Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

sands formed into clubs reaching from
Maine to the Pacific. The great turf asso-
citation had not been formed. Base ball
existed only as town bail, played on the
municipal green. Harvard and Yale met in
an annual boat race. but 1t was the only
important aquatic event of the year.
Georgetown occasionally sent some oarsmen
to row against a Virginia college, and other
institutions of learning met in occasional
contests on the water, but these were events
in which few besides the colleges concerned
had any interest The newspapers certain
ly did not deem them of sufficient import
ance to give long accounts of the training.
speculation regarding the makeup Of the
crews. the predictions and comment of the
trainers, and the hundred and one other de-
tails that now find such ready access to the
newspaper. For there was little or no train
ing In those days; Of coaches no one
dreamed. and editors believed that their ink
and types could be put to better uses than
printing college tittle-tattle-that is. If the
editors ever gave such thing a thought.
which is quite unlikely.
Post-Bellum Activity.
The immense impulse given to industrial
activity that followed the civil war was felt
in the domain of sports. That great and
prolonged conflict made the people ac-
QUainted with themselves. Different sec
tons OF the country took more of an inter-
est In what other sections were doing apart
from politics. which had formerly been the
only topic of common interest When in
1858. three years after the war closed. Har-
ward sent a crew across the Atlantic to
row a four from the ancient University of
Oxford more than merely the friends of the
rpf1o
the result. That undertaking. great in
those days. stimulated interest in rowing
Meanwhile base ball was being slowly
evolved from town bail and teams were
being organized to represent cities. A
strong club was made up IN Washington
end 1t made a victorious tour of the coun-
try. The result. Of course, was an in
creased interest throughout the land In the
national game. Rivals sprang up in the
different cities, eager to wrest the laurels
from the old Nationals. Then followed an
organized series Of games and a national
association was formed Increasing rivalry
ensued. Money paid to engage the
most sllillful players and professional base
ball was the result. The small group of
persons who had followed the fortunes of
5ne club grew to thousands who waited
Dor news Of the games Of distant teams
<lse ball had become subject that could
no longer be ignored by the newspapers
AS 1t was with rowing and base bail, so
It was with other sports Only the other
day there expired, after life of fifty years,
weekly paper that was devoted to the in
terests OF horse racing. The vast amount
Of space given to the sport by the daily
press had taken away its occupation And
thus 1t has been that The Evening Star.
from ignoring sport in its initial issue. has
come to devote columns to the subject.
Encouraged by The Star.
From the time that sports could be con-
sldered legitimate subject of popular con-
Germ The Evening Star has given its space
freely to encouragement of manly exertion
In wholesome rivalry. Whether or not the
Duke OF Wellington said, when gazing on
the athletic sports at Harrow 1T was here
that Waterloo was won." II Is undeniable
that a general participation in athletic
sports among a people contributes vastly to
the physical welfare of a nation and in
creases It's military poss bilites. The navy
can be recruited from the hardy sons Of the
merchant marine. The volunteer army on