New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-08
ROWING CIRCLES
STIRRED BY BLOW
AT TOW ROONEY
Kelly Refuses to Take
Title if Champion Is
Disqualified
-, FRANK O'NEILI

The announcement that Tom Rooney.
champion single scullcr OF America
Nigh, lose Dds ema,cur stand'ng mas
caused STIR .n rowing circles. HIS
duties as an cmployc 10 The Depart
,ncnt Of Parks ia the Bureau Of Becrea-
ton arc go foreign 60 rowing that
many oarsmon believe 10 would be n
pity to shear him Of The laurels he won
So decisively in tho single SOULS Yet
she feeling IS general that 70 make an
exception So his case would open tho
way Tor many abuses and evasions oil
che amateur sJlc.
When The annual meeting Of the Ma
tional Association Of Amateur Oarsmcn
i> held. Just before the opening of the
rowing season. Rooney case and one
or tNo others that have been called 20
zinc attention of the authorities viii
he discussed. To quote one Of the Off
Gals Of tho organ zatiou. "Those mon
vll walk the plank if the evidence io
'r~ cases warrants Dc"
To Take Broad View
james Ellington, president OF the
National Association Q. Amateur Oars
men. said ycsterdaE. we will take a
common sense view Of this matter. The
committee will gather boz all available
evidence. aud IF they discover that
Rooney has Willingly violated the code
Of amateur sport he can expect no
clcmency. That he is champion WI ID
not sway US. However. IN meeting to
zeal out justice we viii take broad
Wow of the whole situation.
Jack Kelly, the star OF the Nesper
Rowing Club. of Philadelphia, may be-
come champion automatically Il Rooney
Is disqualified. Jack finished second TO
the Ravens God boy At Duluth m the
single sculls. BY the same token os-
man. the giant Of Syracuse University
who represented the Duluth Boat Club
m the championship viii be declared
winner Of the dusrter-mile dash. and
Darling, OF the Union Boat CLUB, or
Boston, viii receive tho prize IN tho
association senior single SOULS.
Kelly is not willing 20 accept any
titles won i'm the meeting chambers or
the association through the dlsqualif-
cation Of rivals. lie much prefers TO
win his prizes by right of might and
skill on the water IN competition.
ct would be too bad II Tom were to
he ruled out Of the amateur ranks said
Kelly. "He is a real oarsman and a
good fellow. It's pretty hollow glory
10 advance a class especially cham
riouship class because man who
beat YOU is disqualified
Sentiment with Rooney
The sentiment Of osrsmen along
Scullcrs' Row, on the Harlem River, Is
with Rooney, but all agree that the
spirit and letter Of the rule on ANA
tours must be obeyed If the sport is to
flourish. The older men connected
with the clubs are non-committal.
One man who has been prominent in
rowing affairs on the Harlem River
said: 81 believe that IL would be too
bad to rule Rooney out Of the game
because he works on playground. The
committee that will handle the case, II
10 comes up, as it probably Will, should
use common sense.
Rooney might be an exceptional bas-
kotball coach" continued this oars
man, "but there is many step be
tween the basketball court or q park
playground anu inc blhblt oAtAl' -
takes a long time TO learn how 10 row
boat properly, and many men have
spent years on the water and never ad-
vanced to the championship class.
Rules Far Fetched
IL believe that 8 common sense rul-
ing would be proper in this case. The
amateur rules are far fetched as they
now exist. AS | understand il, man
who has accepted money for playing
baseball is a professional in all ath-
letic sports. That includes swimming,
Of course The fact that such man
might drown if he fell overheard does
not affect the rule
The feeling among the Long Island
osrsmen is strong on the matter.
Rooney is an idol over there, and the
boys are behind him in every move he
makes. This is the result OF some
jealousy" said one man.
Some one is jealous of Toms rec
ord and wants 20 put the rollers under
him. Personally I don't believe that
his work makes him a professional, and
| hope that the association will take a
common sense viewpoint on the mat