Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-04
MILLIONS PAY FOR
SPORTS ANNUALLY
Estimate of twenty-five Million At
tendance at Various Games Dur
ing the Last Year.
BASE BALL LEADS THE LIST
Nine Million Paying Spectators
Watch League Contests, while
Racing Draws Out at Least
million.

NEW YORK, Jan. 3--That e5,0O0,0O
spectators witnessed amateur and profess
sional sports in this country during the
last twelve months is sufficient founda-
ton for the oft-repeated statement that
1914 was a re ,ord year in American ath-
letic competitions. These astonishing at
tendance figures. equal to approximately
one-quarter OF the total population of
the United States, are not the result OF
haphazard guessing. The attendance at
all forms of'sports contes SITS 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 con-
sentative.
Only the Paid Attendance.
In the main these 100000 represent
paid admissions. but not entirely since
in certain sports the paid attendance
forms but a small percentage of the total
sssemblage of spectators. In some cases
the figures are official or semi-official,
while in others they arc the result OF
careful fluctuations gathered from club
secretaries. newspaper reports and esti-
mates made by those qualified TO gauge
the size and number OF large crowds.
Base ball leads, as is natural. and while
official counts are not available a total
of 100000 was the general estimate as
the attendance at all genes played I'm
der Organized Base ball control rep
senting as it does foTty-three leagues
and almost 800 clubs Foot bail comes
next with $4,000. Parke Davis. member
! OF the rules committee and expert foot
| ball statistician, is authority for this
estimate, together with the additional in
formation that 152, 900 players participated
In $1,000 games during the season of ten
weeks.
Horse Racing Popular.
II was the consensus of opinion that
approximately 100000 persons witnessed
racing. trotting and pacing throughout
the country last year. Tennis and golf
proved hard problems since few accu-
rate records are kept The official fig
ures showed that close 10 10000 specta-
tors paid admissions for the twelve days
of Davis cup tennis play and the eight
days of championship play at Newport
Another 10000 was fixed upon as the
probable attendance at all other sec
tional. state and city tennis title tour
naments. Golf galleries, being without
admission feature. were not separately
considered.
Automobile. motorcycle and bicycle
races were allotted 10000 and track and
field sports similar attendance. These
figures refer principally to paid admis-
sions, and. IL they err, they minimize
rather than exaggerate. The two inter
national polo matches between the United
/ States
| spectators 10 Meadowbrook last spring
Probably 5000 more followed the play in
other tournaments about the country.
giving a total Of $4,000. The two big
college regattas at Poughkeepsie and
New London attracted 10000 persons OF
whom 9OOOO paid for observation train OF
boat seats. Other dual and triangular
varsity races, together with the national
and sectional regattas OF the National
Association of American oarsmen, raised
the total to ~. 600.
Paying for PuEiIism.
Boxing also found a prominent place ir
the tabulations. Using the reports OF the
New York and Wisconsin state Athletic
commissions 1t was estimated that fuilS
100000 spectators attended professional
and amateur exhibitions and champion.
ship bouts during 1914. In New Yorl
state alone the gate receipts as reported
to the commission, was in round figures
$4,000. and the attendance 100000.
No attempt was made 10 estimate tn,
attendance at golf and trap shooting
tournaments. where admission fees ar,
either nominal or entirely dispensed with
Cricket. hockey. Lacrosse and yachting
were placed in the same category. N,