New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-09
IHlJBBUB GROWING
AMONG OARSMEN
.OvERTOMROONEY
RavenswOod Boat Gin.
May Forfeit Membershis
in Association
By FRANK O,NEIlI

Inc developments 10 The ilysr,
ton Of Thomas J. Rooney's am,.
standing may be many and fsns,..
in effect Not only may the 81
be declared a professional and si,...,
fled from competition In ama,se,
cles. but the Rayenswood Boa, r,
which he has represented in ore,
petition since 1912, may forf.s
membership in the National A...
ton Of Amateur Oarsmcn. Thoss
men who have admitted their k,,,
edge Of Rooney's activities ma, !.
called upon to explain their r,,s,...
on the matter.
II was learned from a reliable ga.
yesterday that the guns Of tbs n =
A. o. were trained on the Rsye,,,..s
Boat Club. The officials OF n. &,
will be calcd upon % explain -
reasons for certifying the en,,, !,
Rooney in the various races. vts,s..
must have known the nature q
work
II is the duty Of the captain or -.
ident of a club 20 vouch for tie -,
bers Of the club. n those o.,
knew Of Rooney's derelicton tssi, =.
duct is reprehensible. and tbsv I,
doubtedly will pay the full pri, NJ
their misdirected sense OF loysl,y
Investigation Promised
This entire matter will be r,.,..
gated from top 20 bottom" said
who IS prominent m amateur rosi,,
circles yesterday. The matter Of Z,
Rooney is simple enough in i,s.Y
is natural that he should want q =,
and IL is easy TO see how he s,,
not understand how his work a
playground attendant made him 4, =.
fesslonal oarsman. But the ofesr =
the club must have known.
at IS their duty 20 know the y !.
governing amateur sport. Il il H.,
duty TO know the nature Of the wo,t y
every member in their club. p I,
their duty to certify the amateur sa,.
ing OF every man they enter % r,,,.
sent the club in our regattas.
If they deliberately ahieldsd Rs,r|
by falsely certifying his entris, -.
they will pay the price in full ng
cannot shrug their shoulders 70 =,
sort of thing at all. They canno, N.
themselves 20 their duty They r,r
either ally themselves with those r.,
are striving for clean amateur spcr =
ally themselves with professionals
professional oarsmen are all M,
Men Of the type of Jim Rice, Ckrs
Courtney, Jim Ten Eyck and other N
all good men. But it would be VI,
10 allow them 70 compete against ~
tours. Each in his separate pss
all right. Mix them. and ittEI
wrong. We cannot be neutral btass
right and wrong.
TO be sure, we are not going !, b,
into this thing blindly. Expellr, 4
club from an association is q xr,gI
matter, but we are going 70 hev . = \
line, and we don't care where the {. ,
fall"
Sympathy for Rooney
Much has been said on both as's 3 .
the Rooney case. Some oarsmr i'Y \
that Rooney vii receive a cle4i sl I
of health. while others insist tar
should be disbsrred from amateur co.
petition.
One oarsman said yesterday. al
this stuff about Rooney not s,yi' 4
standing the amateur rule Is loo r
knew that his position was that 0. q
letic director. III grant you, iol ~
sake Of argument. that he does no' ~.
but he is out in the open air for sss
or nine hours a day, with every ears
70 exercise and develop his mr'ee
1T is not fair to put him IN agaN
a clerk who works in an once al q
long. pushing a pen. Penman'ap =
velop the hands and fingers, es'
does not develop the back and 70
which are needed in rowing 81
James Pilkington, president o. "
National Association Of Amateur Usy
men. said last night: 81 am slr9nN
20 learn that so many men IN ihs "
ing game knew Of Rooneys Hoh
remained silent on 10. Those msl !.
almost as guilty as Rooney u
realized that his work made Inn ~
fessional they should have ma~
known. These things are not pea,
but they work for the good Of tns|
and in the long run are benehe5o.
~ dare say that If Kelly or -
or Smith. or some OF the oihe ~
inent oarsmen had known OF %. :,
brought to light by The Iriosss. ~.
would not have hesitated 70 MAJ i..I,,,s
known-not because they are lsnS.,s
Rooney. but because they rave "a,
interests of clean spcrt az n''"