Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-12-31
AMATEUR TRACK AND
FIELD ATHLETICS

'hE Charles A. Dean, President ANA
teur Athletic Union OF the I-ni+,d
States.D
: TIE Seaf 1915 is going to see more
@'hiellc competition than at any time
:" the history of our country. Most of
AZ WILL however,. be of a different ma
.uie IMAM lhe competitive athletics wa
nave bten accustomed to for MANY
Ne"IH. me United States government
- ucNeioping the greatest lot of attn
ietlsa 'Hat The world has ever known
'ho although they may not have tho
HSsteiiatlc physical training that the
reliid'lS nave had, it will NOT take
illiS country many years 10 s1lrna C
'n'ii'' u the athletic training in connoc-
'''l win inc military training at ON.
various army and navy camps is kent
~ tht same as in the past six months
y mas been proven the past few
hlohthS that athletic training ana
'"llpe'lllon are as big an essential To
'hiirafN framing as shooting or ba yo-
"'' pidciIte. instead Of our higs,aet
coiipe'lllNe games and meets being
opei alairs this coming year most of
these are COINS to be in connection with
I'his ana navy camps. Nevertheless
JUST as many athletic meets sbon,d be
ttld ara | believe will be held as in
i"lilef years. The performances NAV
~ oe as classy but VIC still have tbe
"tllleteS 10 draw from who are either
"lIueT or over the draft age besides tho
a'hleteS now in the service and ,di,-
,enI 70 centcrs where meets vii, ~.
held. WI oe
rs regards championships all ne No
t'ohai championships in every line of
sport VIII he held and an endeayor
maze 70 have the fourteen different
h~ssocla'lons OF the A.. A.. l.. hold all
.nelf sectional championships also
'hese championships as welkas all tbe
~ open athletic meets the cominr
AcdF ShouId he. and ninety per cent Of
lhenl VIII ne run for the beneft 90
a'hletlc equipment funds for the an
iefeht camps or for the camps for any
Soldlefs across h water. The foothal,
season Just closed has Melted thousands
~ dollars Tor this fund for the diffe,-
en- camps and the indoor season whic,,
= 50 much longer should net thousands
or dollar additional.
lhesn camps are all badly in mood ~
H'hietlc buildings t. nlav basket han
NolifN ban, hold boxing and WRESTLING
@hd other sports. Everyone of the
= lamps have two or three Of these
,uiiulhSs large enough to mark off at
Ieasl three basket ball courts. These
hulIalngs would probably cost in tho
~relghborhood Of sos. 600 each. So il can
'eadiiy be seen what 2 large amount
or money will be required. Those
buildings are an absolute.necessity. es-
peclaliy in the northern camps where
outdoor athletics cannot be INDUCED
IN Tor possibly six months out of The
year. All competitive athletics should
be kept up during this war as we can
not afford TO let our athletes lose even
one wear and deteriorate physically.
This is President Wilson's wish and
we who are vitality interested in the
welfare Of amateur athletics are going
to do everything in u power to keep
the games up to standard.
I have been asked MANY times what
will all these athletes that the govern
ment is making do after the war is
over. We will take care of them.
Where n meet a week is held now
three or 0 a week will be held in all
The large centers and then when we get
the much needed Universal service let
ply steal education and competitive
athletics be a part Of military training.