Evening star., 1921-04-08

Schoolboys and collegians were
lured into games by offers of from
fve to a hundred dollars a game.
Members of minor college and normal
school teams have played on fives
which were amateur in name only.
and at the University of Wisconsin,
Tom Jones, the athletic director, and
Mean& ell, the basket ball coach, are
said to have had a great difficulty in
keeping prominent varsity players
from selling their services.
Paid to Keep Team Intact.
It is freely stated in the middle
west that one of the colleges of that
section which had strong basket ball
team had to decide whether to meet
the financial terms offered some of
its star players or let them go to the
professional bidder. The story is that
the college paid the necessary money
and kept the team intact AS result
the basket ball season showed a great
financial profit. How about the moral
profit? AS for that usual corollary of
professional competition, the betting
evil, it may be said that it is growing
to An extent which frightens lovers
of purse sport in Wisconsin.
Now there is nothing objectionable
against professional basket ball, per
Sc, just as there is no reason to frame
Indictment against mercenary foot
bali in its essential aspects. The evil
comes when the professional promot-
ers seek to capitalize the regulations
of school and college players, when
right crookedness they make of the
amateur spirit a hollow, ridiculous
and unmeaning thing.
Golfers Eager to Go Abroad.
How potent, indeed is the lure of
international sport. Player after play
er who hold prominent positions
golfers had pleaded pressure of busi-
ness when asked to enlist in the W.
c. Fownes expedition in quest of the
British amateur champion ship. Chick
Evans was too busy. could not leave
his desk in the office of Hoagland
King 4 Co. But that little matter was
arranged. Francis ouimet was tied
down by his duties as cotton broker
and could not possibly go. But now he
hnds that he can go.
DAvy Heron had just entered upon
. position of importance in Pittsburgh
and did not see his way clear TO go
abroad. But his employers have shown
roster reads: Evans. Ouimet, Jones,
Heron. Fownes, Wright and Lewis.
Can England beat this band OF sure
shotsf Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Patriotic interest in bringing the Brit
fsh championship here. coupled with the
sheer sporting flavor Of the enterprise,
ara responsible for the high-grade per-
sonnel o& our company Of invaders. Ap-
pareney man who happens to have in
his employ star golfer realizes that he
10 paying wages to no ordinary person,
and accepts some such necessity as q
trip to England to beat the Britishers
in the proper spirit Of sporting enthu-
gsasn and national pride.
First 0Eganized Ebert.
This il our first organized effort to
win the British trophy. In the past.
various amateurs have gone abroad on
their own hook and have Jared none too
well. -Jerry Travers, Ouimet and Chick
Evans have tried without success. Wal
ter Travis turned the trick seventeen
years ago. and the British have not yet
recovered from the shock.
and had not considered him as a
strong factor until he began to come
through. When he won they hit upon
the old mans putter as the cause and
thereafter barred the Schenectady va
Piety. This reminds me that Chick
Evans will have to change his crutch
putter when he plays abroad.
But this time should an American
win they will not be 50 surprised. In
fact when Harry Vardon returned
from his American trip last year he
would prevail in the British amateur
tourney this year. Since then Brit
fshers have been doing everything in
their power to insure the presentation
Of strong front to the invaders
(Copyright 1871