The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-06-01

Talk OF suspending football and
baseball schedules because OF the Eu-
ropean war brings up the argument
OF their relative values as sports.
Football IL all sport OF the real, old
fashioned kind. The players receive
nothing but bumps and bruises and
the sheer Joy OF playing the game.
Professional baseball, on the other
hand, 10 q means OF livelihood for
thousands OF active young men, For
the same reason that football players
play the game, they are enlisting In
the army and navy, for the sheer
sport Of II. As q general thing they
are younger than the professional
baseball players. The latter, making
their living on the diamond. will en-
ter the army II drafted. Otherwise
they will continue to play bail. There
IL little sport in professional baseball.
II IL q business.
The admission by Zeb Milan that
he IL more than thirty years old
should be no shock. Like actresses,
professional baseball players never
pass their twenties. Only . year or
two ago George Mcbride shyly ad-
mitted that he was twsnty-nine years
old, when, as q matter Of fact, he was
shaving on two or three years. One
cannot blame the boys, either. for the
constant demand Is for young blood
They've got to live.
Amateur baseball, conducted in or
ganized circuits, seems to have been
hit hard IN Washington, but sandlot
baseball Of all sorts IL not dead In
q.
and attracting quite aS much atten-
ton. Fort Myers big army of en-
bryonic officers are all interested In
baseball and some hot games are 60
ing to be played across the river
this summer in the few spare hours
the young men have for recreation.
II q boy IL playing baseball for fun,
he doesn't care how hot the day or
what the reward may be. That's the
lure OF sandlot baseball.
The entire fistic world IL congratu-
lating itself on having another real
champion in Benny Leonard, the
Young New Yorker who tumbled
Freddie Welsh from the lightweight
throne. Now two titleholders, John
ny KiIbane and Benny Leonard, meas
ure up to the real thing as champions
go. Each Is fast, strong, and can hit
Neither spends his time ducking out
Of bouts with prominent opponents.
II only somebody OF equal character
istics might win the worlds heavy
weight championship, all would be
lovely.
Now American Association writers
are claiming that Louisville was at
the bottom Of the recent fftit at
tempt to disrupt the league. President
wathen, a wealthy man. r. said to
have become tired OF stringing along
in a class IA circuit, and was more
than willing to put his Louisville
club In with the rebels. President
Hickey. OF the association, has broken
of all friendly relations with Wathea
and moved his offices from Louis
VILE to Chicago. They're having
tough times in the sticks.
Making q permanent organization
out of the District Duckpin Associa-
ton Is something more than an idle
dream. Twelve hundred entries were
received for its last tournament, in
dIcatIng q membership of approx
mately 300 men. Making a perma-
nent all-the-year-around sporting
club of 800 men Is worth while and
President Isemann and Vice Presi-
dent Williams are deserving OF sue
cess. williams thought Of the idea.
and Is behind the movement to the
limit. Washington needs just such
an organization OF It's young men
and I trust may be able TO add my
share of its support
President BauEh. OF the Southern As
ISOLATION. announces that the ruling
Of the national commission against
the use of the bean balP' will be en-
forced in his circuit, any pitcher dar-