The Washington herald., 1916-01-05
A. A. j. OFFICIALS
ARE With LOCALS
Result Of Hearing of Carroll
Protest Shows that Balti-
more Leaders Want Fair
Play.
MAKING BIG SACRIFICE
By WILLIAM pEEr.

Washington athletes, especially those
connected with long-distance running,
have In the past always had a grievance.
uttered a series of loud yelps, and painted
i'm black colors those connected with
races held in Baltimore.
During the last eight years. the writer
can hardly remember an instance when a
modified marathon was run over Bal
timore course in which Washington ath-
letes were entered. that local competitors
have not grumbled at what was con-
lsidered shabby treatment at the hands
of their Baltimore hosts.
Last Thanksgiving Day the annual
South Atlantic cross-country run was
held in Baltimore. and the only WASH
ington athletes to enter was a team from
the Carroll Institute.
The race was won by Geiger, a Balti-
morean, running unattached, the team
trophy went to the Baltimore Cross
country Club. while the Carroll Institute
boys got nothing but a few medals to
show that they were able to finish.
Three days after the event Carroll In
stitute entered a vigorous protest claim.
ing that the course, instead of being the
regulation distance Of six miles, was less
than four miles. that because the WASH
ingtonians had trained for a six-mile
before the race that the course was a
short one. the event was improperly
handled and that Carroll Institute had
been slipped raw deal.
An official protest was lodged, and
Chairman Burdick. of the registration
committee, Immediately started a probe.
collecting evidence both here and In Bal
timore from the contestants and the COM
mittee in charge of the event .
ttnly in DALI
evidence had been collected and the
registration committee will present the
facts to the board Of managers of the
South Atlantic A. A. u, who will meet
next week and hand down a decision.
The facts Of the whole matter as borne
out by the testimony are briefly as fol-
lows: q
four miles instead of more than six, but
that the Carroll Institute men had not
been notified in advance and therefore
the protest was perfectly justifiable and
would probably result in a decision by
the board Of managers insisting that the
event be run over again.
In order to hold this event a second
time 1t means that all of the medals
given the winners of the Thanksgiving
Day race, together with the silver loving
cup team trophy must be returned, and
If this is done, as seems likely, Washing
tonians must doff their caps to that
Baltimore bunch.
In discussing the matter with DR.. Will
lam Burdick, of the registration commit
tee Monday night, the writer learned
that Baltimoreans wanted only fair play,
that instead of widening the breach be-
TWEEN the rival cities, DIR. Burdick and
A. A. U. officials sought to bring about
a friendlier feeling.
b Carroll Institutes protest will more
than likely be sustained. but at a great
sacrifice SO far as the Baltimore athletes
are concerned. and such sportsmanship
deserves more than passing comment.
Charles W. Swan, baseball writer Of
the Cleveland Leader. who Is in Wash
ington for a short vacation, states that
in his opinion the Cleveland American
League club will be sold to certain prom
inent members Of the well-known Cleve-
land Athletic Club. who propose to form
a stock company.
In case this transfer Is made Billy
Evans, the umpire, is mentioned as the
probable manager.
Those who write OF the terrible falling
OF in attendance in baseball in 1915 can
hardly produce figures to prove their
case. As a matter OF fact, major league
baseball was attended last season by
greater number of persons than during
any previous season since 1909, which was
the banner year in the history of the
game. That more clubs did not make
money Is due to the increase Of the ex-
penses, and the fact that the Feds drew
Just enough people to cause the National
and American league clubs to fall slight
ly behind their usual marks.
According to the figures given out, the
total attendance at National League
games last season was 8, ,235, 400 and at
the American League contests 2,e64, 400, or
a grand total of 6,1ss, 500. In 1903 the total
attendance of the two leagues was 1873
los, or. 1,17s,s0s more than last season, but
it must be considered that this was the
games greatest year, and also that the
Feds drew close to a million people