Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-06-30


Monday morning to open-air exercise On the
contrary there thousands of Americans who
are SO busy that 1t is only on a full-fedged Holt
day when all business ceases absolutely that
they feel that they can take part in the loafng.
Of the three summer holidays the Fourth of
July is manifestly the ideal one for sporting
contests Memorial Day is little early in the
season in the face of the climatic conditions that
prevail in sections of the country, and
then, too, many patriotic organizations and prom
inent citizens opposed to making of
Decoration Day as an occasion for sports claim
ing that it has a solemn, almost religious sig
nificance that should be respected by all the peo-
pie of the community, though they have
relatives among the aoldier dead. Labor Day in
September shares with the Fourth to some ex-
tent the prestige of day of sport but it is far
overshadowed by the July festival in point of
number of races, games and contests
First and foremost among the manifestations
of the American love of sport the glorious
Fourth must be placed, of course, the vast at
tendance at games of baseball. The games on
that eventful day range all the way from a "dou-
ble-header" by major league teams, which in
New York Chicago Boston may call out
attendance of twenty thousand fans" to the
equally spirited contest a vacant lot where
number of youthful "rooters" watch a struggle
for supremacy between Red Finnegan's "In-
vincibes" and Scrub Schmidts RED Sox Jun
iors.'" It is safe to say that the amount spent
baseball this day, allowing for the
expenditure for peanuts and score cards and all
the other incidentals, would form a stack Of sill
dollars mountain high.
AS every person knows the Fourth Of July is
a favorite occasion for pcnics-particularly fam
lily picncs and neghborhood outings, and lodge
pcnics, and like excursions. And usually as
feature of any such holiday froc there is a ball
game Perhaps the women and girls are pitted
against the men or we have such nerve-rackng
hiatt of no no wi
when the lawyers cross bats with the do Ors,
or the married men play the single men, or the
bald-headed boys try conclusions with those that
Boards or the fat men essay a test of skill
with the lean members of the community. 1t is
in such an environment, too that he spirit of
sport on the Fourth provokes croquet games and
the pitching of quoits and target practice the
part of the picnickers who do not for the
strenuous exercise a hot summer day.
Speaking of target practice with revolver and
ri1e), which has gained rapidly in favor of recent
years, it may be we'll to mention that another
somewhat similar sport has come up markedly
and the Fourth of July is favorite occasion for
tournaments in communities where clubs exist
This latter pastime Is the old, yet diversion
of archery. Just how much fun it is to shoot
with bow and arrow-not the familiar child's toy
but the regulation Indian weapon-can only be
appreciated by those who have tried it and the
fact that the sport be enjoyed by both men
and women of all ages is proving big factor
in winning converts for It,
The Fourth of July is a great occasion for for
NAL and informal golf tournaments, and some
times these are arranged to extend over from
the Sd to the 5th of July If the community is
suburban one, rural one. summer resort
to which there has been a sudden influx of men
from the city. And this very fact lets you into
the secret Of why the Fourth is the climax of
the season in the matter of sport at many sum
mer resort Under ordinary circumstances men
commodity at these vacation re-
treats but there is always plentiful supply on