The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1928-12-20
|SAYS MEN CAN EARN
| FOR GOOD PURPOSES
WITHOUT Being PRO
Scores Officials for Overlook.
ing Amateurs Who Are Do.
mated Big Money
FOUL PLAY is ENCOURAGED
Takes Side Of College Man Who
Plays Pro Simply for
School Expenses
FOUL PLAY is ENCOURAGED
Nv RILLY EVANS


What constitutes an amateur il
sports? i.
OF late, this question has been re-
ceiving much serious consideration, a.
the result of Bill Tilden being barret
from the tennis elite because he wrote
for pay something about tennis
tournament in which he participated
Tilden took issue with the tenni:
body over the decision reached as tt
his status as an amateur. He wa.
suspended and will not be reinstatec
until he shows what the tennis asso.
citation considers penitent spirit.
Recently in discussing the amateur
situation with a famous grid coach
he remarked:
THE honeSt-Sure-enough amateur
In sport is a rare species. that Is fast
dying out. Really. If one hewed strict
~ to the line. it would be possible to
make case against IS per cent OF
the amateurs and prove them profess
SIGNALS.
May Not Earn
Athletes. according to amateur
rules, are prevented from using their
ability in their chosen sport to make
money. In other words, they cannot
capitalize on their athletic ability UNI
less they want to join the pro class.
Yet. by subterfuge these same ath-
letes in many ways receive handsome
compensation for doing little or moth
ing at some other job as a coverup
for their sport work.
THE trouble with the governing
bodies of most amateur sports is the
fact they are too narrow minded. The
rules and standards they set are so
severe that a majority of the anna
teurs seek to beat them through var
ious forms of deception. In other
words, the rules make cheaters out of
athletes who are able to capitalize
more on their ability in sports than
in any other line"
The comment Of the famous foot
ball coach interested me because dur
ing the past summer I have run into
any number of conditions which bear
out the thoughts expressed above.
From major league baseball scouts
I get the information that through
out the country there are many star
college players performing on the
diamond under assumed names. Many
OF these players represent the leading
colleges OF our country, both east and
west. A good many of the players
are poor boys who. because Of their
baseball ability. are able to make
good money during the summer to aid
them pay their college expenses.
Should Be All Right
think it is serious mistake to
say college player cannot play ball
during the summer for pay, provided
the club be is connected with is no
part OF organized professional ball. A
great many college players are hold
Ing down some job that doesn't de-
serve more than $25 per week as far
as actual work is concerned and are
getting three or four times that
amount Of money simply because they
are good ball players. A number OF
colleges permit summer baseball but
they are greatly in the minority.
These colleges are to be commended
for their broad mindedness.
Just to show what unpleasant sit
uations can develop from amateur de-
ception I am going to cite the case
OF college player only recently re-
instated into the good graces of or
ganized baseball.
This player, member of one Of
the leading Pacific Coast colleges.
started OH tour of the east in a
"flivver.' Reaching the
middle west, about half way to his
destination. the "flivver" showed
signs of needing repairs and the bank
was low.
Wanted to Earn
The coast star decided he would
use his baseball ability to earn some
money. He signed with a team In
the Mississippi Valley League under
an assumed name and played long
enough to get the desired money. His
work impressed the manager of a
team in league Of higher classifi-
cation and he was bought for $1,000.
Shortly after the sale Of the player
was announced he disappeared.
A few years later, after graduating
from college, this same player was
sent to the New York Giants for q
fancy figure and later turned over to
an international League club for
more experience. After q season in
that league, in which the player
showed big league ability, it was dis
covered by chance that he was the
same player who had signed in q
bush" league under an assumed
name. He was suspended for year
as q result and has just completed his
sentence and returned to the team
that bought him.
All Of which makes the amateur
stuff seem all the more the bunk.