New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-10

1t is hard TO believe that Mr. Hermann
is properly quoted. lie has proved his
ability 80 many times az baseball law
Yer and baseball politician that hcsi-
tate TO think he is serious. Nobody has
attacked the integrity of the sport. nor
have any reflections been cast upon base
ball as profession because Jim Thorpe
was disciplined by the Amateur Athletic
Union for competing as an amateur when
the rules specifically prohibited il because
he had played baseball for money. Those
who are working 80 hard to govern crack
and field sports are not discriminating
against baseball. There is no occasion for
August Hermann or anybody else 70 pro
tect the game against a fancied wrong.
No slur has been cast: no offence has
been given. August Hermann would be
the DOL Quixote OF baseball If he set his
lance in rest TO charge such a phantom
wrong If he does il will make FOR mirth;
il cannot be accepted seriously. Nobody
with any sense OF fairness has quarrel
with the out-and- out professional lie has
his place. and It IS respected. IT il the
professional who completes under the
guse of an amateur, against which bar
riers are lifted and for which rules are
framed.
According to rip" Milliken the powers
that be in baseball want light on the
following questions: Why IS profess
sional baseball I'm any way less reputable
or honorable than working on a farm
or selling books during the summer va
cation? IT is not, and nobody with any
breadth of view believes SO. Thorpe's
athletic crime was not based on the
fact that he had played bdsebdl Tor
money, but because he signed a resistra-
ton blank TO compete az AN amateur, and
in doing so. knowingly or unknowingy.
swore falsely and so violated a SPECIFIC
law. TO say nothing Of the ethics Of in
ternationai sport.
Why should track athlete he consid-
cred a professional because he played
wholly different game from his track
exercises? Because those who govern the
Amateur Athletic Union find 1t neces-
sary 10 draw a hard and fast line 10 pre-
vent PROSECUTING and other athletic evils
from creeping IN
How many athletes are there before
the public to-day who have not at some
time or another accepted a few dollars
! for game of baseball? Nobody knows.
and II Is beyond the point. No doubt
! there are q good many, but the TACT that
some go unpublished does not lessen the
necessity for a law TO protect so far az
I possible the real amateur. Many thieves.
murderers and other offenders against
the laws Of the land are never brought
/ TO Justice
yKrb,r aIot,Id tho orotvipg fovoac ~ anna
teur athletics make fish OF one victim and
| flesh OF another? Such is not the case.
simply because IL appears so on the sur
| face, when one man ESCAPES for lack OF
. evidence and another is punished when
, the case is clear. The way Of the attn
letic transgressor is lard, but some have
the faculty for offending without being
found out.
VIII the amateur athletic chiefs ever
venture 10 assert that as many as ] per
cent OF their spOtless champions would he
rtghtfully counted that way II their back
records could he dug up? This is broad
question, and one that IL as unreasonable
az Il is unfair. The athletic chiefs, so
| called, have been forced TO frame rules
| that to many seem arbitrary to protect
| so far as possible the real amateur from
| the lying, deceitful parasites who would
| prostitute the sport. one would have 1T
| tie faith I'm human nature 10 assert or De-
| ieve that only 1 per cent of the vast
| army OF athletes in the Amateur Athletic
4 Union were honest enough 10 sign the
| registration blank without swearing
| falsely to the carefully worded PROVISIONS.
| Personally, believe that not more man
/ per cent have so debased themselves.
! Laws are framed TO protect society. but
| lawyers thrive because OF Violations ana
! eyasions under varying Interpretations.
! Laws and rules are necessary, however.
| and WHY should more be expected Of the
! rules of the Amateur Athletic Union than
| of the laws of nation. state and munich
pality?
"Sportsm6n' says in 1.-THE Boston
| Globe: Official figures may show. and
\ the bush leaguers who played with or
\ against Jim Thorpe down in the Caro-
/ linas may be right. when they say he
( was a joke as a bah player, but there's
no telling what John McGraw may make
out of a natural athlete when he can
| make a winning pitcher out OF a
| lemon
The compliment to McGraw 10 well de-
4 SERVED. but il seems hard 10 take another
thrust at Rube Marquard. who has made
| himself the target for so many arrows
I this winter. Still Marquard won't mind.
/ He lust loves publicity; in fact he thinks
| he needs II. and don't care how 1t comes.
/ Jim Thorpe is quite likely to develop
! into a great ball player. He has won
derful arm keen eye. a phlegmatc tenn
permanent. remarkable physique, rare
| speed quick decision, sound Judgment OF
distances and unquestioned courage With
such qualifications the chances, at least,
| are all in his favor.
chSSANESE AGAIN AT Hell M