Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-08
WAX DUES NOT HURT SPORT
Base Ball Alone is Slowing Up, and
that Cannot Be Attributed to
the War Alone.
EVEN RACING IS COMING BACK

NEW YORK, Aug. 7.--Just a little over
year ago when the European nations
were growing at each other and getting
ready 10 spring at each other our little
sporting world was ell a-tremble.
III the threatened war comes TO pass
and goes on for any extended period.
business in this country will go 20 smash
and with Il all our American sport fix
lures" walled many. Much heed was
paid TO the cry. but now almost a year
has passed and sports In tho Land OF the
Free are in such fine shape as TO make
Il appear that there Is no such thing a.
war
True, base ball has slowed up bit,
but the European conflict cannot be
blamed for that, Conditions here have
been greater cause OF that than any
thing else. But we're through with that
whats the matter with base ball9'
question that has caused some people to
become red headed" Were going TO
let some OF the wise guys" find out all
about II. Let's get to the other things.
Foot ball, for instance, didn't feel the
sting OF Mars one BIT last fall The
crowds were bigger and more enthusiastic
than ever before Even the minor games
drew good-sized crowds and the season
wound up with a record of having scored
the biggest hit In the great college games
history. Then hockey went too. as did
soccer foot ball. basket ball. and other
games which enjoy but little prominence.
Tennis IL BoOminG.
II was thought because OF their inter
national associations that both tennis and
track athletics would be hard hit by the
war OF course. the international phase
OF both sports was wiped out for the time
being, but that fact did not. In the least
abate the interest In the pastime. Tennis
IL enjoying q boom this year II never be-
fore knew. Excellent court men are de-
veloping all over the country and Uncle
1 Sam bids fair TO have such opponents ere
! long that will make him stand supreme
! in the game for many years TO come.
! Then the interest which IL being taken
in the coming national championships at
| tho West Side Tennis alub proves that
there are those who do not play who are
lending an interest TO the game.
Despite the double trip-hammer blow
caused by the war and the death of
James h. Sullivan, track and field sports
have had. and are stu having. a won
derful year. Indoors last winter the
meets were almost uniformly successful.
out OF more than sixty meets In the To-
cal territory not more than six failed
to make expenses. The present outdoor
season has been a winner, too. Handl-
eapper obertubeSsing OF tho Amateur
Athletic union, who handles practically
every entry that IL turned IN, estimates
that the outdoor athletic activity this
year is something like 20 per cent greater
than In 1914 Next year, with the national
championships az Newark. track sports
will boom 20 an even greater degree.
/ noxinE Goes Good.
Boxing Is not 'in the dumps" after a
year OF war. The ordinary shows are
drawing fairly well. and the good ones
are playing to big houses. Boxing sut-
fers a bit from reproduction, perhaps,
but. on the whole. the sport Ia on a good.
sound basis from top to bottom.
Racing is making a grand effort 70
come back. and In this case It may be
said that tho war has been more or less
Of an aid TO the resumption OF interest
in the sport. Americas best horsemen
are back In their own country grinding
out their living and giving TO the home
folk what they have been handing TO for
leigners for several years. The breeding In
dustry has taken a lesson from the war
too. and when that branch takes hand
the trials and speed contests of the
thoroughbreds are always sure to prove
most interesting. With continued goot
handling the old sport Of kings is almost
sure TO regain the high place in sport 4
once held.
Golf Gains Rapidly.
1t seems that It will take more thar
a worldwide war to shake the enthusi
asm OF the golfer. and as for swimming
Il Is going along merrily. and the variou
aquatic stars are going along on thel
way smashing records just as though
they we're being chased for their honor
by a foreign star
No the war hasn't hit sport in Amer
lea bit. All II has done is 20 depriv
IL OF that most wholesome internationa
favor-the thing most sought by the pro
motors.