TENNIS AND CASH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 December 1924, Page 5

TENNIS AND CASH.

WRITER - PLAYER STATUS. CONTROVERSY IN AMERICA. BY CABLE—PRESa ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT NEW YORK, Dec. 12. ' The special amateur rule committee, including Senator Pepper and W. T. Tilden,' which was appointed following the player-writing controversy, has filed with the Lawn Tennis Association a unanimous report defining amateurism and professionalism on which all members of the Association will vote early next year. The report consists of a statement of the amateur rule, and outlines the specific infractions which cause the disqualification or ineligibility of individuals. The report adds, however, that- the violation of the rule, while excluding a player from Tennis Association tournaments, would not place him in the category of a professional athlete nor imply * habitual professionalism. * - .

Tli© report, after defining the amateur status, declares that it is forfeitable by an individual who plays for a money prize or gate receipts, enters a competition open only to professionals, accepts money for using goods of a manufacturer, permits himself to he advertised as a user of such goods, or permits his name or initials to he used on such goods. Finally, the report settles the playei’writer problem by declaring ineligible any person using or sanctioning after January, 1925, the use of his titles or a statement of his tennis reputation in connection with bocks, journalistic articles, cinemas, lectures or radio talks, for which he receives compensation. A player would likewise lie declared ineligible who receives pay for writing. newspaper articles covering tournaments in which he is a competitor.

A VICTORY FOR TILDEN

BEST SOLUTION TO DIFFICULTY

NEW YORK, Dec. 13. The executive committee of the United States Lawn Tennis Association adopted a rule that a player will lose his aniateur status by receiving compensation for tennis action motion pictures of himself, by sanctioning the use of his name in connection with articles not written by him, and by writing for pay or consideration in, current newspaper articles on a match in which he is competing. It is considered that certain provisions will be ratified at the association’s annual meeting, since the executive committee is the association’s advisory body, whose acts arc usually fully endorsed.

The amateur rilling, while' considered a victory for Tilden and Richards, is believed to be the best solution of a delicate situation, which threatened temporarily to disrupt the association. The ruling definitely permits Tilden, Richards and others to continue writing as a while definitely retaining their amateur standing and continuing to participate in the principal American tournaments arid international contests, such as the Davis Cup,