Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-28
Nationals 0utfes Rank WeN(as ThWers- MAY ChangeSte

the first rank in track athletics to enter
their games, and they Will produce a
round sum OF money for their attraction.
That is going on. and has been going on.
yet the men who are guilty continue to
compete in meet after meet. The chances
are that the A. \. L. officials In the north
realize that such is the case. and are
powerless to prevent il. yet a man who
has never received a cent for work on the
track Is professionalism In that branch
of sport, while others. who are being paid
for actual running. are allowed to COM
pete.
According to strict Interpretation Of the
\. A. L. laws. there are mighty few real
amateurs. II the colleges and athletic
clubs We're raked, there would be found
only a small number who would be al
lowed to compete under a A. L. sane
ton If the truth were known. Take
hohlemainen, the wonderful marathan
runner in the Olympic meet.
He came to this country. and it is
understood got a position whereby he
could make living through influence
| that was secured by reason OF his being
an athlete. Hundreds OF others have
been given jobs SO that they might be
obtained to represent certain athletic
clubs. College men are being given
out -and-out scholarships for their
ability in athletics. others are helped
to obtain places SO that they can work
their way through school, and accord
ing to the A. A. L. rulings every man
thus aided is a professional. 1t Is
known that there are thousands who
are competing under A. A. L. sanction
who come under the above. and yet
they go unmolested. Whether these
conditions are right or wrong Is not
question to be discussed here. but as
long as they are known TO exist there
might have been some leniency shown
a man who did something that was not
a greater infringement on the rulings
Of the amateur body. Had Thorpe COM
cd crime more notice OF IL
would not have been taken. and perhaps
not as much.
Has Americas greatest athlete been
done an injustice?
The following is Thorpes letter OF con-
! fession to James E. Sullivan OF the anna
| teur athletic commission. 1t speaks Tor
F, itself:
Department Of the Interior,
| United States Indian Service.
Carlisle. Pa. January 26. 1913.
| James f. Sullivan. New York. n. y.
/ Dear Sir: When the interview with
| base ball on the Winston-Salem team was
shown me l told Mr.. Warner that it
| was not true, and. in fact, did not Play
| on that team. But SO much has been
said in the papers since then that went
| to the school authorities this morning and
| told them just what there was In the
! stories.
Il played base ball at Rocky Mount
| and at Fayetteville, y. c.. in the sum-
mers of 1900 and 1910 under my own
| name On the same teams I played with
were several college men from the north.
| who were earning money by ball playing
| during their vacation and who were re-
garded as amateurs at home.
Il did not play for the money there
was in it, because my property brings
me in enough money to live on, but be.
cause I liked to play ball. I was not
| very wise to the ways Of the world and
u Al.4A md
| 1t would make me professional in track
sports, although I learned from the
other players that It would be better fol
me not to let any one know that / was
told any one at the school about it until
| today.
I'm the fall of 1911 1 applied for read
mission to this school and came back
to continue my studies and take part In
the school sports. and. Of course.
wanted to get on the Olympic team and
take trip to Stockholm. had Mr.
Warner send in my application for reg
| istering in the A. A. T.. after I had an
swered the questions and signed it, and
l received my card, allowing me to com
pete in the winter meets and other track
sports.
Il never realized until now what a bis
| mistake I made by keeping IL a secre'
about my ball playing. and am sorry
did so. / hope I will be partly excused
by the fact that I was simply an Indiar
| schoolboy. and did not know all abou
such things. In fact, did not know tina
/ was doing wrong, because I was doinf
what I knew several other college mer
| had done, except that they. did not us'
| their own names
Il have always liked sport and only
| played or ran races for the fun Of the
| thing and never to earn money. 1 have
| received offers amounting to thousands OF
dollars since my victories last summer
but have turned them all down, because
1 did not care to make money from m,
| athletic skill.
| Il am sorry, Mr.. Sullivan. to have Il
| all spoiled in this way, and 1 hope tn,
| Amateur Athletic Union and the peopl,
will not be too hard in judging me.
yours truly
"(Signed) JAMES THORPE"
| The Aloysius Club is scheduled to NEE
| the Y. NJ. G. A. quint tonight in the Con
| zagan gymna SUM. Jack Hurley, captain
of the club team. says that his team will
| show better form than at any time thi,
| season.