The Washington herald., 1915-01-21
C. Rose Declares Had He Been
Living Squabbles Would
Not Have Occurred.
OTHER SPORTING GOSSIP
BY NAT II. wORLEY.

Washington athletes look back to the
! days when DR.. d. f. Wiber was president
of the South Atlantic Association Of the
A. \. L. and mourn his loss. according
TO Clarence r. Rose. a member Of tire
old fremont relay team which figured
prominently in athletics a number OF
years ago.
Local athletes certainly miss Dr.
Wiber. said Mr.. Rose to the writer last
night His death was a severe blow TO
I athletic affairs here from which they
have never recovered. DR.. Wiber knew
every athlete in and around Baltimor,
and knew just about how fast he could
run. He was always ready TO come for
, ward TO help any Of the boys out Of trou-
BILE when they unintcntionaIIy broke some
Of the rules of the \. \. T..
He was the man who organized tho
Washington Grove Athletic Association.
continued Mr.. Rose. and since his
death there has not been a meet at the
grove
Had Dr. Wibcr been alive it is very
probable that the difficulties which arose
between Washington athletes and the 4.
\. 4. several years ago and CUlmina ted
in the formation Of the Amateur Ath-
letic Federation Of the District would
never have occurred and Washington
would he right out in the front rank ia
sports where it belongs"
AS il is, sports in the District have
fallen into innocuous desuetuds ard
things are getting worse instead of bet
ter"
Some action should be taken by the \.
\. L. on the petition which was signed
by all the local athletic bodies and for
warded last year. in which the Washing
ton athletes request permission to Sov-
ern themselves ny forming an athletic
district Of fhrir ENen the
sentative of the Carroll Institute, who IL
vice president of the South Atlantic As
soCiation Of the \. 4. L. siEned this Pc
tition, but thus far no action has bssn
takcn by those who should ct busy ART
things are at a standStil.
According to {. T.. Beckett, the Y.
NJ. c A stood things until II WAS inn
and when the A. a. L. suspended eight
or ten members of tho Y. NJ. {. 4.
swimming team for six months for
swimming against the Navy. the as
soCiation threw in its lot with the
Amateur Athletic Federation and
turned a cold shoulder to the older
organization.
II seems that the first trouble be-
tween Baltimore and Washington was
the result of the violation of a gentle
mems agreement between the repre-
sentatives of the two cities by which
Il was agreed that first one city and
then the other should get the presi-
dency of the South Atlantic branch
of the A. A. L. for the good of the
sport. II is charged that Baltimore
broke this agreement and that since
then has handed out some other raw
stuff which shows plainly the need
of local government for Washington.
The writer cannot see why the 4.
A. L. persists In trying to force Wash
ington athletes to be ruled by Balti-
more men when every athletic body
of note in the District. including the
National Guard Athletic Association.
the Y. NJ. c. A, the Memorial Athletic
Club. and the Carroll Institute, have
petitioned to be allowed to govern
their own affairs. The good OF ons
is the good of all and the policy OF
those who have the power to alter the
situation and who do not use II 20
clear up the atmosphere OF gloom
which now surrounds US In huge
chunks, is narrow and pig-headed to
say the least.