New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-07
Charges of Profession
alism Laid to Cham
pion Single Sculler
By FRANK O'NEILL

Thomas ]. Rooney, Of the Ravens
wood Boat Club, champion single
sculler of the United States, is in dan
ger of losing his amateur standing. He
is employed by the City of New York as
playground attendant in the Depart
ment Of Parks.
His duties, as outlined by an employe
| Of the Department of Parks. include the
direction Of play and games on the
/ playground and coaching and preparing
| teams for the various inter- playground
tournaments. Coaching basketball,
track athletics and baseball is part OF
! the routine work.
Holding a position OF this sort is in
contravention of the rules of amateur
ism. laid down by the Amateur Athletic
Union, with which the National Asso-
citation Of Amateur Oarsmen Is afh!i-
ated. The principal conditions OF the
amateur rule are as follows: mo ath-
lete may compete under an assumed
name. compete for money, coach for
money, or in any other way caplsllze
his athletic ability
The attention OF the National Asso-
citation of Amateur Oarsmen has been
called to Rooney's work, and an inVes-
tigation will be ordered when the gen
eral meeting Of that association Is held,
some time in February or March: II
Rooney can prove that he is merely a
guardian Of the playground and that his
duties are not those OF an athletic
coach or director of physical educa-
ton his right to compete as an amateur
| cannot be questioned.
Boughton Case a Precedent
Charles Boughton, an interseholastic
runner of some local note, was dls-
qualified from competing as all amateur
| for holding a similar position. bough-
| ton was suspended for one year ana
| half If Rooney IS set down IL IS PROD
able that no such slight penalty will be
| imposed. II is contrary TO the policy
OF the governing body OF the oarsmen
10 reinstate men who have fallen from
grace. ;
shin in the single sculls at Duluth last
August. defeating Jack Kelly, the star
Of the Vesper Boat Club, of Philadel-
mia. in impressive style. In the same
| REGATTA he won the association single
sctlls and the quarter-mile dash, giving
his wash 20 the best watermen IN the
country. IL is doubtful If any other
man ever performed such remarkable
feat in the national championship re-
gatta. Am.r
ica was the crowning achievement OF
meteoric career. Rooney won his junior
race in the Memorial Day regatta OF
the Harlem Regatta Association, held
over the Speedway Course on the mar
lem River in 1912. Other victories foI
lowed in rapid succession, and his name
became 8 byword in amateur ROWING
circles. He defeated the best men VINE
could be sent against him one after an
other, until on August II and II NJ
swept the waters at Duluth.
Chaos may follow If Rooney is De
clared a professional because of his
work and ruled out of amateur rowing
The prizes that he won, dating from
tho time that he entered the employ of
the city in his present capacity, VIII
have TO eb returned and awarded 10 the
men who finished second in the various
races which he won. These men would
J automatically advance a class, and any
prizes which they may have won would
have TO be returned and awarded 70
! the men who finished next behind them.
So busy little chain of events may be
started.
Oarsmen Pull for Rooney
Oarsmen throughout the country
hone that Rooney will be able to es,
tablish his amateur standing beyond
question Of doubt. He is popular In
aquatic circles, as much because OF his
exceptional personality as for his re-
markable ability as scuIler. lie IL
quiet and unassuming, most unaggres-
sive until he steps into a shell TO row
race.
James A. Plkington, president Of the
National Association Of Amateur Oars,
men. said last night that ne would
order an investigation at once. he SAID
that the mere fact that Rooney was
employed by the city as a playground
attendant would not necessarily make
him a professional, providing that the
work he did placed no premium upon
athletic ability. Mr.. Pilkington SAID,
however, that other men who held posi-