New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-01-04
Hockey Team Balks at De-
cision of Russell and Re-
fuses to Take Ice.
PRESIDENT AWARDS
GAME TO CRESCENTS
PLAYER Fails to Prove Eligibility
TO Satisfaction of the
Amateur League.

That President Russell and his asso-
ciates of the Amateur Hockey League in
tend to govern the great winter sport in
a proper manner was again shown at the
ST. Nicholas Skating Rink last night As
one of the players of the Wanderers
Hockey Club was unable 20 prove That
he had lived in New York long enough
TO be eligible to represent the organiza-
ton the league ruled that he could not
play In the opening game OF the cham
pionship series.
The decision was reached just prior 10
the starting Of the contest that was to
have brought together the Wanderers
and the Crescent Athletic Club The for
mer objected to the decision and refused
10 take 10 the ice. After, arguing the
question for half an hour President Rus
sell awarded the game TO the Crescent
Athletic Club. It is the first time in the
history Of the sport that such victory
has been won.
Bud" Claffy, who came from Ottawa
was the player who caused all the trouble
The rules OF the amateur league state
that a man must have been an actual
resident within nifty miles of the place
in which his club Is located for at least
six months previous to being eligible 10
appear In any Amateur Hockey League
championship match, the only exceptions
being players who. during the preceding
season represented any recognized schooi
or college In the United States.
hot hn
while last winter, but, returning to Can
ada, worked through the summer In TO-
ronto. He did not come back to Ne"
York until last october. Under the cir
cumstances, the Amateur Hockey League
refused 10 allow him 10 represent the
Wanderers Hockey Club. The league
however, permitted Almond. anotner
plaver from Ottawa, to play on the wan
derers' team.
When the ruling was made the wan
derers stated that. rather than dlsaP-
point the large crowd that had gathered
to see a contest. they would be wiilIhS
to play an exhibition game. They theh
defeated the Crescent Athletic Club by
score of goals 10 0.
After the contest President Russell saio'
"The Wanderers have absolutely no
grounds upon which to stand. Ciany al
mitted that he had not been here for Fix
months. He therefore was ineligible 10
play.
1--WE put off until the last moment inc
CIaffy case, as he promised TO nie Tue
necessary papers proving that he "as
eligible to play on the Wanderers II Is
not I'D to the Amateur League TO prove
that a man is entitled to play. he mas
got To prove that himself, II he desires
to compete in championship games. ClaiiS
could not prove 1t, and that Is all thefe
is to the matter. What the wanderers
are going to do, l do not know.
There will be another meeting OF the
league tomorrow night and several other
players viii be asked 10 prove that they
are eligible to play I'm New York. II these
men cannot prove tLat they are amateurs
and are eligible TO represent teams OF the
league. they also will be barred from
playing.
In the exhibition game, the Wanderers
easily outplayed the Crescents. The latter
had a team Of youngsters, including PieL
CLYDE and Martin. the old champion
schoolboy skater and Cox, who formerly
played on Yale. Considering the action OF
the Wanderers, the game was clean
one, although penalties were handed out
10 both teams. Claffy, the player that
caused all the trouble, did not shine to
any great extent
MT igna-un.