New Britain herald., 1917-11-03
NEW LAW DOES NOT
 AFFECT AMATEURS
A. A. U. Officials Will Continue
 to Sanction Bouts in New York

New York, Nov. 3.-It was learned yesterday that despite the fact that the Frawley law legalizing profes- sional boxing and sparring matches in the state terminates on November 15. the Amateur Athletic Union would
 continue to issue sanctions for anna teur journeys. Prior to the passing
 of the Frawley bill in 1911 the A. A. U., which has always controlled anna teur boxing, sanctioned amateur shows, and so far the members Of that body are of the opinion that tho new penal code is much the same now as 1t was in the old days or after the introduction of the bill of 1900
 which made boxing a misdemeanor.
 Members of the New York A. C., the Crescent A. C., the City A. c. and other amateur clubs that ran shows for the amusement of their members will be surprised if they are prevent ed by the new law. The Crescent A. c. has scheduled it's last tourney for the evening of November If, the eve
 of the day when the Frawley law will
 be no more, and 1t is understood that
 the. Crescerts will not apply for any further dates. The New York A. c. has a benefit tourney on November 22 for the Army Library, but as 1t has been decided that 1t will be 8 sub- scription affair the managers think that as long as no admission will be charged the penal code will not be violated.
 No Bouts Planned.
 Paul Pilgrim said yesterday that the New Yorks had not planned any other journeys until the position of the A. A. U. was made clearer. It is the opinion of E. Ditmars, one of the most active boxing men in the Cres- cent A. C., that all classes of boxing are dead for the present." or until new bill is passed at Albany. A rumor gained ground yesterday that the professionals were about to form membership" clubs, and apply the A. A. U. in order to loophole through the new law, but that policy will be impossible, as the amateur authori- ties will not countenance professional clubs.
 Some time ago Governor Whitman stated that he. was in favor of anna teur boxing, but it seems he later on changed his mind. One night, at the home of Colonel Cornelius Van derbilt and in the hearing of R. w. Kennedy. the governor said that the new bill included amateur as we'll as professional boxing; that in order to get rid of tho unhealthy element around the pros the amateurs would have to go, too. . When asked yesterday about the l A. A. U. policy toward the new law. F. W. Rubien. president of tho Metro l oolitan Association, said: II am not ! tt liberty to talk officially for the A. {, A, U., and whatever I say must be re- | sarded as personal opinion only. ! The A. A. U. has not asked for any egal opinion, but of course if the ] aw Is enforced against us we shall 1 obey 1t. Long before the appearance l of the Frawley law the A. A. U. ran l It's bouts. and the big clubs, like the New Yorks and the Crescents, of- 1 fered tournaments, partly for the l of their members. and they have always been pretty clean af- fairs.
 Controls Amateur Boxing.
 "If they were permissible under the old code, I fail to see why they will in any way come under the ban of the new code. The A. A. U. controls boxing and the men who engage in it all over the United States, and all the exhibitions in the past have been absolutely free from anything shady. For this reason fail to see why we should be amenable to the new law.
 With the granting of sanctions I have nothing to do, as the registraL tion committee attends to that but as far as know now the committee will keep on granting sanctions until we are told that we are wrong"