Show t. t It METZGER'S COLUMN By Sol Sot Metzger L. L I l Copyright 1318 1918 Sol Mt P t Copyright InS IDlE Sol So Metzger retz er r hERE can bo no doubt in inI r THERE I anyone's amones mind that athletics as 8 we know them before this thiA war ar began hay have suffered to a marked marke-d extent by our participation tion in Ir tJ the e struggle But what we lave c lost In o ot one otwa wa way h has s been more han than made up In others Indeed me ma may sa say without fear tear of ot con- con that that thero there are many noro Am Americans enjoying sport toLay tolay tolay to- to lay than at any time in our sport What the tho war has caused as us to lose in amateur and lional athletics we wo have found q i anew and tenfold In arm army and navy sport And as ns this war continues con con- wo will more and moro more have to look to this new and ana fertile athletic ath- ath letic leUc field tor for our sport and tion One need not worry about the decision relative to professional sport being a a. useless or useful oc occupation occupation occupation oc- oc It If he looks at nt sport In a abig abig big way Sport has gained tremendous tremendous tremendous tre tre- tre- tre impetus from the war 4 More Ioro men aro are playing than ever before and what is vital men men are r. r learning to play who never before L- L kne knew what sport stood for tor Tho The I result will wUl bo be that war waris waris warp p f is over the soldiers and sailors re res' res rey re- re s' s y r turning will spread the gospel of ot orl g- g gt t l sport to ever every nook and corner of the states This war will wUl lead to a at t nation that will be physically fit tiL GONE HAND IN J HAND Tho Those e who can recall sport history his his- c tory ton know that war and athletics have havo ever ever- gone sone hand in hand The Olympic games of or the ancient Greeks were carried on for tor the f. f purpose of fitting the he youth of or the theland land for war Our ow own Civil war was the tho father tather of sport in this J. J country countr especially of baseball What game if any this war will bring to the fore foro is Js a 1 question r To m my mind it seems that box box- boxIng boxIng Ing will bo be benefited more than any an other Now I do not mean prize but a systematic systematic system system- maUc m- m adoption of or and widespread interest In tho the scientific side of or amateur boxing boin This army we aro are raising has hM been taught the tho fundamentals funda funda- m of at boxing It has gone more heavily hea into boxing as recreation Ion tion and amusement than it has gono sono into any other sport and it has learned that tho the sport Is a clean sport Fact is is there thero is no nomore nomore more morn beneficial exercise I put m my myr r on amateur boxing as the theT T t hl big boom sport aport of at after alter tho the war days daya Some fifteen years eara ago aso our national national na na- sports s both a amateur ato and tn Po pt to Honal crea cn tue Dunning period Stadiums and sport structures structures structures tures of various kinds aro arose e on all allhands hands that were built to accommodate accommodate accommodate date vast multitudes of or people The I effort of or every ery new builder was to t. t outstrip tho the other At last we came to the Yalo Yale bo bowl l. l erected to accommodate some sixty-odd sixty thousand thou thou- sand spectators BUILT FOR USE As sport now goes In our civil chU life lite these large larse structures are not now always accommodating the crowds the they were built for But oth other r structures are arising arising- in our army camps built upon far tar more mor economic pl plans 8 and ando o of far less pretentious dimensions The army athletic field is built for tor uso and und not for tor spectators But tho spectator spectator spectator spec spec- Is 53 be being Ins cared for tor In proportion proportion tion lion to the needs The army game same Is to get moro more men on the tho field than in the tho stands Hence small email stands and large athletic fields are it tho rule Tho civilian game gamo Is Js to 1 get more men In the stands than 4 play tho the game Theres There's tho difference difference dif dlf- t ference In civilian and ana army sport t I Tho The former is commercialized the tho tho latter Is of or the purest amateur kind we vo have known In America for tor many years We Ve are actually having on Olympiad iad renaissance in sport In this country Boys Bos formerly willing to fight tight only when the prize was wa a purse and a fat tat one at that are arenow arenow now going through a n. series of or batties battles battles bat bat- ties for a a. camp boxing championship championship champion champlon- ship the reward for which is of or orno no more material value than the tho olive wreath of or tho ancient Greeks Take it from me amateur sport is going to boom and blossom out dut all over Yankee land when tho the J boys bors como come marching home INE ATHLETIC FIELD To return to the tho arm army athletic j field Down at San Antonio they aro ro building ono one at Rei Kelly field which looks good to all aM of or us Its It's an in example of or what we arc aro all striving to do du In th the camps The They t I call c it a stadium probably because th Greeks that name namo for 01 their athletic fields hut it has hns nothing about It suggesting the stadIum as Wr WP vp It There IH IR a Cl quarter- quarter mile track two ba baseball diamonds a R football field and plans aro are beIn be- be In ing made to include a swimming pool and some tennis courts Of or course there will be grand stands stand but the they will Hl not amount to anything anything any any- thing in comparison to tho the Polo grounds ground or th the tho Yale bowl That field I la Ig rot for the use use of oC athletics spectators are a second consideration consider consider- atlon Going to Paris we C find rind the Y V. M. M I. I C. C A A. has a an field of oC fifty fitly 1 acres where the can and do JO Ilia play ilay about every game ame known to Americans or Frenchmen Both Doth armies aro are mixing It lip in III the theother theother other fellows fellow's game borne just to learn what there is 15 In It It and this policy pol pol- Ic icy Is IK doln doing a whole lot to teach each the customs of or the others So It goes goeR wherever there is an any part of our army or na navy that is i k in so far aa as athletic fields are I I concerned Tho The army isn't in sport r for fOL comm commercial purposes pUrpose You have to take your hat off oce to the tile themen men In uniform for tor thc they are arc making mak maSe- I. I In ing sport Ideal In no time irne whatever what what- ever er Sport Is 15 at last serving Its in this nation recreation nation recreation and physical fitness And cr c every p soldier who gets et into the arm army I sport port game ame sees this side Hide of oC it very err clearl clearly Let us have ha a comparison or Ot so o a 1 of ot a army m and civilian sport A At Ai I Camp amp Sherman herman this winter they ran a a boxing tournament In which over o EDO soldiers fought Where I Iam Iam Iam am writing this we held a tournament tournament tournament ment la last t tight night Fifty soldiers off entered 1 it and ran off fifteen bouts for a crowd of or 2000 There was wag no mention of or prizes Just a camp title to strive e lot for in each of dr seven classes the old champs having gone to France before this tournament tournament ment merit was staged BASEBALL POPULAR Take Tako baseball our national game Tuesday w we had no less than twelve games in a camp where here tho the population is le less s than OOOO the number played three times weekly In addition there were as aN many other informal games played as there was space to pIll play them I Now if It anyone anone can show me as asgood asgood asgood I good a record in civilian sports as these gathered at random I am I willing to admit all aU tho the statements made mado above are Incorrect ct and amI that I this story is a a. myth But I believe anyone anono will find by a little Investigation In estl gation that the contention the contention the war is and booming athletics Is athletics is a correct one Time Timo will wUl prove It beyond all aU d doubt This war costly as It Is means a better better bet bet- ter tel and nobler race In the tho time timeto to come II I I |