Wes Santee Defends Amateur Career

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27916, 13 March 1956, Page 20

Wes Santee Defends Amateur Career

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) WILWAUKEE (Wisconsin). Mar. 11. Wes Santee said today that he was considering calling a number of leading athletes to testify on his behalf in his bid for reinstatement as an amateur. Santee, the United States leading mile runner, was suspended for life by the National Amateur Athletic Union last month for allegedly accepting excessive expense money. Appearing under the protection of a Court injunction, he won the mile at (he “Milwaukee Journal” games last night in 4min 10.5 sec. “All America’s for me,” he said after the race. “I’m particularly pleased by the reception I was given. “Athletes just can’t live on 12 dollars a day expenses if they aren’t representing' a college; and I’m not an exception. “I feel confident that if it becomes necessary to call other top trackmen to testify that they will corroborate tny views and indicate most conclusively that I have not been an exception, but just one of the average. “That applies to a lot of top athletes,” Santee said, “and at least a half dozen stars being counted on for the Olympics could be ruled out by their own testimony. “I feel the A.A.U. is on trial more than I am, if public opinion is any basis.”