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To the Editors of the Crimson:

The attention of the students is invited to Rule 5, Article 2, of the Regulations on Athletics. It is as follows:

"No student shall be allowed to represent Harvard University in any public athletic contest, either individually or as a member of any team, who, either before or since entering the University, shall have engaged in any athletic competition, whether for a stake, or a money prize, or a share of the entrance fees or admission money; or who shall have taught or engaged in any athletic exercise or sport as a means of livelihood; or who shall at any time have received for taking part in any athletic sport or contest any pecuniary gain or emolument whatever, direct or indirect, with the single exception that he may have received from the College organization, or from any permanent amateur association of which he was at the time a member, the amount by which the expenses necessarily incurred by him in representing his organization in athletic contest exceeded his ordinary expenses."

It does not appear to be well understood that this regulation debars from membership in a Harvard team all persons who have ever received a financial benefit by reason of their connection with athletics. A student who receives his board or expenses for playing upon a summer nine becomes a professional by the terms of the rule. At this season of the year it is common for ball players to receive offers from the promoters of hotel nines. They agree to supply board, and in some cases money, to those who will join the nines. Occasionally the offer takes the form of an agreement that a student playing upon a hotel nine shall receive his board and pay in such a way that his violation of the amateur rule shall never be detected. I need not point out to Harvard students how undermining of decent amateur sport this practice might become. Every effort should be made to break it up amongst college men. Any student who goes to a hotel where he receives his board for nothing, even though at the invitation of some friend, is likely to place himself under suspicion if he plays baseball. There is a vast difference between playing ball for one's own amusement and playing it for the entertainment of boarders at a summer resort.

It is so difficult to convict violators of the above rule that a committee must necessarily rely upon the honor and good sense of students to draw the line at the proper place. Every student knows when he is receiving a money benefit by reason of his connection with a game, and if he is not honorable enough to refrain, our college sports must suffer.

A case which has given the Athletic Committee serious embarassment this spring ought to be better understood by the students generally, in order to serve as a warning in the future. One of the students, with two others not belonging to the University, accepted an invitation to stay several weeks with a gentleman who was running a hotel in the White Mountains. There was no understanding that these young men were to play ball, but while at the hotel they did play three games on a scrub nine made up of boarders, bell-boys and visitors. The nine was not organized in any way and there is no evidence that its purpose was to entertain the hotel. On the statement of the case, the Committee, not believing that the student received his board for playing baseball, felt obliged to decide that the above rule had not been violated, although the decision must be considered a close one.

It only requires a little thought to convince one that organized summer nines ought not to be formed by college students, and any student who plays ball during the summer ought to be especially careful that he is not aiding in the formation of an organized nine, or aiding others to obtain a money benefit.

There is no harm in a games of baseball for the fun of the thing, but when a young man receives his railroad and hotel expenses for taking part in even one game, he is violating the letter of the rule. When there is any doubt in the mind of a student as to his standing in a game he ought for the good name of the University to stay out of it.  Yours very truly,  IRA N. HOLLIS.