The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-12-30

A review Of sport events In Missoula
during the past year shows that the
Garden city. not less than four years
ago the sport Mecca Of the Treasure
state. has deteriorated sadly in the past
year. intercollegiate football was the
only form of attraction left to appease
the appetite of the sport fans. who, re-
Numbering the days when Missoula
had a penrant winning nine In one Of
the fastest little minors in the coun-
try and when it was a center of the
fistic game in Montana, in fact, the
only city in the state where high-cla
boxers met. refused to cnthl,se over a
hard fighting. but luckless eleven.
Prize fighting in Missoula died with
the night of the memorable battle be-
tween Frank Barrieau, welterweight
champion of the northwest. and Johnny
Tillman, one of the fastest glove ar
lists in the middle west. who was at
that time near the climax of big
drive towards the championship. Since
that day the vacant" sign has been
out at the Rochester gym. much to the
regret of Missoula fans. who some-
times crowded the place to the guards
for mediocre bouts. and at other times
failed to patronize championship bat
ties.
Baseball Buried.
The great national game has been
completely buried and forgotten. In
1916 Missoula fans failed to pay any
attention to the Bitter Root Valley
league, despite the fact that the city
had two mines entered in the circuit.
and, as result. there was no attempt
to revive the league, the smaller cities.
Stevensville. Hamilton. Corvallis and
Bonner. being unable to carry the bur-
den when the expected support of Mis-
soula failed to materialize. A few
games for the benefit Of the swimming
pool. which resulted in the browning OF
Hat Box" Jones' unantlered nine as
city champions. were played. The uni.
versity nine played few games al
home. but met with little success f.
nancially or artistically. Missoula'.
hopes for the revival of baseball de.
PEND solely upon an inside diamond
being secured. Both the Campbell
park and Loyola diamonds are now po
tato patches and will likely remain il
use as such until the war ends.
| Golf and Tennis.
The ancient Scotch game of golf tool
root rapidly and members of the Coun,
try club could he found chasing tn.
ball around the greens from morn til
night throughout the year. the coming
Of snow and winter falling to discour
hn pf Nhn Il.
Country club held it's first tournamen
and members of the club competed il
the state tournament at Butte will
gratifying results. All indications are
that golf will be the most popular
sport In the city next year.
Tennis, during 1915 and 1916 tn,
most popular of all forms of athleti,
exercise in the Garden city. fell will
the rise of golf. in fact, the courts OF
the south side were practically neg
lected during the summer.
! Bowling Is Popular.
The Missoula City league finished it.
season. marking the reincarnation o
the game of ten pins in Missoula las
l April. after a heated contest between
the teams in the first division. the It'll,
being undecided until the last weeks
OF the season when the Missoula Mer
camille ,quint. won the title. The sec
ond season of the league Is now in full
progress. with the United crew at thu
top. lnter-city matches have been fire.
quent. with the local bowlers gettin,
better than an even break. and NOR.
will be played during the COMING
months. Missoula hopes to make &
good showing at the state tournament
at Great Falls next spring, some o.
the strongest bowlers having made
plans to attend.
Basketball has failed to develop be.
yond scholastic circles on account Of
the lack of playing space. Both tbs
university and high schools had Quints
In the field, but neither won high hon