Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-31

And yet more devotees keep clamor-
ing for admission to the ranks.
What is true Of golf is also true in
other lines, even those sports which
have been struggling for resuscitation
as racing-have found their place
during the season just past. And
speaking Of the turf, the season has
been indicative that the American
public still holds this regal sport
close to its heart. A careful survey
of the year shows nothing else in
more prominence than that our facili-
ties for gratifying the increasing tend
ency of the public to participate in
sport is before long to be sorely
taxed, unless new provision are made
For several years it has been evil
dent that the growth in sport was
mainly toward those lines where &C
tual participation was the governing
influence, and the last twelve months
showed this inclination to even a
greater extent than in preceding
years, as is evidenced by the many
who have been drawn to golf, tennis,
motor boating and the like. In col
lege athletics, too, the trail is blazed
toward this end. Where a squad Of
forty to seventy composed the entire
foot ball interest Of a college few
seasons back, there are gridirons ga
lore now where all who are interested
in the game may play.
The system of sport for the many
rather than the few is gaining sup
porters and has gains of many in the
year just closing. This applies to
every line of college endeavor, row.
ing, basket ball. base ball and their
contemporary athletic interests. Even
the schools taking it up are finding
in it the success which its early ad-
vocates predicted. Intramural sport
is not new, but it is now enjoying a
more advanced status than ever be-
fore long promises to be big asset
in college athletics, not alone from
the fact it will give material of worth
to the athletic teams, but because it
will build up the men who perhaps
are in no wise varsity material, and
after all this is one of the chief aims
of all athletics.
OF the professional sports, base
ball has been through its fire OF war
and during the year has regained
much OF it's old prestige. The elimina
ton of base ball dissension has been
one of the noteworthy happenings
of the year, and it was fortunate
ending, at time when the public
was just on the point of abandoning
its first love in sport because OF the
too ostentatious display of the COM
mercial features. Even now the ear
marks are not lacking. The major
leagues certainly are enjoying much
OF their old popularity, but with the
minor leagues the public has not been
so disposed to forget, and they are
struggling along on the ragged edge.
Base ball is the one exception with
regard to professional sport In the
main this has not been year of
success for the professional athlete.
Where amateur sport has made ire
mendous strides, the professional
game has Jagged behind or gone back.
This is no doubt due to the increase
in amateur sports. One or the other
had to suffer. Professional sport must
always be a spectacle, else there is
no purse and no incentive. Apparent
ly the public has definitely turned
away from the spectacle except with
regard to base ball, and turned to
such endeavors where participation is
the KEYNOTE.