Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-04


tators witnessed amateur and profess
sional sports in this country during the
past IL months is sufficient foundation for
| the oft-repeated statement that 1914 was
q record year in American athletic COM
petitions. These astonishing attendance
| figures, equal to approximately one
quarter of the total population of the
| United States are not the result OF hap
hazard guessing. The attendance at all
forms of sports contests was recently
the subject of discussion among a group
Of writer's and experts in this city and
| after much comparison and conference
| the foregoing figures were fixed upon as
being comparatively accurate and conser-
1 vatire.
| In the main these 2s,0O0.00e represent
paid admissions but not entirely since in
certain sports the paid attendance forms
| but small percentage Of the total as
semblage of spectators. In some cases
| the figures are official or semi-ofaciai
while in others are the result Of careful
tabulations gathered from club secre-
taries. newspaper reports and esti-
mades made by those qualified to guage
the size and number Of large crowds.
| Baseball leads as is natural, and
while Official counts are not available
total of 100000 was the general esti-
mate as the attendance at all games
played under Organized Baseball control
representing as it does IS leagues and
almost 800 clubs. Football comes next
with 6,2s2. GOO. Parke Davis, member OF
! the Rules Committee and expert football
| statistician is authority for this estimate
! together with the additional information
! that 1s2,000 players participated in $4,000
! games during the season of 10 weeks.
1t was the concensus of opinion that
approximately 100000 persons witnessed
racing. trotting and pacing throughout
the country last year. Tennis and golf
proved hard problems since few accur-
ate records are kept. The official figures
| showed that close to 10000 spectators
! paid admission for the Il days of Davis
| cup tennis play and the eight days OF
| championship play at Newport. Another
| $4,000 was fixed upon as the probable at
| tendance at all other sectional, state
and city tennis title tournaments. Golf
galleries, being without admission fea-
| ture, were not separately considered.
Automobile. motorcycle and bicycle
races We're allotted 100000 and track and
field sports similar attendance. These
! figures refer principally to paid admis-
| sions and If they err they minimize
rather than exaggerate. The two inter-
national polo matches between the unit
! ed States and English teams drew 1900
spectators 10 Meadowbrook last spring.
probably $1,000 more followed the play in
or no rra q hpIlf the Fiy-
ing a total of $4,000 The two big college
regattas at Poughkeepsie and New Lon
don attracted 100000 persons of whom
10000 paid for observation train or boat
seats. Other dual and triangular varsity
races together with the national and sec
tiona regattas of the National Associa-
ton of Amateur Oarsmen raised the to-
| tai to $4,000
Boxing also found d prominent place
in the fluctuations. Using the reports of
the New York and Wisconsin State Ath-
ietic Commissions il was estimated that
fully 100000 spectators attended pro-
fessional and amateur exhibitions and
championship bouts during 1914 In New
York State alone the gate receipts as
, reported to the Commission was in round
figures s640,G coo and the attendance 10000
/ No attempt was made to estimate the
attendance at golf and trap shooting
tournaments where admission fees are
either nominal or entirely dispensed with.
Cricket. hockey, lacrosse and yachting
We're placed in the same category. No
place was allotted to college, school boy
or semi professional baseball but these
sports or classiications of sport were
used TO bring the total up to 25,0Oo.00O. II
was agreed that so cents per peron
would be most reasonable admission
estimate but even this gave the start
ling total of 900. 900 in gate receipts in
the past u months. They form impress
sive testimonials TO Americas place III
the world OF sport, but as one man re
estimates for the Goth time: Il am in
clined TO think that we could add another
so per cent. to the total and still be in
side the limit
According TO Dr. Harvey Wiley, OF
pure food fame, football players should
MUNICH sugar during the game III order
to maintain health and composure. Grid
iron veterans will see in this suggestion
a menace TO the sport. In the old days
conversation, especially among the lines
men. led TO the opinion that the players
imbibed vitriol before and during the
game.
The opinion is rapidly gaining ground
in baseball circles that the q player
rule in major leagues will never be seri-
ously enforced. This regulation would
require an enrolment somewhat along
the following lines: Pitchers. eight;
catchers. 4 infielders, five; outfelders, 4
Al the beginning Of the 1919 Season the
American League club rosters contained
the following number of players: Atil-
letics, 20: Washington %; Cleveland Is
Boston, %: Chicago, 81: Detroit, so; New
York, %: St. Louis, 90, The National
League list was about the same.
A number Of the clubs require strength
ening before the opening Of next season
II they are to be drawing cards and
money makers. Almost without excep.
ton these clubs have a large percenta &c
of their present squad under contracts
which cannot he icnored How they are