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Show VllKCMMTLAmU SPORT, being a large part of a large section of the human race, may need a number of changes and improvements. So does the human race. But one thing t 1 sport doesn't need is a sport co-ordina-tor or any set of sport co-ordinators working in or from Washington. Sport can take its share of punishment but there is still a limit. Sport, left under its present guidance I Grantland Rice and direction will be far better off than it could ever hope to be under government govern-ment direction. Considering the amateur and professional pro-fessional side, sport still has such experienced administrators as Judge Landis, Ford Frick and William Har-ridge Har-ridge for baseball Herbert Bayard Swope for racing Major Griffiths of the Western conference and Asa Bushnell of the Eastern conference In college athletics George Blossom and his USGA committee In golf-Elmer golf-Elmer Layden for pro football good men In tennis, bowling and basketball basket-ball including the AAC There is no perfect human being In this long list. But it should be remembered that there is no part of a perfect human being in the world we know today. The Main Idea Sport would be far better off, for the game itself and everyone concerned con-cerned which includes many, many millions, if Washington would let it work out its own destiny with the war effort, naturally, the predominant predom-inant point. If those now In charge of various sports, with their long experience, can't handle the problems that wait ahead, then sport hasn't a chance. Many of these have made mistakes. mis-takes. But those criticizing them might have made even bigger mistakes. mis-takes. This Is no world in which to seek perfection and it is my belief that most of those directing sport have turned in a pretty fair job. Not a masterpiece, just a pretty good job. It seems to us that the government in Washington already has its full share of problems in trying to handle han-dle the workings of the army, the navy, the marines, the air force, the coast guard, the gasoline and rubber rub-ber situation, the food tangle prices, the tax bill, inflation, the unions, the coal miners and ten or twenty other matters, without attempting to pile on another headache. There have been various rumors around that many of these problems have not yet been settled to the complete satisfaction sat-isfaction of the nation at large. There have even been rumors that many of these important matters have been somewhat muddled. It is difficult to understand where any good could come from the addition addi-tion of a new snarl. The Other Side There are many who believe that there Is a strong organized Influence against competitive sport, and professional pro-fessional sport In general, on the side of mass, muscle-making development, devel-opment, devoted largely to such matters as calisthenics and noncompetitive non-competitive training. It can't believe the country has moved Into any such state of complete com-plete insanity. Competitive sport has been one of the major factors in the development develop-ment of this country, and it is more needed today than it ever was before. be-fore. We need this not against the war effort but as a vital part of the war effort. It is my belief that most of the leaders In Washington know this to be true. It might be that some ambassador of sport might help a trifle in making his plea at court. I doubt it. For I believe most of those in charge at Washington understand un-derstand the benefits that can come from a sporting program bandied entirely as a war-effort benefit. Philadelphia Story The true "Philadelphia Story" Is wrapped around the astonishing Phillies of 1943. When Bill Cox took over this habitual Inhabitant of the cellar a short while back and brought In Bucky Harris to handle the remains, the general opinion was that it would take about two years in which to remove the winding sheet But when the Phillies lately played to over 50,000 spectators in two games, there was something new to think about in a baseball way. The season, which started darkly, Is still young. And yet in this morbid beginning the Phillies have already drawn out greater crowds than 1940, 1941 or 1942 knew in mid-season. mid-season. They have a hustling yanng club under a smart, hustling leader the type of ball club that probably won't finish In the first division, but will no longer be the doormat for the rest of the league. The main answer is that the Phillies Phil-lies are almost certain to break their attendance record for many years, wherever they finish. |