The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-20
SEVERAL REGIMENTS
PLAN TO QUIT LEAGUE
Military Athletic Body Torn by
Internal Strife over Way
It Does Things.
THIRTEENTH COMPLAINS
Brooklynitcs, Champions Six
Times, Not Represented on
Athletic Committee.

since the championships Of the Mill
tary Athletic League were held last Sat
urday night rumors have been floating
around Of disafrection in the rague.
which Is likely to lead to the withdrawal
Of several prominent regiments and the
formation OF another body along the
Same general lines. Leaders In the re-
volt. II such II may he termed. are the
Thirteenth Regiment and Second Naval
Battalion. while II is stated that they ex-
psct to DO backed UP by pretty nearly
every other military organisation In
Brooklyn.
Definite steps toward a withdrawal
from the league were to be taken at
meeting Of the Athletic Association Of
the Thirteenth, scheduled early this week.
b II at the last minute the meeting was
deferred until after the inspection Of the
regiment set for next week. similar
proposition will be considered at a meet
Ing Of the Second Naval Battalion next
week and meantime the other regiments
- Brooklyn will be approached.
General Dissatisfaction with the way
the league has been managed and the
fact that organizations prominent athleti-
cally cannot obtain a voice In the man.
aSement are the reasons given for the
outbreak. This Ii particularly noticeable
In the case Of the Thirteenth, which has
either won the championship or been the
runner up since 1902. In six Of the last
seven years the Thirteenth has been
champion. yet II has not a representative
on tho athletic committee which decides
all questions In dispute in regard to the
running Of the championship meets.
It was noticeable at the games last
saturday that many men we'll versed in
athletic lore were not named as officials
11ehAS1Rh fhay hal0n0 renip1antl af6l-
lated with the league. In the case Of the
Second Naval Battalion It Is stated that
John II. Connolly. the delegate appointed
~ the battalion to represent IL in the
councils Of the league. was not recog-
nised because he was not an officer Of
tAe battalion. As a member Of the reg
istration committee OF tho Metropolitan
Association Of the A. A. u, Mr.. Connolly
has q wide knowledge Of athletics and
the amateur sailors cannot understand
why his knowledge should not be avail
able for the NJ A. L.
That the movement In opposition to the
present management may spread beyond
brooklyn borough IL not unlikely on ac-
count Of the general condemnation Of the
conduct Of the games last Saturday. The
meet was held in the Seventy-hrst Regi-
ment Armory. which Ii much too small
for such important contests. The conse-
quence was that II was nearly o'clock on
Sunday morning before the games we're
concluded. and even at this date three
events are not settled to the satisfaction
q the competing regiments. No cleats
were on hand for the tug Of war and no
effort was made to pull In the relay
race and the hike protests have been made
to the athletic committee by the Seventy
first Regiment against the decisions OF the
referee. In the relay race the Seventy
first's contention 10 that the mixers swarm
Ing into the armOry interfered with Homer
Baker. allowing Kiviat Of the Thirteenth
to win.
In the hike the Seventy-irst had the
first man to enter the armory. He was 80
far in advance of the rest OF the squad
that he made a circuit of the track before
his companions came In. After that the
leader of the Seventy first went the two
laps called for with his squad. The squad
was ruled out by the referee for not nm
fishing in company formation. All the
other competing squads we're disqualified
for the same reason. except the Second In
fantry OF Schenectady. which came In -four
abreast and took of the prizes. The dis
qualified regiments insist that extended
order and not company formation IL all
that Is required in a hike. and this was the
method in the big hike Of the Royal Ar
canum In Brooklyn.
In the case OF a split In the Military
there will be a question as to which body
will receive the support OF the a. A. L
While the matter was being Investigated
II came to light that there was a clash
between A. A. u. and NJ. A. l.. officials
ever the Royal Arcanum hike. The Roya
Arcanum meet was held under a sanction
from the A. A. u. but the hike was ref
creed by Major c. w. Smith. George
p. Mathews. as acting chairman OF the
registration committee. called the atten
tion OF the referee to the violation OF tn,
rules of the contest by one Of the teams
His protest was ignored and the result
was that ]. w. Stumpf. the regular
chairman of the committee. sent the fol
lowing letter to Major Smith:
A report has been submitted by George !
Mathews, stating that In the discharge o
hts duties as acting chairman OF the regis
tratIon committee at q meet held unde
A. q. U. sanction granted to the Royal Ar
canum. he was iusulted and Inundated b
ySS acting in a.. capacity Of ou refs n,t, ,
The Committee having considered ssm'
that unless you are Willing to listen to crit,
clsm by duly authorized elected ofncia
that you refrain from acting as an ofhcia
Capt Charles J. Dieges. athletic di
rector OF the Twenty second announces
yesterday that the military tug OF wa
championship has been transferred 4
the games of the Twenty-second Regi
ment Engineers. which will be held mex
Friday. The following teams are entered
Three from the regular army. the secon
Regiment OF Troy. the Thirteen and -Four
teenth regiments and the Second Nava
Battalion. The decision OF the tug of wa
championship may change the result O
the point winners OF the M. A. L. cham
pionship.