Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-05
A. A. U. OFFICIAL
SAYS MEREDITH
WILL Be BARRED
Penn Runner Not Eligible
to Compete in Big Boston
Meet, Maintains A. J.
Lill-Orton Is Surprised.

The track and field authorities at the
University of Pennsylvania are due for a
rude awakening when they attempt tc
include Ted Meredith upon one OF the
Penn relay teams at the Boston Athletic
Association games in February, accord
ing to no less authority than Alfred j.
Lii, the president of the Amateur Ath-
letlc Union. Meredith will not be per-
mitted to wear the big 'P' either in the
B. A. A. or any open Amateur Athletic
Union affair, although it will be per-
fectly possible for Meredith to wear the
Pennsylvania insignia in the intercolle-
giate championships or any of the Penn
| dual meets.
Merediths offense, II such it may be
termed. consists of having represented
the Meadowbrook Club. of Philadelphia,
rather than the University of PennsyI-
vania in his indoor starts this winter in
Boston, New York and Buffalo.
1T is one of the rules of the Amateur
Athletic Union that college athletes can
not represent club organizations during
the college season and still remain eligible
to run under the varsity colors in open
meets. This rule hits Meredith squarely
on the head, and 1t is altogether surprls-
ing that either Meredith himself or the
University of Pennsylvania authorities
should have overlooked the facts. Penn
sylvania and Meredith both may be ex-
pected to put up a fight, but to no avail
That Meredith has been entered and adj
vertised as competing for the Meadow
brook Athletic Club leaves absolutely no
room for argument In the days when
the late lamented Mike" Murphy looked
out for track athletics at Pennsylvania
the Quakers never found themselves in
the position they now are. Merediths
absence Is going to prove big blow to
Pennsy's chances in the indoor competi-
tions Penn has in sight for the winter
season."
DR.. George Orton, athletic coach OF the
University OF Pennsylvania, was very
much surprised when called upon to give
his opinion Of the Meredith case, Doctor
Orton stated: 81 am under the impression
that Meredith may represent the Meadow
brook Club in open meets of the Amateur
Athletic Union, but is unquestionably
eligible to represent the varsity in the
contests that are termed closed to col
lege teams. The Boston relay race in
which Ted will run for Penn is one that
has been called a college relay. be-
lteve this race to be one closed to col
lege teams, and am of the opinion that |
the rules will permit him-if he cares to |
do soto run a race for the varsity and |
then later compete for the Meadowbrooks, |
both on the same night Mr.. Lill may |
construe the meaning of the rule differ |
emily from me, but it remains to be seen |
which Is right"
Meredith takes the same view of the |
situation as Doctor orton. He under |
stands that by electing to represent |
in open competition he Is |
barred from representing Pennsylvania In
such meets. But. he maintains, that the |
event OF the Boston meet in which he
wishes to represent Pennsylvania, Is
closed to Pennsylvania, Cornell and Dart
mouth, and that, therefore, the A. A. u.
authorities have nothing to say on this
point.
What Gustavus 7. Kirby Thinks
Sporting Editor Evening Ledger:
My impression Is that the intercol-
legiate events at the b. A. A. games
are closed TO members OF the com
peting colleges and are run under in
tercollegiate rules. If this is SO,
personally see no reason why Mere
dith should not compete on the same
evening for his university in its re-
lay race with Dartmouth and Cor
nell and for the Meadowbrook Club
In the open event Personally, | am
strongly opposed to such representa-
tion, believing that college student
during the academic year should NOT
De permitted TO represent other than
his university.
GUSTAVUs t. KIRBY,
chairman Legislative Committee A,A.U.