The Washington times., 1915-11-24
Soccer Now Infant Sport
Here, Threatens to Gr0pv
Karl K. Locke Is Today
Godfather to School
boys and Brings
Them Brand
New Toy.
BY KIRK c. MILLER.


Should we be suddenly approach
ed on the matter Of nominating a
member for Washington's Sporting
Hall Of Fame there is every likeli-
hood that our glance would run
along the line Of satellites until II
rested on Karl X. Locke-because
that young man is seeking the pin
nacle Of success through the excel
lent recipe once prescribed by Emer-
son. that Of helping others to sue.
ceed.
Mr.. Locke has one very strong
point, as far as our observation has
carried US. He wants to succeed and
in that regard he is not unlike a
couple of million of his countrymen
to say nothing of certain Kaisers,
Cars, and Kings whose methods are
not like Locke's, that Of lifting the
other fellow up along with them.
We are here going to snsiyze. dissect
and discuss Locke Ia as complete
manner as our slight acquaintance with
nlln ptIilits, u IHiBhl b' "''' W
mention that he helpS Georg. N. Rob.
erts GupefInteuu the department OF
piaygrounda-tnose open-sir Institutions
hn ca ..e didnt nave AS Chiiuren. ana
v h!cn ". have come to learn are quite
rs necessary y peruu!site 10 chiid
educaliou as the school room. Ana
here Is exactly where Young Locke hts
~ inis s.ory. IL" Knows tnat tne BODY
must be developed along wth the mind.
and this know ledge has evolved i,self
into a hobby. a theme with him; one
which bids fair to MAKE that young
man become immortal with tho l.2J
bows whom he has taken upon himself
to instruct and coach In ono OF the best
forms of outdoor sport that has come
to our attcntion-socC"r. WITH these
100 lads whom he has recruited from
fifty schools Of Washington Locke has
conceived tho idea OF soccer league
and he has separated IL into divisions
and associated the eight public play
grounds. each Of which constitutes A
division. with the pastime. This league
has been In operation since the close of
summer sports on the playground. and
Monday the championship series for the
District title commenced with teams In
the eastern section playing among
themselves and those, Of the western
section also deciding a local champion.
The survivors In the two sections meet
later for the CITY title.
Could any plan OF sport activity for
boys be more complete? We don't know
how Our Idea is that Locke has put
himself into q business which il most
Ia ardable. and which .s going to have its
results and in no irdistinct manner will
these results make themselves evident.
They might best he summed up In men,
tioninG that instead Of growing UP to
be Just ordinary men physically these
hDN t.,t,,
men and fine specimens OF ply steal ft-
ness.
~ course most bows nowadays get
some sport training before they are
courses, but where Locke has fixed his
efforts L. to get them early. at a time
when failure to impress the youthful
MIND with the necessity for physical
of weakling instead OF a good. SOUND
and healthy body. He has made an
interesting appeal to the very litrlesl
soSft soSs by Fiyirs nS. ,nS% /,
but which Is rapidly gaining In popu.
! lsrity in the graded school as well as
the higher classes of learning institu-
tions. The youthful appeal is first
and when the boys here learn what a
fine sport soccer really is. there is no
driving them from It. Locke will tell
you you this and you'd know IT anyway. II
! -
| to stop by any one of the eight pla v
grounds after 3:i5 any afternoon and
| see for yourself the mastership which
| the kiddies are revealing in this ancient
Scottish and more recently English
| game.
Soccer Is not nearly well enough
known to even those who claim a Ger.
tain familiarity with things sporting.
In the old countries there are soccGf
| experts. Just the same as We have oase-
ball. football. and golf experts. With
cricket, 1t Is a national pastime on Tn.
| British Isles. but as those countries
have other more important pastimes TO
| occupy their hours. idle and otherwise,
now. the game Is asserting Its strength
| on the sporting calendar of this coun-
try.
Karl Locke has become in.oucd with
the possibilities OF the game az par,
OF the school curriculum and tho alb
sorbing series that Is now being played
| measures the extent OF his good lucg.
| ment. As director OF boys activities
he assumed personal responsibility tor
Introducing the game to his cha rg-s
and 1t has positively become an cpl.
demic with the boys who have been
given the opportunity TO learn new
game.
There is this that must he said for
soccer: It takes n hardy race to pro-
mote 1t and because 1t is so strenu.
ous game It should appeal TO the
American boy. To those OF you who
are familiSr with association football
the term soccer means the most, foI
they are now practically one and the
same.
The game Is played on a regulation
football field. with an inflated ball moi
| of the probate spheroid type but OF tho