Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-26
AMATEUR STATUS
UPSET BY RULING
ON MISS CASSEL
National Tennis Association
Makes Serious Blunder
in Case of Skater

The next annual meeting OF the United
States National Lawn Tennis Association
will see the powers that be fighting to put
through the new amateur rule against one
of the strongest feelings throughout the
whole tennis world except New York that
has ever opposed a measure of the admin
istraUon.
The players and followers of tennis
throughout the country have been strongly
against the movement that allowed the
the men who make livelihood selling ten
mis- goods, but the climax came when, last
September, Claire Cassel a woman of ma
tional tennis reputation, was declared
professional tennis player because she
skated for money.
Now Playing Here
Miss Cassel was notified Of the action of
the committee by George Adee. president
of the u. S. N. L. 7. A. She was called or
the court during a match and informed
over the phone she was ineligible to play.
She said she would not contest the decision,
and justly so, that her skating was not
sport, but profession, quite as much as
any actor or actress.
Miss Cassel is now here in Philadelphia,
skating in "Hipl Hip! Hurray," the New
York Hippodrome show at the Metropolitan
Opera House. Her case Is before the local
sporting public. Consider the influence
that this decision of the u. s. N. L. T. A.
logical end. Miss Cassel is skating in a
show that has some 1900 persons partici-
pating. II she is tennis professional be-
cause she is paid for skating in this show
are not all the other 1899 members like
wise ineligible to compete in sanctioned
tournaments? If so, then all members of
all shows, in fact the whole theatrical pro-
fession, must be ruled out of amateur
sport.
Why discriminate against the skater?
There is the dancer Miss Cassel's skating
is as far removed from the popular sport
as Mrs. Vernon Castles style of dancing
is from the average ballroom clodhopper.
If this does now follow, then the ruling
of the association is a direct discrimination
against Miss Cassel This cannot be, for
there cannot be attributed to the associa-
tion anything more serious than a little
case of warped judgment from an overzeal-
Gus desire to keep the sport clean.
Rightful Return
What should we strive TO eliminate from
tennis? The answer is decidedly the actual
| capitalization of ones playing ability. The
more fame one gets is Just as useful in COM
mercial lines OF all kinds as In the selling of
tennis goods.
This is rightful return for the time and
energy expended. 1t is not harmful TO the
game. 1t is healthy sign OF the increasing
| interest in tennis. 1t is the man who gets
paid for teaching or playing tennis that
must be eliminated. He, alone, is the true
| professional
| The idea that professionalism In one sport
means professionalism in all is ridiculous,
| foolish and narrow-minded. Why should a
professional pool player be Ineligible to play
| tennis? Such far-fetched conceptions OF
clean sport do more to harm a game than
| help II.
When the amateur rule comes up at the
| annual meeting II will have the backing of
| the president and other officers because Il is
the child of the association The men and
clubs of the Far West. Middle West, and a
great portion OF the South and East are
| absolutely set against IT, They will send
| their representatives TO New York instructed
| to defeat the proposed rule The secretary,
| however, will hold all instructed proxies
from clubs not present 10 vote as he sees
| Mt