Show I R CE TT IT T IS generally understood that the postwar boom In sport will be on the amazing side But it U will be an entirely different matter from the sport boom after World War I I. I It tt will appeal to tn a far greater number number number num num- ber of actual players but I 1 doubt very much that it will even approach the called so-called Golden age that followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed the First World war those war those years that brought us Babe Ruth Jack Dempsey Bob Bobby b y Jones e Bill Tilden Bill Johnston Red Redi xA Grange Charlie Charlie Paddock E Earl a r 1 S Sand n d e R Rogers 0 g e r s Hornsby and many many Yi Yim m more ore in almost every every every ev ev- ery line of sport t Babe Ruth had been beena a star pitcher be be- fore But it was not Grantland Rice until after the war that he unwrapped his big mace and began hitting home runs I cant can't see any such stars in sight for tor some time to come For this has been a longer and far more punishing punishing punish punish- ing war as far as our athletes are concerned It has arrested the playIng playing playing play- play Ing careers of far more young stars such as Bob Dob Feller Ted Williams Billy Conn and so many others who were still short of ot their prime and peak when called to service Here nere and there among the younger young young- er servicemen well we'll have a certain number of stars who may come close to the time old-time mark mark boxers boxers ball players and football players But anyone who expects to see sec a Ruth Dempsey Jones Tilden- Tilden Grange Sande and Hornsby parade Is likely to be disappointed It could happen of course Since almost anything can happen in sport But it isn't a good bet The odds are ag against it There will be too many of our greatest stars around Pearl Harbor days back in 1941 who will be over the hill physically before before before be be- fore they have the ch chance nce to return to competitive sport They will still be good many of them but too many of them will wiH have lost theft theto i best years Another Type o of Boom The sport boom that will follow this war will be another type While it may not give the spectators sue such I big names as we have mentioned I II j so many outstanding stars it will wil will willI I accomplish something much more mor important It will lift the general average average average av av- of play and skill far higher highe higher than it ever was before The First World war contributed nothing to the headline mastery o othe of the Golden age The sport stars o ot of that era had practically no connection connection connection tion with the war in any way You Youcan Youcan Youcan can ring in Grover Cleveland Alexander Alexander Alexander Alex Alex- ander since Old Pete was a star sta pitcher back around 1911 But it will be different after this thi war Army and navy now have hav from to men in inthe inthe inthe inI I I the service And army and navy I have outlined one of the biggest programs programs pro pro- I grams for sport ever known along alongI the line of and I coaching training anc I competitive play I I This big swing In the direction o oI of I I sport is a vital necessity Army and navy know this When the war in I Europe is over there will be millions million I who cant can't be rushed home or on onto onto onto I to Asia and the Pacific at a day days day's notice They will need a n vast sporting sporting sport sport- sport sport-I ing program to keep them interested Inter inter- inter inter-I ested in life lire while waiting for boats boat and planes to bring them back o or i carry them to other theaters of or orI action I The big weakness of sport in the United States is that we have been too much of a spectator nation nation and and I not enough of a playing nation This applies to our youngsters and to older older older old old- er men When out of year olds are rejected by the draft something is obviously wrong I Army and navy now plan to give all these millions a ch chance nce to play I the games they like with greater skill even if few of ot them ever become become be be- come champions There can only be one champion at a time after alter allBut all But there mere can be a vast improvement improvement improve improve- I ment in our av average ra e skill kill Postwar Football There is one knotty thorny problem problem lem th that t the pro-football pro le league gue or leagues will soon have to meet This involves returning servicemen who I may have a year or two years of college football left but who may want to play pro football rather than return to campus life As the pro rule now works no player play play- er can be t taken ken Into pro ranks until his class has bas graduated This regulation regulation regu regu- lation has worked well so far and has drawn the full approval of ot the colleges and the college coaches The war Is almost certain to be over in Europe before next fall raIl That doesn't mean that all football players in army or navy will be re re- re- re leased But nut man many will be including a afew afew afew few from the Pacific Some of ot these college players will want to return and finish their col loge lege course Others wont One pro pro- football angle ancle is this If this If these men melt dont don't want to go back to college hy why shouldn't we use them Others the present rule that ca calls ls or or waiting until their college time times s s over should be kept as it is or orvas was vas before the war I i i |