The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-31
A. "A. u. Should
Declare Baseball
Trade Not Sport
Nv JAY LEWIS.


Every editorial writer in the United
States who discussed the Thorpe case
were quite sure that the writer's of
Great Britain would display an un-
holy glee over the confession of the
champion athlete: would deride, scorn
and hold up to ridicule and contempt
America and American athletes
Well, the Britishers have given all
America the jolt of the decade. They
have expressed a calm sorrow over.
the fact that Thorpe should turn out
to be professional. under the Amer
lean Interpretation of amateur rules,
philosophically remarked that it is
too bad, but 1t cannot be helped: that
the American Amateur Athletic union
is not to blame. and they point out
that under the American interpreta-
ton Of the rules a good many British
amateurs might have a perilous time
proving they are not professionals.
They also lay stress ON the point that
the American game of BASEBALL is
akin to British football, a sort of rec
ognized trade, by which one gains
livelihood, even as a skilled workman
gains his
The amateur athletic union might
take the bull by the horns and end
an old difficulty right now as well
as wait few years. It should recog-
nize baseball as a trade or business.
not as sport. Professional baseball
is no longer a sport 1t is q business
with promoters, and a trade with the
players who engage in it. The men
are skilled workmen, that is all. Men
may be skilled mechanics. carpenters
or chauffeurs and still be regarded as
amateurs in field and track athletics.
Why not baseball players?
1t Is working a wrong and a hard
ship on young men 10 declare them
professionals If they earn money
through their skill in baseball. Num-
bers of students use baseball as a
means to pay their way through the
colleges and universities. Must they
be regarded as professional athletes
while a skilled .mechanician or work
err in wood who pays his way by his
ability in these lines is regarded as an
amateur?
There lis a difference between the
skilled baseball player who is paid
for his services. just as carpenter.
chauffeur, a mechanic or the EN-
ploye in boiler shop is paid and the
man who completes for money prizes.
The professional athlete s a gambler.
He takes chance TO win. He will
use methods that an amateur would
scorn to use. His sole object is ma
IGTldA EaAtt, u ElttElt tOh1F SNItVi HAAASN
the field.
The baseball player is one of
team. The professional athlete is
unit There is q decided difference
between a paid member of team
who does the work given him In an
afternoon in workmanlike style and
the paid professional who completes
with an eye to winning a prize. and
who, too often. may not strive to win
II there LIS an inducement to lose.
There are amateurs who refuse to
compete at games unless they are
given prizes that can be turned into
cash some day In the future There
are amateurs who have demanded
and accepted large sums for expense
money There are amateurs who have
competed. been given watches with
hollow cases, wherein were green
backs. There are amateurs who have
competed and awarded prizes only to
find a man at the rear door who ex-
changed said prizes. especially dia
monds and watches, for money. There
are amateurs who could nd more pro-
duce all the prizes they have won as
amateurs than Jim Thorpe could pro-
duce the money he received in the
Eastern Carolina league.
Ii the amateur athletic union
wishes to purify amateur athletics let
James f. Sullivan head movement
to wipe baseball Off the amateur ath-
letic map. Let it be regarded as a
trade. Let a baseball player be re-
garded as an amateur as long as he
does not compete for material prizes,
nor accept money prizes, or disposes
for a consideration the prizes he may
win in field and track athletics.
A ruling to that effect will do much
to purify amateur athletics and, what
is more. il will do away with lot
of double dealing, cheating, hyproc-
r.cy rnes rt.rrr tiffngs u-7rrrurrtrg To
amateur athletics.
Either that. or the A. A. T.. should
enact legislation even more drastic
than now obtains.