Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-04
RECORD YEAR IN ALL
ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS
25.000,00O Spectators Witness Vari-
Gus Sports Which Repre-
Scnts S12,60O,OOO.
BASEBALL IN THE LEAD
Tennis, Golf, Automobile Races,
Polo and Rowing Receive Their
Portion-1,0 100000 Lovers OF the
Horse Contribute to Total.

NEW YORK. January 3.-That u.s.
10000" spectators Witnessed amateur
ana professional sports y this country
during the past twelve months is suf-
ficient foundation for the oft rcpcatc
statement that 1914 was Il record year
IN American athletic competitions
These astonishing attendance figures
equal to approximately one quarter OF
the total population of the United
States, are not the result OF haphazard
guessing. rh" attendance at All forms
or sports contests was recently the
subject Of discussion among n group
OF writer's and experts in this city. and.
nitcr much comparison and conference
tho foregoing figures were fixed upon
as being comparatively accurate and
conservative
In the main. these -. Oo0. 900 repre-
sent paid admissions, but not entirely,
since IN certain sports the paid attend
ahce FORMS but Il small percentage OF
the total assemblaec OF spectators In
some cases the figures are Official or
seHloilcial. while in others they are tho
result OF careful fluctuations gathered
from club secretaries. newspaper re
ports and estimates made by those
qualified to guase tho size and number
o. large crowds.
baseball Leads All Sports.
Baseball leads us is natural and
while official counts are not available,
= total OF 100000 WAS the rcncral
estimate as the attendance at all games
played under organized baseball con
troll. representing as It does forty
three leagues ana almost 800 clubs.
Foctball comes next. with 6,2a2O
l'arko Davis. member of the rules
committee. and expert football statiSti-
elan. is authority Tor this estimate. to-
Sethcr with the additional information
that 10000 players participated Ia
"f.voo games during the season OF ten
weeks.
II was the concensus of opinion ,har
approximately 100000 persons VIII
messed racing, trottina and pacing
throughout the country last wear
Tennis and golf proved hard problems.
since Few accurate records are kept
The official figures showed that close
u lJO.oOu spectators paid admission for
the twelve days of Davis Gun tennis
play ana the eight days OF champion
snip play at Newport. Another li0,-
90" vas fixed upon as the probable at
tendance AT all other sectional State
ana city tcnnic tile tournaments. Golf
galleries. being without admission fea-
ture. were not separately considered
Automobile. motorcycle and bicycle
races were allotted 100000. and track
and field sports Il similar attendance.
These figures refer principally to paid
admissions, aud II they err they mini
mize rather than cXaggcratc. The two
international polo matches between
the United states and English teams
drew $4,000 spectators to Meadowbrook
last spring. Probably 10000 more fol-
lowed the play in other tournaments
about tho country, giving "a total of
$1,000. Tho two big college regattas
AT foughkecpsie and New London at
tracicd 100000 persons, of whom 90, 600
paid Tor observation train or boat seats
Other dual ana triangular varsity races.
together with tho national and sec
uonal regattas OF the National Asso-
citation OF Amateur Onrsncu raised IN,
total to $4,000.
boxing Very Prnmincnt
Boxing also found prominent placc
III the tnhulhticns. Using the rcports
OF the New York and Wisconsin state
Athletic Commissions. il was estimated
that fully 1900, 600 spectators attended
professional ana amateur exhibitions
and championship bouts during 1914
In New York state alone the gate re.
ceirts ab reported TO the commission.
was in round figures 100000. and the
Attendance 100000.
No attempt was made TO estimate tho
attendance at golf and trap shooting
tournaments, where admission fees are
either nominal or entirely disprus,d
with. Crick.., hockey, lacrosse ana
yachting were placed in the same cate
CORY. M place was allotted to college
schoolboy or seniproCcssional baseball
but these sports. or clnssiiicatioos Of
sport. were used to bring The total an
10 2",ooo.OOO. II was agreed that so
cents per person would be "A most rea
sonable admission estimate. but even
this gave tho startling total OF $4,000
600 In gate receipts in the past twelve
months. They form impressive testi-