The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-12
OUIMET CASE TO
COME UP BEFORE
GOLF BODY TO-DAY

New York, Jan. 12-When the
delegates to the annual meeting of
the United States Golf Association
assemble here today, the much dis
cussed definition of an amateur"
promises to make this years session
one of unusual interest. A deterrnin.-
ed effort will be made by many Mas
sachusetts golfers to have Francis
Ouimet, Paul Tewksbury and John
H. Sullivan, Jr., Of the Woodland Golf
club restored to their former anna
teur standing. Last year these play
ers were suspended by the National
Executive Committee on the ground
that all three had violated the rule
which prohibits an amateur accepting
or holding any position as salesman
or agent for the selling of golf sup
plies.
Two years ago when Frank L.
Woodward, of Denver, was elected
president of the association he ad-
vocated q stricter Interpretation of
the amateur rule and during his dou-
BILE term Of office he has been unal-
terably insistent that no player in the
amateur ranks should be allowed to
use the game for personal profit.
Before leaving Denver to attend
the meeting President Woodward, in
outlining the ideas Of the Executive
committees aid "It is either sport for
sports sake or sport for gain. Z The
one is an appeal to manhood and the
best elements in human nature, the
other is mere yielding to sordid
commercialism. The best interests of
golf are not alone at stake but every
game in the realm Of amateur sport
is to certain extent involved"
Since the disqualification of Ouimet,
former national amateur and open
champion, and his two fellow mem
bers of the Woodland Golf club,
Aburndale, Mass, last April, the
Woodland clubs president, L. B. Fol-
som, and every member of that or
ganization have been unceasing in
their endeavors to bring about a re-
vocation of the action taken by the
Executive Committee of the United
States Golf Association. They have
sent lengthy communications IN rerer-
ence to the suspension of the trio, to
every club in the Association and have
called upon all golfers in a spirit of
fair play, to see that their represen-
.atives 1T the annual meeting will he
men who can pass on this important
question in a broad and unbiased
manner.
The Massachusetts, Golf Association
backed up the stand taken by the
Woodland club, and threw down the
gauntlet to the United States Golf AS
sociation at meeting held at Bos-
ton three weeks ago. Resolutions
were adopted at that meeting includ-
ing one which branded the National
Executive Committee Ruling No. I of i;
Section Z of the bylaws of the United
States Golf Association as being
broader than the rule to which the
Interpretation applies and therefore
unwarranted and unfair" i
As interpreted by the Executive
Committee of the United States Golf
Association Rule No. of Section 7 |
reads: Accepting or holding any PC |
sition as agent or employee that in-I
ciudes as rart of it's duties the han IL
ingaof golf supplies or engaging in any
busf1ess wherein one's usefulness or
profits arise because of skill or PRONE /
inence in the game Itself
In another resolution the Massa- |
chusetts Golf Association went on rec
ord to the effect that the appeal Of /
the Woodland Golf club should be sus-
tanned; that the action Of the Execu-
tive Committee of The United States i
Golf Associa,icn should be revoked /
AMI that the EL.yidual members at |
fectcd should be restored to good !
standing as amateur golfers
Secretary Howard F. Whitney, of
the United States Golf Association.
who has been nominated for another /
tc, m Of office, speaking Ct the anna
tour rule recently said: Whatever |
rule is finally adopted its basic prin-
ciple should be to this effect that no
man can commercialize mis- skill or /
prCniine nee in golf or any kindred
sport aid still remain ari amateur If
cnce allowed to exist, commerc:alism
can only result in endless harm to the
" elfare CT any game. The Havermey-
er Cup is the emblem Of the amateur
golf championship of the United States
and the executive committee as trus-
tees are going to eep it as SUCH
Howard F. Perrin, Huntingdon
Valley Country club, Arlington, Pa,
one of the Associations vice presi-
dents for the past two years, is>the
nominee for the presidency to succeed
Frank L. Woodward, the retiring ex- !,
(