The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-19
MUST Define AN
. AMATEUR GOLFER
Present Rules Fall Far Short
Of Establishing Clearly
His Status.
G. H. BROOKE IS BARRED
All Around Athlete and Sportsman Is
Dubbed a Professional Because
He Coached Football Team.

Once again is the ahsurdity OF the def
milton Of an amateur brought forcibly
to the attention Of the sport lovers Of
the country. This time the weakness OF
the present system OF determining the
line between amateurism and profession
alism is brought into sharp relief by
the action Of the Golf Association of
Philadelphia IN barring from competition
in the Philadelphia championship tour
hey George II. Brooke. the famous all
round athlete and sportsman. on the
ground that his coaching of the Cniver-
sity OF Pennsylvania football team is a
violation of the strict tenets of the anna
teur rule.
Just how the golf officials arrive at
this definition II is difficult to imagine
II George Brooke, by taking money as
football coach has invalidated his
chances OF competing as an amateur
golfer, then it will ne necessary for the
local association. and the golf associa-
ton Of every other section of the coun-
try 70 begin thorough housekeeping.
What about the scores of trapshoot-
ers who are competing in the golf
ranks? In the sport of trapshooting
an amateur is permitted to win money
in trapshooting tournaments. something
not permitted in any other line of ath-
dent of North Hills Country Club; Harry
David, Thomas Tansey. and others of
the same club. who also are ardent golf
players and shooters, and a number more
In other clubs, are properly permitted
to compete" as amateur golfers.
In every line of sport Brooke is rated
as an amateur. In court tennis and
racquets he is regarded one Of the
best players in America, and in no sport
in the world is there such a strongly
ma rked line between the amateur and
professional ranks as court tennis. The
game is played only in the very high
class clubs and the lines strictly OBJ
served, yet Brooke's standing in these
has never been questioned.
Percy Haughton. the famous coach of
the Harvard football and baseball teams,
a man of wealth and standing. receives
pay for his instruction work. yet he also
is a great racquet and court tennis play
er and also a good golfer. His standing
in these sports has never been ques-
toned. Professional baseball players.
such as Bender. Davis. Plank, Cobb.
clay bird and live bird shooting. are
rated amateurs with the gun. though
they are the clearest cases Of profess
SIGNALS in baseball.
What of the star golfers. Travers, Out
met. Anderson. Evans. and others. who
are palQ 10 elIner write gOl1 articles
or permit their names to be used for
the same purpose? Are they not more
nearly guilty of professionalism in golf
than Brooke. whose sole offense is that
he was paid to coach the Pennsylvania
football team?
Many star golfers have been paid to
assist in laying out golf courses and for
their advice in these matters, yet they
have never been branded as profession
ais
II Brooke is guilty of professionalism
because of certain conditions in another
sport. what of Ouimet. Evans, and other
crack amateur golfers, who have COM
peted in the open championships against
professionals and taken the profession
ais prizes? In track athletic COMPETE
ton in the same events with the paid
athletes is punishable by disbarment
from the amateur ranks.
Doesn't it seem &c be time that some
clean-cut sensible and rational line of
demarkation should he drawn between
amateurs and the professionals?