden 10
play any games with Canadian organiza-
tions because the American Amateur Ath-
letic Union had a fight on with the Cana
dian Amateur Athletic Union. Now we are
having games with the sanction of the
Canadian union and with all others from
which We were excluded when under the
jurisdiction Of the Amateur Athletic
Union"
Officers were elected as follows: Presi-
dent, Clark w. Hetherington. Fels Endow-
ment. Chicago; vce-president William Orr.
Deputy Commissioner of Education. Bos |
ton; secretary and treasurer, Joseph e.
Raycroft professor of physical education
at Princeton.