The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-31
NO RIGHT TO BAR
BLOUNT OR HAY
Rule Does Not Apply, as Neither
Has Received Money or
Signed Contract.
BY GUS MALBERT.

There now comes to the front some
thing in amateur baseball which we
had hoped would never make its ap-
pearanoe. All amateurs will know that
this refers to the question OF the eli!
gibility OF Frank Blount and Billy Hav
in the post-season and ,ntercity games
\ letter received BY John NJ Dunn.
wee president of tho local amateur
commission. evidently in reply to n
letter addressed to the president Of
tho Washington amateur commission
states that IN View Of the information
contained in Mr.. Dunn's letter and in
view OF 1t having been pointed out 10
the Washington president that both
nay and Biount had played, on pro-
iessional teams since June I. the wash
inSton authorities would Insist that
neither Hay nor Blount take part in
the interc!ty series.
This is manifestly unfair TO the nat
tie Axe team. That team won the
champ! onship OF Richmond or rather
or the Capital City League. ana Vii
play the Barton Heights team for the
championship OF the CITY to-day 7, A.
ieated the next strongest team In the
capital City League a sufficient mum
Der OF games to justify its right to the
pennant. During all OF the playing
season both Hay and Biount we're
members OF the Bastle Axe team.
Neither player has ever plaved pro-
iesslonal ball until within the past ten
days. after the amateur season was
over They are now just as much anna
tour players as ever Tor the reason
that neither has signed a contract
neither has received one cent OF nav
and neither viii sign contract nor
accept one cent OF pay until after the
amateur post-season and interclty-
games are over
over Ia WASHINGTON We notice that
number OF the amateurs will sign
contracts with professional teams after
the interc!ty series That is right II
is one of the objects of organized anna
tour baseball 70 Improve the PLAYING
AFFINITY OF the men so that If they de-
sire 10 enter baseball as a profession
they viii be well fitted. But in the
mai analysts those players in Wash
ington who VIII sign contracts 49,
the intercity series to play professional
baseball are just as much professionals
rs either Hay or Blount
Ms matter OF fact. the rl,le unaor
winch Mr.. Dunn reached his oninion
ana upon which opinion the Wasbtnr-
ton president based his letter docs ro .
apply. Neither lay nor Blount are
recognized ny the national agreement
or by any club marty to the national
at se''ent Neither is under contract.
and neither is member OF any team
under the national agreement Both
desire to become members Of some pro
iessional team. and each has been
given the opportunity to show wba,
ne can do The rule was made a part
OF the amateurs constitution in order
to prevent professional players-that
Is. players who earn their living bv
playing baseball-from joining anv
amateur team late in the season or
after the league in which they had
been playing had completed the sen
son Every man who helped in draft
ing these rules should know that
much
If Blount and Hay cannot play in the
intercity series. then no player is en-
titled 10 play 1t would be unfair. I'M
sportsmanlike and an injustice to a
game manager and a game team to
even attempt to bar these boys.