New-York tribune., 1912-08-12
Officials Give Figures Showing
Attendance Will Exceed Last
Year by 2,000,0 900.
BASEBALL POPULAR SPORT
League of 600 Teams Provides
Great Rivalry Commissioner
Plans to Increase Interest
by Moving Pictures
of Fairgrounds.

Every indication shows that thlS VIII
he tho greatest playground year in the
history OF the city. according to Park
Commissioner Slower and William J.
Leo. supervisor Of recreation for the
boroughs OF Manhattan and Richmond.
The supervisor figures for the first
seven months OF 1912 show that 2s599o0
children have been In attendance at the
park play centres. This enormous at
tendance is a net gain OF $4,000 over
the same months In 1911. The total at
tendance for 1911 was $4,000 II is be-
leved by Mr.. Lee that nearly FIVE million
will be the total at the end Of 1912
There were thirty Fairgrounds last
year. as against forty now IN operation.
and Park Commissioner Stover expects TO
have many more open within two or
three weeks. There is now an intcrpark
playground baseball league which has
membership OF six hundred teams. The
ball players range in age from six TO
sixteen years, and the finals will be
played at Jasper Oval the first week in
September
There IS no question about the popu
iarity OF baseball" said the supervisor
yesterday. Some Of the youngsters
would bs willing 10 give I'D eating II
they were not able 70 play baseball at
any other time. In some Fairgrounds
they have requested that all other games
be thrown out 70 make way for baseball
diamonds They even wanted 10 have one
playground building moved because, they
said. Il. iuterfered with the games"
Commissioner stover. according to Mr..
Lee. has directed tie purchase OF a NOV
ing picture machine This will be used
10 show the activities of the park plav
centres and 10 interest further all chill
dren IN outdoor activities. Band con
certs IN some OF the Fairgrounds are TO
begin next week. which IL another inno-
vation.
Mr.. Lee said YESTERDAY he believed
gang rule among many OF the youths %
the city ~as being broken up by the in
terest in athletics. Every effort Is being
made. he declared. 10 get them 70 Join
in athletic contests. and the spirit OF
rivalry between the Fairgrounds had
worked wholesale havoc with former
youthful gang practices.
Tho Yorkville playground. in lolst
street near Second avenue, is situated in
the heart OF A district which used 10 be
the headquarters OF one OF the city $
toughest gangs. The play centre was
menaced AT first but the strong arm
squad" got busy and cleaned the toughs
out. and IL is now one OF the best
grounds in the city and no trouble is ex-
perienced from the roughs.
Under Mr Lees direction much Of the
stationary apparatus which used to be
the main feature OF the park play cen
tres. has been taken out and field con-
tests substituted
r have found that more youngsters
can be accommodated In the open
games" said the director and there is
always big risk in having boys. OF
younger years In particular. doing
stunts on trapeze Broken arms and
legs are always a possibility unless at
tendants are at hand and with the pres
ent big crowds IN attendance II would
be impossible 10 watch them sufficiently.
Besides all that. they get better all
around development out OF open games.
and there is more chance for ryslry-and
that Is what makes for popularity OF
athletics among boys
This year there has been a marked
increase OF attendance at play centres
which have been opened on Sunday, and
Commissioner Stovers plan has been 10
have additional Fairgrounds open on that
day. There are now fifteen such centres
open seven days a week. AMI many are
open every night.
The playhouse al the West 59th street
grounds. erected az a cost Of s2S 90. will
soon be formally opened. and work is
shortly TO begin on the $4,000 play CEN
tre at lOlst street and Amsterdam ave
nue.