Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-03
Tres to Do Spring Training Latest Sporting News and GOSSIP
C. j. ATHLETIC FIELD
TO UNDERGO CHANGES
Plans on Foot to Enlarge Seat
ing Capacity and Make
Reservations Possible.

| With the close of sue ,essful foot ball
season and the prospects of a better
one next year the men in charge Of ath-
| letics at Georgetown have already begun
to look into plans relative to making the
Hilltop field better equipped for handling
crowds of the size Of the one that at
tended the Virginia game The idea is
to provide more adequate seating ar
rangements and to construct gateways
at various places so that it will not be
possible for many people to escape pay
ing admission. 1t is also the intention
Of those in charge to number all seats.
thus insuring their reservation until after
| the games start
The reason that the plans are being
formulated so early is that the base ball
management intends to move the bleach
ers before Christmas in order to prepare
the diamond in time to allow the turf to
| become hardened and smooth before
! spring. At present the bleachers are
on part of the diamond and all across
center and right fields. In the past these
seats have been moved every fall for
| foot ball and back again in the winter
for base ball
This constant wear and tear has re-
suited In the shortening of the life or
the stand. to say nothing Of the expense
Of the biannual shifting, while at the
same time there is always KICK that
there are not enough seats for the crowd.
The idea is to place the bleachers IN a
permanent position and each year 10 doo
more until they extend all the way
around the field. Thus 1t Is hoped tnat
the next moving of the seats on the east
side of the field will be the last for them.
According to present plans. the bleach.
ers on the west will have to De moved
as usual. but permanent ones VIII De
placed on the north. while the east
stands will be left in their position Ihese
last seats will be composed OF all the
stands on the east side Of the field al
present, with four Of the new west sec
tons added. Then next year more stahos
will be built on the west side. while per
manent seats will be constructed on the
slope against the convent wall on the
| north. In this way three sides of the
| field will be surrounded by STANDS ano
the seating capacity will be more than
| doubled
The proposed arrangement will mean
| that the seats will be farther away from
| the side lines, but this should be q benef'
rather than a hardship. At no other big
school In the country are the spectators
allowed so close to the gridiron. and PEG.
kept some distance back every one has
a better chance to see the game fully
Then, too, when. the ball goes outside
! there is plenty Of room for the players
to scramble after 1t fairly without being
| hindered in any way by onlookers Nei'
| Their is it possible for either. cheering
section to interfere with the signals. as
| the rooters will not be close enough &c
! disturb the quarterback.
With gradual adding Of seats 1t is
hoped that In a couple of years the field
will have at least 10000 reserved seats,
each divided and numbered. The seats
on the end will be of lower price than
those on the sides. while at the other
end standing room will be provided. This
will allow three grades Of admission, and
will make it possible for people to re-
serve seats without having to come early
to take possession Of them. In this way
| the Blue and Gray management hopes
to increase patronage Of the games.
The other improvement under consid-
Grafton is the providing of more gates and
the installation of turnstiles. Thus it Will
be easier to handle the crowds and the
| facility Of emptying the field Will be In
creased. The turnstiles will also make
| it possible to gain an accurate account OF
| the number of people present which Is
always interesting to those friendly to
! either school contesting.
| While these Improvements will repre-
sent a considerable outlay. the expense
Of them should be more than balanced
| by the increased income which will re-
| suit. This year the six new sections OF
| the Virginia game, and this alone made
up for the price Of their construction. The
| successful season has also awakened the
| alumni of Georgetown to a sense OF their
responsibilities, and they, as we'll as the
undergraduates, are becoming interested
! In the Improvement of the field. so that
| much of the expense Will probably De
| borne by the "old boys" exclusive OF the
| Golfers of the general athletic associa-
| ton.