Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-04
A. A. U. DECIDES
DUKE Is AN
AMATEUR
Canoeing as a Business Does
Not PROFESSIONALISM an Ath-
lete-Y. N. C. A. Must
Put Up Bars

John +. Soper. chairman of the
registration committee of the local
branch of the A. A. g., this morning
received communication from Sec
rotary James E. Sullivan. of the ANA
teur Athletic Union. which definitely
settles two points of dispute in local
athletic circles.
Secretary Sullivan rules that surf
ing in canoes, The calls outriggers
touring canoes"l is not a business
which could make a man who follows
it professional athlete. This sets
at rest any doubts rs to Duke Kaha-
namoku's amateur standing.
Another decision affects the local
Y NJ C.. A.. which. according to Sui
liyan,s Interpretation of the rules,
teurs to compete together even In
closed meets where no admission Is
charged
The letter. which refers also to the
decision in the case OF Schufnan and
Ajax Desna, upholding the same. Is
as follows:
Mr. J. =. soper. Chairman Res.
Comm, Hawaiian A. A. A.. p o.
Box 514, Honolulu. Hawaii.
Dear Sir:-I have your commune
cation Of the Sth and note your vote.
and also your comment In relation to
the time of closing OF the vote. / can
see that is mistake, so far as you
are concerned. note yours on what
you have accomplished in the A. A.
U. since you organized and / think
It will meet with the approval Of oil
A. A. U. officers for acting as you
have, and / think 1t is quite right
when you organized in that shape.
to give the players the benefit Of
the doubt.
Now, in relation to an amateur
athlete acting as umpire or referee or
official for pay. The Al. A. u. has de.
cided that. one who receives pay for
/ officiating is not eligible for regis
tration card. They do not state that
he is a professional. However, that
is something you have TO handle. or
course, we would not think OF grant
ing card to one who has gone on
for years, and made a business Of get
ting money. That Is upsto you. Very
frequently a boy will go out and &c
cept a little money without knowing
that he is making himself profess
sional, so the A. A.. Livery wisely left
It to the registration committees OF
the various associations "a handless
Il think the decision OF tho reglstrn-
ton committee that you refer to was
wise and just. Both OF your decisions
would certainly have the approval Of
the national body, II there ever was
a question raised
The Y. NJ. G. A. in Honolulu or any
other city in the world cannot have
2 professional playing on baseball or
basketball team, either In closed or
open games. without disqualifving all
that knowingly compete with the pro
fessional Stop It.
because an event is closed. does
not mean that club can give money
prizes or break laws or let profession
ais in. Either in closed or open games
amateur rules must prevail. If It is
being done, stop it. No doubt It 10 be-.
ing dcne through ignorance =
81 note your question In connection
with an athlete who has position in
connection with touring canoes |
/ don't see how in the world you can
make the man a professional It in no
way shows athletic ability You might
| Just as well say that man who con-
duets touring automobile is a pro
fessional athlete. A man might. for
! instance, have job on one of Paul
Boynton's Shoot the Chutes. and you
| cannot call him professional athlete.
This is my personal opinion. How
ever, if you want to present the prop
ositicn to the A. A. u. to be put to a
vote | will do so, but personally i
think it, is something you should ham
die yourself In other words don't
let us go looking for trouble and make
athletics a joke by trying to put every
one in the professional class.
AS grasp from your letter. tourist
canoeing is something like the shoot
the chutes Suppose, for instance.
someone should get up q rule that
| these were professionals. would not
think of disqualifying any athlete In
| charge.
81 want to congratulate you on your
| good work, and we all appreciate the
hardships you work under owing to
the fact that you are so far from us.
but we must keep in touch on matters
! Of Importance. ] am sending you to-
day some new A. A. T. handbooks.
Yours very truly,
/ JAMES e. SULLIVAN,
4 "a ~