New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-28
REPRESENTATIVES of 10 Or
CARNATIONS Tackle the
Question at AStor.
DELEGATES DISCUSS
MANY-SIDED PROBLEM
Pave Way for Adoption of New
Code Submitted by the
&c. a. a. a. A..

That unsolved and hitherto most I'M
tangible OF al athletic problems tho
distinction between the amateur and
tho professional engaged the earnest
attention Of the representatives, OF
rircteen controlling organizations IN
amateur sports. collegiate and non-col-
lceiste. i'm a conference held in IN"
Rose Room Of the Hotel Astor yester-
uay afternoon a. the invitation Of the
intercollegiate Association Of Amateur
Athletes Of America. more populariy
known by the shorter appcllatlon OF
the !. c. A. A. A. A.
Il was a meeting Of great moment IN
the history Of amateur athletics IN the
United States, but viewed from the
shortened perspective that one got IN
listening 10 the discussion that dritted
through three long hours little seemed
10 be accomplished. in fact, II ap-
reared as il there was even greater
disorder than before. because dele
gate from each Of the organizations
represented turned up and spread out
10 view one or more Of the seemingly
trivial, though none the less DerpleX-
ing, problems that have arisen in the
years Of administering rules which all
admitted TO be inadequate.
Although little but a plain state
ment Of the facts was accomplished in
the first conference, there was at least
the promise that the foundation had
been laid for really serious discus
sion at the meetings to come. The
conference adjourned well past the din
ner hour to meet again on Thursday
FOR further discussion, and il is prob
- l. Lnf Les - fsc,v,
will be effected, committees appointed
and plans made for the adoption and
promulgstion OF the new amateur code
hv the organizations affected.
Every Angle Discussed.
Every angle of the many cornered
amateur question was spread to view
by those who have spent many years
Of their lives in administering regu-
lations that have proved TO be well
nigh non-enforceable. Gustavus 7.
Kirby, chairman of the graduate ad-
visory committee Of the /. c. A. A. A. A.,
through whose initiative the confer
ence was called, was named presiding
officer, and with a few deft touches
laid open the whole subject for dis
section in all its minor parts by those
who were sitting in consultation with
him.
Howard F. Whitney, represented the
United States Golf Association; Rob
ert d. Wrenn, the National Lawn
Tennis Association; Justice Barlow 6.
Weeks, George j. Turner and Fred
crick w. Ruben. the Amateur Athletic
Union; DIR. Graeme Hammond, the
Amateur Fencers' League; DR.. Reginald
H. Sayre, the United States Revolver
Association; William F. Garcelon. Pro-
lessor Frank W. Nicholson and Dean
lie Baron Briggs, the National Col
legiate Athletic Association; David A.
Slayback. the international Skating
Union Of America; G.. T. Moon, jr.,
the National Association of Amateur
Billiard Players; DR.. w. p. Bowen,
The Athletic Research Society; DR..
Joseph +. Raycroft, the intercollegiate
Basketball League; +. L. Mockler,
Douglas Stewart and Thomas w. Ca
hill, the United States Football Asso-
citation, Norton II. Crow, the Amateur
Athletic Union Of Canada; Major
Cook, the Military Athletic League;
DR.. ]. H. McCurdy, the National Play
grounds Association; DR.. Paul Phillips,
the New England Intercollegiate Ath-
letic Association; DR.. George Fisher,
the Allied Leagues Of Y. VI. c. A.
Clubs, and Emil Rath. the Turn
Vereins and Gymnasium Union.
Comprehensive suggestions for an
amateur code were submitted TO the
conference by the l. c. A. A. A. A. in
The form OF a booklet which contained
an amateur rule phrased 20 meet the
contingencies arising in every sport.
but the only speaker who really con-
dned himself TO discussing the pro-
posed code was Justice Weeks. speak
,ng as representative Of the Amateur
Athletic Union. Justice Weeks took a
spirited part in the discussion from
he beginning, and when he came TO
make his formal address at the end
IL was pretty well understood that he
was one Of the powers behind the ex-
ecutive committee Of the !. c. A. A.
4. A. in its efforts 10 straighten out
he tangles OF amateur athletic com
petition.
The Definition.
Justice Weeks spoke TO the point and
made no pretence Of his approval Of the
rules set down by the ]. c. A. A. A. A,
whose definition OF an amateur is: One
who engages in sport solely for the
pleasure and physical benefits he de-
riyes therefrom and 10 whom sport is
nothing more than an avocation. This
definition - qualified 20 bar all ath-
letes who commit a fraud, compete for
money, coach for money, capitalize
their athletic fame and associate with
professionals. The one real progressive
step advocated is the power Of reinstate-
ment whereby a man disbarred for all