New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-17
Sir Thomas Upton RearS a New
Barrier to Race for the
Americas Cup.
HIS MISTAKE THIS TIME
Jim Thorpe Seems Doomed to
One Year at Least with
the Minors-YankecS
Face q Task.
BY Herbert.


York Yacht club To decline a race i'm
1871 Personally. | am not i'm sympathy
with tho restrictions i'm the deed OF gift
and believe it should be amended i'm "A
way To insure more equal struggle and
TO give the challenging nation fairer
and more sportsmanlike chance to
capture the now famous trophy II
seems. however. as if Sir Thomas has
sadly misunderstood the rights ana prVi-
lcgcS Of the holders Of the cup in stpu-
lating the watcr-lnc length of the de-
Tending yacht. No country. no club. no
individual with the proper spirit will
tolerate dictaiion. more particularly
when tho rights and privileges arc care
fully laid down. Further. from time i'm
memorial the choice of weapons has been
with the challenged. Sir Thomas is
quoted a. saving: Il wanted no faNorS'
and made what considered a fair sport
inc offer. according To the conditions
governing the Americas Cup In TINS
Sir Thomas crrs. BY imposing condi-
ton ne unwittinsly put the New York
Yacht Club i'm the false position of hay
ing To establish precedent. even if the
ldtt WIS tNfit'bhtN lildt INV N'i''' ''''''''
to show craftsmanship Was not given
This is not said to reflect i'm amy way
upon q man whom consider one of the
best and fairest sportsmeu il has ever
been my pleasure TO meet. but to empha-
size what strikes me a. the false posi-
ton i'm which he has placed both himself
and the New York Yacht club. So long
ms he had made up his mind to challenge
once moro, without & plea that the race
be sailed under the universal rule or the
international rule. which he seems 10
think would inc much fairer. me might
Just as we'll have worded his challenge
without stipulation. which practically
precluGed its acceptance. I'm other words,
nc might we'll have left the delicate
question Of sportsmanship in meeting him
with a yach. Of about the same size and
rating 10 the mon If whom he himself
has said: They have always treated
M with the utmost fairness, and if a
mistake has been made it has always
been in favor of Tommy Upton.
Il is quite possible. of course. that the
Americas cup committee Of the New
York Yacht club would have decided 10
defend the trophy with S0-foOtcr. Civ
inS. Of course. the necessary time allow
arce which has been worked out in a
way t. bring yachts Of different meas
urcmcnts reasonably close together 1t
is more than likely. however that gen
craI Yachting sentiment would have been
strongly in favor of the defending boat
beng tairly close in Water-line length 10
the CHALLENGER II is 10 he hoped that
Sir Thomas Upton will withdraw the
stipulation and thus insure tn" accept
ance Of another challenge. The race
seemed 50 close that the disappointment
Is the keener over its rejection. not only
among yachtsmen. but among all men
interested in any truly sporting struggle
Some Of the English papers i'm com
mentine on the refusal of the challenge
s,rike me as beiug preiudiced The
standard" went 80 far as TO say 1T must
bo believed that all good sportsmen 10
America will have 4 certain feeling *
shame that his (Sr Thomas Lipton's)
challenge has been met IN such poor
spirjtod manner" There is reason to re-
sent such an imputation. The deed of
cift is specific. even if it does not provide
the true equality between the competitors.
so necessary 10 divorce sport from bust
ness.
John j. McGraw's statement in The
Tribune "A few days ago that jim Thorpe,
The Indian knew less baseball than the
rawest rccuit and that much hard work
he no
bring him up To the required standard OF
major league baseball must be accepted at
lis face value. There is no manager liv-
ing. perhaps. who is such a keen judge
Of ball players abilities, and while even
McGraw has made mistakes in his Judg-
ment. they have been few and far be-
tween II is just possible. OF course. that
Thorpe may come along so fast in the
last two or three weeks Of the training
season as to Justify his being held for
utility purposes. More than that, ii is not
unlikely that McGraw may decide TO keep
him at least part of the season IS pos
sihle drawing card, but il seems now as
IL he would have 10 be 'farmed out in
order TO get the necessary experience.
There is no denying the fact that ! was
among those who felt reasonably confident
that Thorpe. because OF his remarkable
ATTITUDE and wonderful all-around ability
in ANYTHING athletic. would quickly prove
himself TO be as great on the diamond a.
hc was on track and field and gridiron.
still believe he will make name for
himself in baseball. but McGraw's words
after the Indian made home run at Mar
lin on Wednesday were a bit ominous,
when he said There goes another Thorpe
home run for the papers; they are making
il tougher for him every day" AS pointed
Marlin. this indicated how little Thorpe
would be able TO fulfil the high expecta-
lions which have been raised in fast
company.
The news from Bermuda on Thursday
that Hal" Chase's ankle was improv-
ing go fast that he might be able to get
afternoon was mighty encouraging to the
followers of the team here 1t woiid
have been n sad blow IL the Yankees mad
been forced 10 begin the season with
Chase not i'm condition 10 give of his
best. SO much depends upon the ability
OF Frank Chance TO develop and mould
a finished infield that the loss of his
strongest asset would have been kcenly
felt. Jim McAleer. part owner OF the
Boston Red Sox. and a manager OF wide