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THE A. A. U. MATTERChairman Sullivan Defines the Status of the Union Regarding Basket Ball.The growing popularity of basket bail is bringing in so many recruits that some of the newcomers have had scarcely time to master the rules regarding eligibility and registration. The most notable case of unwitting infringement was that of the Yale team, which suffered disqualification on Monday for playing in an unsanctioned gara? on Saturday night The manager of Old Eli’s team explained yesterday that he thought a college team was /exempt. On this point Chairman Jaraoo E. Sullivan explained that colleges have no basket ball organization, and that e\en if they had they could only count on the same privileges as the intercollegiate association or any other allied body. That is, they couldplay with follow members without question, but once launched in opon competition they should abide by the standard rules as strictly as any outside team. The Yale men now understand the situation thoroughly, andthey will probably be reinstated assoon as their application is received,Regarding kiess and threats of revolt from ocher quarters, Chairman Sullivan said yesterday:“There seems to be a misunderstanding on the question of the A. A. U. taking up the control pf banket ball. In fact in Philadelphia, where there soems to be a desire to run sports without any regard for the national controlling body, a statement was made that the A. A. U. assumes in a dictatorial way to control the game. The records prove that such is not the case. Basket ball was invented by Dr. James Naisraith and Dr JLuther Gulick, both of the Y. M. C. A. When it grew too large for that organization to handleand it became a national sport, Dr. Gulick,representing the athletic league of the Y. M. C. A. of North America, came before the A. A. U. board and demanded that the latter in its capac ity as a governing body should take up and control the game as it should be, define rules, define an » amateur and have the game played with some system.“In some sections of the -country professional promoters and schemers are working basket ball the same as amateur boxing was worked years ago, and if allowed a free rein they would eventually kill off the sport. The A. A. U. does not arbitarily come out and say that basket players must register. They are merely drawing the line between the professionals, unregistered players, and the registered players. In other words, they are classing the players as amateurs and professionals. It is the intention of the A, A. U to manage basket ball and control it, and at no time now or in the future will it relinquish its national jurisdiction over the game to any combination or clique in any part of this country ; nor will they recog nize any association that re'fuses to register and abide by its rulos and decisions throughout the country.“There is a widespread interest in basket ball, and very few objectionshave aB yet been made to the A. At U. controlling the amateur end of the game, In so far as it pertains to the professional end of it, and those that like to play under any rulos they want, the A. A. U. takes no action. We are going to have amateur basket ball if we only have six amateur teams in the whole United Statoe. It is pleasing to note that the New England and the Metropolitan associations, the prominent clubs who are in the sport for the love of the sport, are recognizing the authority of the A. A. U.“The A. A. U. is the sfcrongosfc governing body in America: the strongest organization of its kind in the world. It has alliance with every athletic organization of any importance in this country. Then why should any one insinuate that we are assuming control over a new sport which we had no right to control? The Af A. U. is here to make laws for amateurs, to govern amateur spoit when it is not already governed by a national »«sooiation, and we feel perfectly confident in our ability to hnadleany sport that doeiroa our aid, and our aid has already boon asked by the originators of the gameof basket ball.' *
Newspaper Details
Trenton Evening Times
Trenton, New Jersey, US
Wed, Jan 19, 1898
Page 6
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WV, USA 02 May 2020
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