New-York tribune., 1918-05-24

4OiAi Vic OlO 0IOulUS W
Jamaica, Long Island, and thence
to Madison Square Garden, where
plans are being briskly pushed
forward for the Red Cross boxing car
nival tonight, sportsmen and their
satellites discussed the possible eff
feet of the latest war order uron the
world of sport.
1t is the general belief that amateur
athletics will be slightly affected, if
at all, by the "work-or-hght" regula-
ton, but professional sports will be
vitality hit. Professional baseball
as it exists at present, and boxing will
be abandoned if the provisions of Sec
tion c are literally followed, though
racing Will not be damaged; in fact,
authorities declare that racing will be
elevated by the new order in that it
will eliminate touts, idlers and others
VINO live off the metropolitan tracks
"by their wits"
Sports Hastily Canvasscd
A hasty canvass of the sport situa-
ton and the potential effec. of Sec
ton { of General Crowders amend
ment dlscloses the following inter-
esting suppositions:
/. Professional baseball. Predicated
upon and revolving around youth,
with 80 per cent of it's men draft
registrants, new order, literally ap-
plled, will force abandonment of
major league races after July /, for
the reason that magnates will have
no time to repair their fences" and
reshape major league races with a
sufficient balance to interest fans.
This means loss Of men like Collins,
Speaker, Cott, Burns, Sisler, Kauff,
etc.
>. Professional boxing Practically
every champion and championship
claimant in this country is a draft
registrant. Men like Leonard Kill
bane, Mcfarland, Gibbons and large
number of others already have prof
fered their services as athletic and
boxing instructors. it being under
stood that this does not discharge
their draft obligation. Others not now
aiding the army almost without ex-
ception follow no trade or profession
outside the ring and would be put to
work or fight by the amendment.
This means the abandonment of box
ing for the period of the war.
j.. Golf.-Large majority of golf
professionals are not draft reg
lstrants. Leading golf amateurs are
engaged in professions not listed
uliueT AHieEumeHC provisions.
d. Tenns.-Ninc Of first ten rank
ing players already are in service and
remaining amateurs not subject to
new order. Tennis professionals in
majority are not draft registrants.
.. Amateur Athletics.-Frederick
w. Ruben. secretary and treasurer of
the Amateur Athletic Union, esti-
mates that of the $4,000 athletes
under the jurisdiction Of the A. A. U.
but an insignificant fractional part
Will be affected by the stipulations
defining non useful occupations.
.; Rscing. Owners, trainers and
stable help largely not draft reg
istrants. Jockeys, in majority. under
requisite.
Z, Trap shooting, rowing, amateur
and professional football, Yacht
ing, fencing, etc. Professionals in
majority not of draft age; amateurs
either In college or engaged in oc-
cupations not defined by amend
! ment.
In sum, the verdict is that amateu,
sports will go virtually untouche,
while only those professional games
such as boxing and baseball. which ar,
pred,cated upon youth and strength
viii be forced to discontinue.
Baseball suffers the most serious
! financial loss. With sixteen maio,
league parks and tremendous over
head expense, with hundreds of thou
sands of dollars invested in ball play
ers. whose value depreciates with tim.
and with thousands of dollars alread,
expended in costly training trips, the
outlook for major league owners par.
ticularly, as we'll as minor league mag.
mates. is serious
President John X. Tener of the Ma
tional League spoke officially for the
Major leagues yesterday. He said:
Everything must be done to win
this war and if baseball is a sport as
classified in the new order. and not
business in which there is a great
investment of money, then baseball
will not be behind other interests
in contributing its part toward win
ming the war
IF baseball is non essential, and
player of draft age have to give UP
playing, the clubs will try to find