Clipping:The effect of covert professionalism on amateur clubs

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Date	Sunday, February 21, 1869
Text	There is no doubt of the fact that from 1865 up to the present time, amateur players have been gradually losing their interest in their clubs and almost in the game itself, and the reason of this is that by the palm of superiority in playing skill has been, year by year, monopolized by clubs employing professional players. No matter what effort an amateur organization might make to obtain players for a strong nine, they either lost them by their becoming professional players, or if they retained them as amateurs they were outplayed by nines in professional clubs, who, as professionals, of course had more time for practice; and, after all, practice in the game is one of the chief elements of success in a nine. Of course, this condition of things naturally destroyed much of the interest players would naturally be disposed to take in a successful club. The fact is, this being beaten, season after season, by nines ostensibly their equals, as amateur organizations, but in reality nothing more than clubs of trained professionals, was demoralizing in its effects; and last season, the evil culminated in a degree of indifference to further effort on the part of amateur organizations, which, if not put a stop to, would have soon destroyed the permanent popularity of our national game; its damaging effect on the welfare of the game being plainly perceptible to all. ... the last Convention...divided the clubs of the country into two classes–amateurs and professionals–and now we have before us the prospect of a revival among amateur organization on a par with the brilliant amateur season of 1860.
Source	New York Sunday Mercury
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Submitted by	Richard Hershberger
Origin	Initial Hershberger Clippings

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