Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-11-19

in America, the present playground
. movemen in America, and the fact
that men of religion, education and
the officials of city, state and nation
have taken over athletics, is due pri
marty to the work of the Amateur
Athletic Union officials, who have
been battling all their lives to place
athletics on a sound, solid and sub
stantial basis.
This could never been been &C
complished unless the Amateur Ath
letic Union of the United States and
other governing bodies had a cleal
definition in relation to an amateur
There Is not an old time profes
sional on the face Of the earth who
will not admit that the success of pro
fessional sport, outside of baseball
is due to the fact that there is thai
privilege to bet, and in many cases
betting has demoralized sport In this
country. The athletes dislike the
betting side, but somehow the gamb
ling public will bet, with the result
that the pure spirit Of competition
and athletic supremacy is lost sight
of ~ l,
"'The arguments advanced by Mr.
Kirby in relation to John Paul Jones
competing with a professional are not
convincing. In the first place, unless
the John Paul Jones that have
known for several years has changed
greatly, he would not compete against
a professional for a trophy, money OF
for simple honors. i ..> II II. Z I.
Perhaps some of the colleges
which are said to have been usine
professionals on their baseball teams
would hail this with delight. Then
also, the professional physical direc
tors could compete with and against
the track and field athletes whom
they are coaching. T., E&
Mr.. lKirby's statements In relation
to tennis, golf and cricket do not ap
ply at all to track and field athletics
for the simple reason that in these
sports the competition of the profes.
sional with the amateur is of ancient
origin and comes to US with the
growth Of the sport. In team games
1T has been customary to allow pro.
fessionals to play on team with anna.
teurs, providing the amateurs do not
receive pay for their services. That
has been true of cricket as long as
you have had chicket. Eu
Easier on Baseball. -,
In baseball the Amateur Athletic
Union OF the United States, owing to
the fact that the colleges play profes.
sfonal teams, carried along the rule
allowing an all amateur team to play
a al al or
the Amateur Athletic Union seriously
discussed the matter of not allowing
an all amateur team to play an all
professional team. 1913: /
In the first place, the Amateur
Athletic Union of the United States,
! am firmly convinced, will never vote
to allow a, professional to compete
with an amateur. AS a matter of
fact, each and every year they have
ben strengthening their amateur def
milton. And If the Amateuf Athletic
Union should vote to allow the anna
teur and professional to compete to-
gether, l personally believe it would
be the opening wedge to the destruc-
ton, of the aigh ideals of amateurism
now existing.
The results that have come to US
from schoolboy athletics are due to
the fact that we have instilled into
the schoolboy that his athletics are
his play, and he takes part in them
for the fun there is in it. Don't be-
come professional in your play. The
place for professionalism is in your
business; this we tell him and this
we impress upon him by example,
There must be a line drawn between
the boy that completes for money and
the boy that completes for the love of
"Mr Kirby says in his opinion the
present line is drawn too fine. l
wonder when that change of heart
took place. / have before me the
handbook of the intercollegiate assO-
citation, and Mr.. Kirby is chairman Of
it's advisory committee and it is not
quite year since that committee held
it's last meeting. Now why did Mr..
Kirby not make this proclamation then
and change the intercollegiate rules,
for he certainly has the power, and |
think most of the intercollegiate men
will listen to Mr.. Kirby.
Now, l say, If this thing is to be
tried, let the intercollegiate associa-
ton try it as a sort of experiment.
Let them try it first and see how long
the popularity of college athletics will
last
The line is not drawn too fine be-
tween the amateur and the profess
sional. ! believe it needs strengthen
ing.
Has Mr.. Kirby forgotten what hap
pened at the international federation
congress at Berlin last August? Does
he not remember that the representa-
tive Of one country suggested that
the international federation control
professional competition as we'll as
and it was not even seriously