Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

A.A.A. JUBILEE SOUVENIR defeated. A statement that" the majority of Southern Clubs did not seem to have any voice in the management of the affairs of the A.A.A." was withdrawn at the request of the Chairman. 1891-1900 It was not surprising that in 1891 a proposal that the Northern and Midland Associations should guarantee the Association against loss on the Championships in their districts was not carried. The voting power was remodelled, the North having thirty votes and the Midlands fifteen, with a maximum of 130 votes to be allotted by the Southern Committee to the Southern Clubs. The "black book" rule, relating to athletes who had not paid the subscriptions to their Clubs, was instituted, but Mr. Mon– tague Shearman, always on the" safe" side, did not feel very happy about it. A letter bearing his signature, between the leaves of the Minute Book, contained this warning : " It is very dangerous to put any one in a black book without hearing him in self-defence. That is why I disapprove of a black book. If the Secretaries of Clubs choose to keep one, let them take the risk themselves." An important decision was recorded, viz., an athlete ceased to be an amateur as soon as he was registered as a professional football player, whether he received any" consideration" or not. The Northern Counties Association must be credited with introducing the rule that any com– petitor who asked for or received expenses ceased to be an amateur. In 1 892, the new rule that all open handicaps must be framed by handicappers who had received a licence from the Association came into operation. Previously, handicappers had been rather disposed to carry out their work in their own way at varying remunerations, and so on, but the new system brought them under the direct control of the Association. This year was notable for the visit of a small team from a great distance– New Zealand-and they had a warm welcome. Incidentally, their athletic ability was equalled by their amateurism, two things which in one or two instances have not been combined in visitors from other countries. A very important addition to the Laws was made at the Annual Meeting in 1893. The Northern and Midland Counties Associations, and the Southern Committee, were given power to make and enforce regulations in their own districts, subJect to the veto of the General Committee. The Northern Counties Association asked the General Committee a very difficult question, "whether a Club, or members of a Club, or any other person, could entertain athletes as guests at hotels without infringing the A.A.A. Law against athletes receiving expenses." The Committee, recognising the difficulty, and perhaps the danger, of making a definite ruling, passed a cautious resolution : "That this meeting, whilst recog– nising that the entertainment of athletes may be an evil and requires watching, is not prepared to give a ruling on the subject." At this meeting 42