Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-18
MAY PLAY BALL FOR MONEY
Brown Uni Rules Varsity Men May
Play, but Must Not Lie.
AMATEURIsM CAN'T BE DEFINED
Rules Prohibiting College Men
Playing Base Ball During
Summer Vacation.

NEW YORK. Feb. 17.-At this time
when the college athletic world is striv-
ing either to legitimatize or to prohibit
absolutely summer base ball the note
that was sounded at Brown university
recently is Of particular interest. 1t has
to do with the problem of the brand OF
semi-professionalism that has grown up
of recent years in every college in the
country. Brown has already settled TO
its own satisfaction the question of sum-
mer base ball, and Brown students are
permitted to play ball during the summer
months for compensation. provided they
do not lie about ir~when they return 10
Brown and try for the varsity team. The
problem to which 1t is turning its atten-
ton now is that Of the college man, be
he track athlete. base ball player or what
not, who spends his summer at boys
camp, coaches a boys club team in gym
nastics or coaches high school team In
any form of athletics.
The whole question hinges on what IS
to be the proper definition Of amateur
ism. It Is a question that has to be
solved soon. and the sooner a sane agree
ment on what an amateur really Is is
reached the better 1t will be for all cos
cerned. 1t is indeed a serious problem
with great majority of college athletes
who must have financial assistance and
at the same time are unwilling to forego
the privilege of representing their col
lege in competition. The National Col
legiate Athletic association, through its
subsidiary organization, the Athletic Re-
search society, has been endeavoring for
the last two years to obtain a satsfac-
tory definition OF the word amateur. but
at each annual meeting II Is reported
that although progress has been made
there is as yet nothing definite to re-
port. And still the college men must
either perjure themselves or drop out of
athletics altogether or compete as pro-
fessionals. which they really are not,
ethicaTly or otherwise.
Drawing the Line.
1t seems that some decision could DO
arrived at which would distinguish be
tween professionalism in the commonly
accepted use Of that word and amateur
ism which would permit the man in the
college or elsewhere to teach boys clubs
and the like in the more rudlmentary
forms OF athletics and gymnastics and
still retain their amateur standing. Per-
haps some rule could be framed that
would permit a man to catch athletics
in boys club or school provided he
does not coach team that is to COM
pete in any advertised contest. This
might solve the problem for the time
being.
Meanwhile the following extracts from
the Brown Herald are Of interest:
EVERY year about this time II be-
comes necessary for the members OF the
track squad who are to compete In va
rious athletic meets TO register under
the rules of the Amateur Athletic union.
The registration blanks require the an
swering of a number Of questions which
some OF the members Of the squad can
probably answer truthfully to the satis-
the union. One Of the provisions of the
Amateur Athletic union. however, is that
20 man shall be eligible to compete under
their rules who shall have received pay
ment for teaching. training or coaching
in any athletic sport The registration
blank requires a statement that the ap-
plicant has never violated this law. Any
one familiar with the situation knows
that the rule. II II could be enforced.
would keep large number Of athletes
out Of meets. Usually. however, the run
ners are found ready to lie rather than
be excluded from meets held under the
Amateur Athletic union.
This is. on the face Of II. absurd, both
from the fact that it cannot be enforced
and from the fact that it is unnecessary
in insuring true amateur standing. But
whatever be the unreasonable attitude of
the Amateur Athletic union there is alb
solutly no excuse for the perjury which
takes place every year among our ath-
letes, and which our athlete arrangements
too often encourage. No pretext Of a
failure to understand the rules or plea
of their unreasonablsness can condoae
fhaFu