The Washington times., 1916-01-04

when a man is an amateur and when
he 10 not. The feeling Is intensified
rather than relieved by the daily con-
ferences Of various intercollegiate bodies
held last week IN New York and which
adjourned after having accomplished
almost nothing, says a writer In the
philadelphia Ledger In these questions
and answers emphasis is placed on the
good. basic principles of amAteurism-
and its many inconsistencles.
Q. What is an amateur
A. II all depends upon the sport re-
ferred to. An amateur In one sport may
be a professional In another and vice
versa. According to the olympic defini-
ton an amateur athlete Is one who has.
never competed for money prize or for
a monetary consideration, or In any way
drawn pecuniary gain from his sport:
completed against q professional; taught
sold. pawned or hired out, or exhibited
for payment any prize won IN a compe-
tition.
q. What is a professional?
A. A professional IN an athlete who
competes for q financial consideratIon,I
with whom athletic competition is a
business enterprise,
q. What IL the reason for the distinc-
ton between the amateur and the pro-
fessional?
A. The basis for the distinction is
that the amateur takes his athletics
as q recreation, as sport for sports
sake. He practices and competes when
| he has the time or the inclination. The
professional devotes all his time to his
| sports, constantly perfectlng himself
| for business reasons Therefore, the
two cannot meet on a common ground
nor would there be any interest in such
and unfair contest.
Q. Why should colleges bar athletes
| who may have been professionals but
who otherwise are bona fide students
A. Because the colleges want the
greatest possible number OF students TO
take up athletics and try for their
teams Suppose there We're a dozen
league ball players in a college. What
chance would the other students have
to make the nine? None. They. would
even be too discouraged 70 try for the
team. Barring professional ball
player, although he might be a good
student. might DO an injustice 10 him.
tect the rights and Dri yileges Of the
! great body of students.
Q. Don't College athletes frequently
masquerade as amateurs during the
academic year. and yet Surreputiously
compete as professionals during their
/ summer vacations7
A. Unfortunately this practice exists,
but II is not as common. as generally
] believed. II is almost enrirely confined
!, to baseball. due TO the commercial as
poets OF this sport.
Q. How do baseball players evade
the rule?
play with minor leagues for regular
salaries, Others take positions with in
dustrial plants, hotels and other organ
izations where they perform certain
that they shall play with their en-
\ ployerS' baseball teams once or twice
A week.
Q. But don't such men have to sign
an 'iron-clad' stating that they are
amateurs before they can play on their
college teams?
A. They do. Those who play under
assumed names and for a salary or
Who do this under their right names
and escape detection and then represent
their colleges as amateurs are In reality
perjurers. Playing on hotel and similar
teams Is an evasion which college au-
thorities usually wink at.
Q. Doesn't the fact that those who
play baseball on hotel and similar
teams get such positions because OF
their baseball skill rather than their
other qualifications make them profes-
sionals in spirit?
A. According TO strict interpreta-
ton of the amateur law, II does.
!! .. Then, why don't college authori'
ties declare them professIonaIs7
A. Because they can get no unanim.
ity of action throughout the collegC
world and because the practice is SC
general.
Q. Why were Legore and hts fellow.
members of the Yale baseball team
disqualified as amateurs?
A. Because they accepted board and
lodging while playing on club bal
Q. But don't track athletes do what
the Yale men did without being dis
qualified?
a. They certainly do. and with tn,
full knowledge Of the A. A. U. ant
college authorities. Last summer. fol
example. there were a good MANY col
lege men who represented athletic
! clubs, were lodged, boarded and trans
ported across the continent and bacl
for the A. A.. u. championship at saI
Francisco without expense to them.
Q. How can a track athlete do thiI
and remain a bona fide amateur, Will,
Yale DISQUALIFIED her baseball player
! for doing the same thing?
A, The question can't be answered
satisfactorily, 1t Is merely one of tn,
many Inconsistencies in the interpreta
tion and enforcement OF our amateur
laws
Q. Are there many such rlsring II,
I consistehcieS i'm amateur athletics?
A. Hero are a few Percy Haughtcn
: of Harvard, and George Brooke. o
! Pennsylvania, both professional football
coaches, are or nave been amateur rae
AT the Olympic games in 1919 tn
track and field nlen had to hRw closel
| TO the line of amateurisni Jim Thorp
} won the pentathlon ana decqthi u
championships. hut later he'd 20 sur
} render his prizes and was declared
professional athlete because Il was dis
! covered that he had once played base
] ball for money.
Yet on the same team. also represent
ing the United States. were revolver eV
perts, some Of whom went abroad a
representatives NJ ammunition makers
holding their positions tecBuse NJ thei
skill In uarlSSmanship aid having thci
salaries paid ir their Rbgence And al
OF them were permitted TO compete 10
money prizes IT home
THIS falI Trinity College PLAYED OF
rs football tesm GROrTe Buckley
nrofeRaional nthIatN. -"hn N'ns at on
: time a .nN"vnher ~ the Philadelphia Ath
, 1atics CCiuIuhin t'n'vovstiy Csncelel
> l'S football game v-i'h T~In'tv hecaus
! ~ the rule prOViding thnt apnateur
| nlaN-ir~ against nr0fassiO0al be~s m
, nrofessionals themselves That helm
: the cpSo AL NJ BrickIe'''s |Aammate
| | ~ Tr'nitv arc now professionals. =
a-e the rneNnbe-s ~ sils teams TIA
nIaved ASainst Trinity With Brielley &
, TIE line-uD.
l ThNrA 's no Iiu-'t 70 'hs ~idi~ulc.,
> Inngths this arSUrNent r1a,' lend v
| the same ~nhsnplrr thN Ea~v-7rd ~
/ ! Vale fnSsNali v,eH ho~aIr~ -~NfaSs Ssiouo'
=