New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-03
Comment and Gossip
on Sports of the Day

cepted the apology and heard the an
nOuncement that this country inviting
~ committed an athletic offence. MIS-
takes will Toe made and no country can
afford 10 scoff unless it IS absolutely Tree
from such IL human falling. Some Eng
lish papers could not let the chance sip
by to take another shot at our athletic
methods. be they good or bad, but OF the
whole the comment was Of Kind which
will make for better feeling. ! rather
agree with the opinion expressed by some
critic in Sweden that the time is past
for the second man in the decathlon and
pentathlon TO receive the trophies now
renowned by Thorpe. The proper soiu-
ton would be TO have the prizes 30 up
for competition once more at the next
Olympic games. in Germany. That would
be the u'uest and fairest way.
Now as to the possible effect that
Thorpe'S exposure will have on those
schoolboys and college men who are
disposed for selfish reasons or otherwise
TO treat lightly a written lie. Cnfortu-
and was maenifed only because OF the
prominence of the man. There are plenty
Of athletes competing under the Guse
of an amateur. and while ! myself am
convinced that the summer baseball evil
IS not so widespread as a few years ago
and that the general tone of college am
letics has been raised to much hlSher
ethical plane. still there is much room
for Improvement. Only two or three
weeks ago l discussed this subject at
much length, and it seems almost unnec-
essary 10 repeat. STILL a few words may
not be out OF place. more particularly as
! am in receipt of the following letter
from an alumnus of Rutgers:
The case OF jim Thorpe now before
the public eye has aroused much discus
sion and in many cases expressions OF
sympathy While he does not pose as a
martyr, | believe he is accused unJustly.
This feeling is perhaps due TO what
seems TO me an unfair ruling among
amateur or college athletes. Now the
question comes up-shoud student who
receives COMPENSATION for services on the
baseball field during his summer vaca-
ton be stigmatized as professional ath-
lete? Many there be who help pay school
expenses in other fields, such as can
wasting. etc. Why, then, should not
fellows talent in baseball be an income
to him."
This is the same old question answered
a number of times in this column. There
is absolutely nothing wrong in college
player using his baseball skill 10 help
pay his way through college. He should
be encouraged and applauded, but he
should not be eligible to represent his
college on the athletic field Apart from
minor considerations, which need not be
discussed at this time, the important rea-
son lies in the fact that competition under
these conditions opens the door and
breaks down all barriers TO PROSECUTING,
the most insidious and dangerous Of all
athletic evils. II that is not conclusive, a
man is hard to convince.
1t is folly TO blind ones self TO the fact
that many a registration blank of the
Amateur Athletic Union is signed with
greater knowledge of the wrong being
done than was the case with Jim Thorpe
Evidence, however, is hard to get, for the
reason that clubs which hold track meet
ngs encourage professionalism in their
anxiety to get attractive features in maxi
ing their games successful financially. II
the various clubs would cooperate with
Union the canker could be cut out and
the sore healed in short order. The gov
erning body can erect the barriers, but,
try as it will to prevent. they will be
scaled now and then, no matter what the
height. IF the union had the whole
hearted support Of those who are the first
10 criticise the methods employed there
would be no necessity for a general house
cleaning and no chance for repetition
of the unfortunate case which has stirred
the whole athletic world Let all athletes
from the schoolboy up play fair and be
honest II they would spare themselves.
their friends and their country from pos
sible ignominy and disgrace.
The Dartmouth football game
will be missed next fall. and II seems too
bad that a contest which has meant much
TO the alumni Of both institutions for
thirty years should be ruthlessly cast
aside. The reason given from Cambridge
is almost funny. 1t says that the Han
over eleven was dropped because It was
considered necessary 10 remove at least
one hard game from the schedule, and
yet a~date was left open for Cornell. /
am not making any prophecies. but it
looks TO me that Harvard may be jump
ing out of the frying pan into the fire.
The Cornell eleven was not up TO the
or lost was concerned, but any one who
saw the struggle with Dartmouth or
Pennsylvania will smile If Harvard really
thinks il will have an easy game with the
men from Ithaca.
In spite OF the statement from Harvard
that the reason and the only reason
had to do with making the schedule less
exacting, one cannot help but recall the
nsinuations which came out of Cam
bridge last fall of undue roughness on the
part of Dartmouth players Once before
| called attention to the fact that two
Harvard men were disqualified during the
season for rough playing. but not one
Dartmouth man, so far as can be recalled.
The way is now open for Dartmouth to
play Pennsylvania IN Philadelphia on
Thanksgiving Day. inasmuch as the Qua
kers will so to Ithaca for the annual
meeting with Cornell next fall If plans
made year ago are carried out.