The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-14

sportsman ana q recOrQ-Dreaker
while yet in college. He was
interested mainly in winning
because he had his reputation to pro-
tect and the only 'fun" he had in
running was in winning. For once
you lose your club is not interested
in paying your expenses, etc.
You should have brought out the
fact under what terrific handicaps
the average athlete who works for a
living and who has not the advan-
tage Of college coaching and training
facilities has to undergo.
Let us take my case as an example:
At the age of IT, which was four
years ago, I became interested in
athletics. I had great promise, but
found the strain Of travelling up to
McConbs Park, Bronx, after a hard
days work, too much on my strength
and energy. There are no warm
shower baths and not enough lockers
for your clothes. And, mind you,
this is not the best of the public
training parks. In all of Manhattan
and Brooklyn there are no decent
training grounds, but all must travel
to McCombs.
Many of the intelligent athletes re-
alize that they are being treated
shamefully by the "racketeer" ANA
teur Athletic Union and they talk Of
how good runners and other track
and field athletes are treated in
England. But they don't realize that
the real athletes Paradise" is So
Wet Russia. Now, personally know
many athletes who are very discon-
tented but who compete because Of
"love of sports" The majority run
for fun" the health benefits that
one derives and the write-ups, and
which is only natural, the prizes they
receive for winning.
DUT even the winners are discon-
ID tented, as they receive very in
ferior prizes, while the A. A. U. reaps
the dough. 1t is only exceptional
World Beaters," like VenZke, Cum
ningham, TOPPING, ETC., who receive
(there is no definite proof but it's
understood by alb their price for
drawing large crowds to the indoor
meets. And even then the crooked
A. A. U. gets the better OF the ath-
lete. What's a measly 500 or 5000
given for record breaking perform
ance when other athletes receive ten
times that much for much easier
sports.
And the lousy grsfters do notspend
the money received from the indoor
meets for building new tracks and
training facilities for the working
athletes" but look out for their own
end. Once a runner is on the down.
grade, even though this man may
have filled the A. A. US Golfers with
gold when in his prime, they lose
all interest in him when he asks
for slight favor. A concrete ex-
ample is the case of joey Ray. This
great athlete when in his prime filled
the old Madison Square Garden to
the rafterS at every mountaineering
performance. The A. A. U. grafters
rsaped harvest from Chesty Joe's
pounding feet. Yet when Joe in dire
need Of financial aid appealed for an
assistant coaching job at the last
Olympic. he was ruthlessly turned
eway with mo can 90. You're not
q college m7n." If they treat an
athlete who filled their pockets with
gold that way, Wict can the average
athlete who comrstes for recreation
meet?
AS said before. 1 personally know
many. many athletes who are discon-
tented and who would turn in their
A. A. U. card if they knew t1lev could
join some other organization that is