Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-20
BY n. C. BYRD.

George Bonhag, the champion middle
distance runner, is the only athlete OF
exceptional ability in either OF the big
New York clubs who is a bona f1de anna
teur.'' That was the substance OF
statement made last Saturday night in
Baltimore by q man who has been prom
inently connected with one of the big
metropolitan clubs for years and who has
the doings of the crack athletes OF the
country for years at his finger tips.
In speaking of the amateur standing of
some of the men who have been prom
inent in the athletic world for years the
person who made the statement men
toned above said that it was not
secret that the men who were the best
performers had received money for their
work at different times, and that the
Amateur Athletic Union officials were
cognizant Of the fact, though unable to
do anything because of a lack OF proof
and an ever-readiness on the part of the
men accused to produce evidence of their
innocence when charges of professional
nature were brought.
1t was his opinion that there is not
man around New York at present engas-
ed in championship athletic contest who
at one time or another in his career has
not been guilty Of professionalism in its
real sense.
1t was said of Bonhag. in the course OF
the discussion. that even when taking
trips to compete in a meet he invariably
would accept not a cent more than his
bare expenses, something that few others
have done. 1t was stated that there had
been instances when BOnhag had been OIL
fered sums above his actual expenses IL
he would compete in certain meets. but
that the great distance runner had al
ways refused to do the least thing that
might place him in jeopardy as far as his
amateur standing was concerned
There is no question but that the Mary
land Aggies have a better relay team
than has ST. Johns College, although the
Farmers We're defeated by the Annapolis
team last week in Baltimore. Had the
Farmers been content to run an even
race with their rivals and sent Kemp.
their last man, off even with the last st.
Johns runner, they would have won the
race, as Kemp gained about fifteen yards
on his man as it was. IT is almost GER
tain that had Kemp started out within
four or five yards of the st. Johns man
he would have beat him out in the final
stretch, if not before.
1t would not be poor idea for the
Farmers to refuse to run Richmond Col
lege in the Georgetown meet. and ask to
have another race arranged between them
and the st. Johns four. The race last
Saturday night was lost because one Of
the NJ. A. -. runners TWICE tEleU 10
around a st. Johns man on the first two
turns, consequently ran himself out IN
so doing to such an extent that when 1t
came to the stretch he was all In and
lost about fifteen or twenty yards.
In a race on the Convention Hall track
in the Georgetown meet the chances are
that the Farmers quartet will beat st.
Johns by as big a margin as st. John s
defeated it in the Johns Hopkins games.
ho
with the Maryland Aggies relay and that
Is that the runners are too slow about
picking up relays. The Farmers fail to
get the start they should when they are
touched off by their teammates Instead
Of cutting loose for the first fifty yards
or so after being touched the men hardly
go faster than a good mile gait
Besides "Shag' Rawlings. the fremont
Athletic Club has another man who is
much better than the average in this Sec
ton at the quarter. and who would give
any man a good race for the distance.
Mahoney is the runner referred to, and
he is not only fast. but is absolutely re-
liable 1t is seldom that he has been IN
a race that he has failed to made up
distance on his man or open wider the
gap that separated them.
1t is questionable If there are two bet
ter quarter-mlers in any of the clubs In
the south now than Mahoney and Raw
lings.
The team which Western Maryland COL
lege put against the Georgetown Univer-
sity four in the Hopkins meet Saturday
was not like the fours which represented
that school some years ago. When Mar
Gus and Turner formed the nucleus for
the teams at that school for four years
in succession they were practically I'M
beatable, as far as any of the schools In
this section Of the country were con-
cerned.
If GEORGETOWN defeats Washington and
Lee In the contest in which it is scheduled
to appear against that school Friday
evening, 1t is likely that the basket ball
championship of the south will hinge on
the extra game that Is to be played he
tween GEORGETOWN and Virginia March l.
It was with the idea in view that the
game would prove big drawing card
with which to close the successful season
that the Blue and Gray five has had at
the Arcade, and 1t undoubtedly will With
Virginia and Georgetown playing a game
that is to decide the championship of the
section, the largest crowd that has ever
turned out to witness basket ball game
between two teams in this city should
reward the efforts Of the management.
The entry blanks for the National
Guards meet are out and they indicate
that the Soldiers games this year will
be bigger affair than ever before Bet
ter prizes are to be awarded and many
events are to be held. Not only will
prizes be given to the individuals who
place. III the various events, but there
will be three presented to the one scoring