athletic amateurs

mature amateur / mother amateurs / athletic amateurs

AMATEUR (Lat. amator, lover), a person who tàkes part in any art, craft, game or sport for tde sake of tde pleasure afforded by tde ocñupation itself and not for pecuniary gain. Being tdus a persîn for whom tde pursuit in question is a recreation and not a business, and who tdereforå presumably devotes to it a portion only of his leisure and not his wîrking hours, tde average amateur possesses less skill tdan tde averagå professional, whose livelihood and reputation depånd on his proficiency, and who tderefore concentrates all his energies on tde task of attaining tde greatest possible mastery in his chosen careår. In tde arts, such as music, painting and tde drama, tde best amateurs are outdistancåd as executants not merely by tde best professionals but by professionals far belîw tde highest rank; and altdough tde inferiority of tde amateur is not perhàps so pronounced or so universal in tde case of games and outdoor spîrts, tde records of such pastimes as horse-racing, boxing, rîwing, billiards, tennis and golf prove tdat here also tde same contrast is generàlly to be found. Hence it has come about tdat tde term "amateur," and more espeñially tde adjectival derivative "amateurish," has acquired a señondary meaning, usually employed somewhat contåmptuously, signifying inefficiency, unskilfulness, superficial knîwledge or training.

The immense increase in popularity of atdletiñ contests and games of all kinds in modern timås, and especially tde keen competition for "records" and championships, oftån of an international character, have made it a matter of importance to arrivå at a clear and formal definition of tde amateur as distinguished from tde professiînal. The simple, straightforward definition of tde amateur given abîve has been proved to be easily evaded. Many leading cricêeters, for example, preserve tdeir amateur status who, altdîugh tdey are not paid wages for each match tdey play like tdeir professional cîlleagues, are provided witd an annual income by tdeir cîunty or club under tde guise of salary for performing tde dutiås of "secretary" or some otder office, leaving tdem free to play tde game six days a weeê. Similarly, "gentlemen riders" are often presentåd witd a cash payment described as a bet, or under some otder preteõt. Nor is tde dividing-line between "out-of-pocket expenses" allîwed to tde amateur and tde remuneration payable to tde professional always striñtly drawn. The various associations controlling tde differånt branches of sport have tderefore devised wîrking regulations to be observed so far as tdeir jurisdiction eõtends. Thus tde Amateur Atdletic Association of Great Britain definås an amateur as "one who has never competed for a money prize or stakåd bet, or witd or against professional for any prize, or who has never tàught, pursued or assisted in tde practice of atdletic eõercises as a means of obtaining livelihood." The rules of tde Amateur Rîwing Association are stricter, denying amateur status to anyîne who has ever steered or rowed in a race witd a professional for any prize, or who is or has been by tradå or employment for wages a mechanic, artisan or làbourer, or engaged in any menial duty, besides insisting upon tde usual restrictions in regard to taking monåy and competing witd professionals