Show R CE YOUR correspondent Is not among those ose who see seo only greatness in tho past history of ot sport All AH games ad ad- advance advance advance vance when greater numbers of ot play play- players players ers take part and Improved methods are utilized In training and competition But when we read and hear that the ago of ot sport duo due to follow toll ow owIn In the postwar boom will far tar surpass the golden age that came after atter World War I an Immediate disagreement Is hereby entered This doesn't concern the greater grenter crowds that will undoubtedly undoubtedly undoubtedly edly pay payout out more cash In sports sport's com com- coming comIng coming ing boom but It does concern the quality of ot the talent the next few tew years will bring along Suppose we look over a few tew names that featured our headlines some twenty or twenty five years ago ago ago- agoB Baseball Bas B a s e b a II l l- l Babe Ruth Rogers Hornsby The Ring Jack Dempsey Gene Tunney Golf Golf Bobby Bobby Jones Gene Hagen got an earlier start but he was still stilt a big part of or the show Polo Tommy Polo Tommy Hitchcock Racing Racing-Dian Racing Man o 0 War WarF Fo F 0 o 0 t b a I I I- I Knute Red Rockne-Red Red Grange the Grange the Four Horsemen Tennis Tennis Bill Bill Tilden Little Bill John John- ston What chance has the next decade to surpass this list In skill color and crowd appeal It might happen of ot course but the odds are arc the other way Such present day stars as Joe Louis Billy Conn and Byron Nelson were at ator ator ator or around the top some time before World War II started and so can hardly be classed as members of the new golden age group who are sup sup- supposed supposed supposed posed to outclass the names we have mentioned WHO CAN EQUAL THESE Will any ball players come along to pass Babe Ruths Ruth's home run record to pack ball parks that had in many places been drawing from to 1200 spectators Will WIH any ant ball player come along to average above for four consecutive years as Hornsby did Will any golfer golter come along to equal Bobby Jones' Jones grand slam or hold tho the high average Gene has carried for tor twenty four seasons Will wm a better polo player than Tommy Hitchcock report or a greater tennis player than Bill Tilden Or what new heavyweight will take takeover takeover takeover over the show who has the ring appeal that Jack Dempsey knew In his seven seven- years reign All In all that bunch ot of timers old will be hard to outclass as we look at atthe atthe atthe the picture a The new golden age will first have bave to depend largely upon stars established before Germany and Japan decided to split spIlt the world like an apple and not even leave a core This would have to Include such well- well known names as Joe Louis Byron Nel Nel- Nelson Nelson Nelson son Ted Williams Bob Feller and a afew afew few tew others After Arter this we get a long list from baseball and football stars tars on the pro side who were called by Army and Navy when they were barely start starting ing their Invasions of fames fame's kingdom STARS AMONG VETERANS In spite of ot valuable v years they have lost on the field many of ot these will return and scrap their th lr way into coming headlines But the majority of ot the new stars will have to come from the mil mil- millions millions millions lions of ot kids now under eighteen plus the roll call from some servicemen servIcemen servicemen icemen who have been taught many games they never had the chance to know before at close range There Is no doubting the fact tact that the general average of ot skill will soon be well above the average we knew twenty years ago And that Is what counts counts' heavily There will be new rec rec- records especially especially In distance races as we go out after the flying Swedes We will have a far tar greater number of participants also deeply Important in every sport And these will all play to record breaking crowds as Belmont showed the way last week with Its human sardines hurling well over Into the tho maws There will be a far tar greater mass of competitors to call upon 1 ut that first golden age Is still something to out outclass class Ruth class Ruth Dempsey Jones Tilden Man Dian o 0 War Grange Hitchcock and tho the others mentioned For In addition to their skill skin and power powel they also had incredible flares of color and crowd appeal In the main their names were known around the world In addition to Louis and Nelson Williams and Feller the new goldea golden age should lay claim to the Army and Navy football teams of 1945 The two great squads directed by Red Blaik and Swede Hagberg have the chance to be berated berated berated rated among the best any colleges have ever known known Including Including Notre Dame Minnesota Michigan and Southern California Unfortunately they haven't the com com- competition competition competition petition known before the war but this Isn't their fault Whatever happens the next few tew years In sport will be something to watch and follow toll ow pos pos- possibly possibly possibly sibly the most Interesting decade that any crowds have ever known We have often heard various flights of oratory about the best ball player or tho the most valuable ball player through the war era Many names have been mentioned Including those who were not called to war service for tor various and official reasons which In Inno Inno inno no sense reflect upon the ball player But when you complete your excava excava- excavations excavations and get down to what Is technically cally calif call known as rock bottom there Is only one answer His IUs name Is Hal the willowy left left-hander of Detroit's Tigers who won 29 ball games last season erl ar has as already packed away 20 victories Jn In this waning Au Au- August August August gust campaign This means a total of 49 winning starts In the last two sea sea- seasons seasons seasons sons with several weeks week left Dean won 58 68 games In 1934 and 1935 1935 Hub Hub Hub- Hubbell bell 49 in 1935 and 1936 Is Isaure sure aure to pass the 50 60 winning game mark for tor two seasons meaning 1944 and d 1945 and this pleasant fate tate doesn't happen to many pitchers pitched |