New Britain herald., 1928-12-19
HONEST AMATEURS
 ARE VERY SCARCE
Governing Bodies Are Too Mar!
 roV Minded Oyer Rules
BY BILLY EVANS


 What constitutes an amateur in sports.
 Of late. this question has been re- ceiving much serious consideration. as the result of Bill Tilden being barred from the tennis elite because he wrote for pay something about a tennis tournament in which he par ticipated.
 Tilden took issue with the tennis body over the decision reached as to his status as an amateur. He was suspended and will not be reinstat- ed until he shows what the tennis association considers penitent spirit.
 Recently in discussing the anna teur situation with a famous grid coach. he remarked:
 "The honest st-sure-enough amateur in sport is rare species, that is fast dying out. Really. if one hewed strictly to the line, it would be pos sible to make a case against 75 per cent of the amateurs and prove them professionals.
 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 unless they want to join the pro class. Yet. by subterfuge these same athletes in many ways receive handsome compensation for doing little or nothing at some other job as 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 amateurs seek to beat them through various 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 hall coach interested me because during the past summer l have run into any number of conditions ! which bear out the thoughts ex- pressed above.
 From major league baseball scouts I get the information that throughout the country there arc many star college players perform ing on the diamond under assumed names. Many of these players repre- sent the leading colleges of our country. both east and west A good many of the players are poor boys who, because of their baseball abil- ity. are able to make good money | during the summer to aid them to pay their college expenses.
 I think 1t is serious mistake to say a college player cannot play ball during the summer for pay. provid- ed the club he is connected with is TO part of organized professional l ball. A great many college players are holding down some job that 1 doesn't deserve more than $25 per week as far as actual work is con- cerned and are getting three or four times that amount of money simply because they are good ball players. A number of colleges permit sum- mer baseball but they are greatly in the minority. Theue colleges are to be commended for their broad mind edness.
 Just to show what unpleasant situations can develop from anna teur deception I am going to cite the case of college player only recently reinstated into the good graces of organized baseball.
 This player. a member Of one of the leading Pacific Coast colleges, started on a tour of the east in a dilapidated "flivver." Reaching the middle west. about half way to his destination. the "flivver'' showed signs of needing repairs and the bank account was low.
 The coast star decided to etaoi
 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 l oilu pIayVh ioiIS CllouSH to 6tt tIlN desired money. His work im- pressed the manager Of team in a league of higher classification and he was bought for $1.0o0. Shortly after the sale of the player was announced he disap- peared.
 A few years later. after gradu- ating from college. this same player was sent to the New York Giants for fancy figure and later turned over to an 1nterna- ton League club for more ex- perienee. After a season in that league, in which the player showed big league ability. 1t was discovered by chance that he was the same player who had signed in a bush" league under an as- sumed name. He was suspended for a year as a result and has just completed his sentence and re- turned to the team that bought him.
 All of which makes the anna teur stuff seem all the more thc bunk.