Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-11
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

Id LA w hEs4NNE
~ TEW YORK. February 1.-THE
E " s :; q !: s. $.:;
states Lawn Tennis AsSocia
tion TO include Vincent Richards and
his professional colleagues in the rank
ing list for 1927. is likely to prove an
absorbing topic throughout the Winter.
Mary n Browne. who turned pro-
sessional when she signed for a ma
tional transforming trip with {. {.
PYLE and his band of mercenary
racket wielders, wants the United
States Golf Association to give her
clean bin as an amateur in golf.
The feeling is that her desire Will be
met, although nothing has been said
or intimated by any responsible person
10 warrant this attitude of mind.
1t is certain that the golf and tennis
associations have never taken any
common stand on amateurism. prob
ably have never even thought OF doing
so. and there is quite a wide diver
gence in their methods of handling
this important matter.
If, for instance, Babe Ruth. who
seems to have been dallying with a
tennis racket this Winter. should de-
Velop a great game. he would not
have the slightest chance of recogni-
n
ton as an amateur by the United
States Lawn Tennis Association.
On the other hand, We're he to de-
Telop outstanding skill as a golfer, re-
tire from base ball with the idea of
playing as an amateur and apply for
standing as such, the golf association
could. If it wished. find precedent for
acceding to his request.
Expenses for Racketer.
But if he were thus established he
would find that he would have to pay
his own expenses to Journeys, whereas
q tennis player, under the rules of his
association, or a track star, under the
rules of the A. A. L., might with per-
feet freedom travel far and wide with
out paying a cent of his own money
for car fare or hotel accommodations.
With national organizations viewing
Rmateurism in various ways, the man
in the street must certainly be per-
picked in arriving at any satisfactory
conclusions upon the subject. You
will find men who have sold horses,
taught riding or acted as polo man.
ayers at hunt clubs. or in other ways
made money out of polo, playing in
club games and tournaments in this
country.
Polo. of course, is a limited sport
UuneriCdliys anu lH6Ie IS HO SUCH
thing as professional polo, and in all
probability never can be. Just the
same, the absence of definite rule on
this subject adds to the confusion, in
Rannuch as the Indoor Polo Association
IS rigidly specific on this point.
An amateur, under the definition
set forth in the bylaws of this indoor
association, sis one who received no
monetary compensation whatever for
playing polo, indoors or out, or who
does not engage in riding. driving.
schooling or jumping horses for which
he receives revenue"
Rule Is PerpEexing
1t might be impracticabIe for all
national associations engaged in the
conduct of various sports to meet in
convention and construct a compre-
hensive rule concerning amateurism,
a rule that would apply to all sports
and all who indulge in sports. but 1t
would be an excellent thing If some
thing of the sort could be worked out
In the meantime there are only two
games played by large numbers of pro-
fessionals and amateurs in which SUI
pertor proficiency-aiways so inf1uen-
tial when ii comes to gate receipts
does not lie wholly with the pros.
These games are foot ball and golf.
This being SO, it would seem. par