The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-22

Now, that we know this country not only wants but needs sport during th1s war because athletics provide re- ueI ana recreation, build up moral ana physical strength. and may be i made to produce patriotic funds, it is but natural to wonder just what forms sports is to assume as we be- come more and more deeply engross- ed in our fight for victory.
 At this time 1t is impossible to tell just what definite forms sport is to assume should the war continue for some years. One may but guess. Con d1tlons and influences are so constant ly changing that 1t is most difficult to put ones hand on something tang ible and permanent in order to base ,even conjecture.
 Our large institutions of learning have widely different views and have practiced widely different forms of sport during this college year. With some there is a crying need for inter collegiate competition; with others military training has not only answer ed this demand but filled a far high CT purpose as well.
 Even our two service academies may be said to have different views relative to the immediate future of athletics. When I was at West Point early in November the feeling was that football with college elevens was having it's last days until peace came. A month later the Naval Academy was planning for another season. Here the view is held that intercollegiate sports serves a needed local purpose in keeping the middies busy within bounds.
 But at neither academy is there any hope of an Army-Navy game un- l til the war Is over. The mere fact that the coming together of so many officers and future officers at such a spectacle offers too great an oppor- tunity for disaster at the hands of a Ifanatic-in other words of German lis sufficient to prevent such a con- test being approved during this war even if 1t were sought by the academ- ies.
 In seeking an answer as to what form college sport will assume as the war continues one finds no aid from either the financial or patriotic side. In the matter of money about every thing that was possible happened during the recent football season. Teams went bankrupt, others reaped a golden harvest, one the biggest year in it's history, and still others had an
 average budget. Receipts, on the whole, were away below normal.
 From a patriotic standpoint about
 everything has happened also. Some
 elevens created opportunities for play ing for patriotic funds, others accept ed offers to do so, still others made , no effort in this direction and one
 class went so far as to refuse even the chance. Too much cannot be
 said in condemnation of the latter. } One can get nowhere in the matter
 of what form sport, and more par ticularly college sport, is to follow by the usual method of procedure. Ar analysis of intercollegiate sport today
 proves beyond all doubt that this na-
 tion is considerably off it's normal track. What then can we seize upon to aid in forming conclusion as to what is to be done in college sport? The whole matter is held in abey- ance until the country makes deci- sion about the draft. If the age linn it is lowered to eighteen or nineteen
 years intercollegiate sport, as we have
 known it in the past and as it was followed this year, is both a relic o1 the past and a hope of the future. Il
 will close up shop. Indeed, most o1
 the colleges will be forced to do like. wise. Those which keep their door: open under such a condition will be those supported almost entirely by ' endowment or by appropriation.
 But the question of continuing in
 tercollegiate sport during war is no I all a question of the minimum draf ! age. There is the patriotic note
 the inability of alma mater or blood
 mother to prevent their sons under draft age from "doing their bit'' al the war increases in intensity. Young men under draft age of good ret blood wont long keep out. And col lege athletes have mighty good ret blood. Then what kind of athletics are WI , to have? What part can our colleg'
 athletic instructors play in the new , world which war has created?
 Undoubtedly we will go ahead witt our SCHOOL anu CluD SpOItS. w Hat w do relative to professional sport, mor' ; particularly baseball, is not so vital matter. Professional sport, historical ly and as it now exists, has rarel.
 been a factor in national physica
 preparedness. While it may affort
 some recreation and relief from wa
 strain and probably would produce 7 some patriotic funds it is going t' l have hard sledding, l fear. We w1l want sport during this war but tn t longer the war continues the greate 7 will be our demand that it be for pa 5 triotic purposes. Witness, for exam 3 pie, the recent action of Nationa 8 Lawn Tennis Association! Tourna r ments are to be held but all fund are to be used for patriotic purposes s That. I take it. is the forerunner ] what sport is to be during war. Ther 3 is another field-service sport w s had ample proof of it's worth this pas 7 fall. Service football games, entlret n experimental, proved not only high sIy entertaining but very popular wit