The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-09-20
NATIONAL A HLET|C'
MEET WILL OPEN IN
CHICAGO TOMORROW
GREAT LAKES TRAINING
STATION TO BE SCENE
OF SPORTING EVENT.

Chicago, Sept. l9.-The pick of
the athletic manhood OF the United
States will assemble at the Great
Lakes naval training station tomor-
row to test the speed and Drawn
in the National A. A. u. outdoor
track and field championships. The
meet will cover a three day pro-
gram. The junior and senior cham
pionship will be decided on Friday
and Saturday, and the relay and
all-round championships on Mon
day.
The meet this year takes the
place of the Olympic games, as it
is the banner athletic event OF the
world and the only one enlisting
the entire athletic ability of the
country. Every holder of record
outside of the trenches will be there.
A large majority OF those compet-
ing will be young men in training
ior service in France.
The list Of entries, which includes
more than 500 athletes representing
army and navy camps, universities
and athletic clubs throughout the
country, is a record breaker, sur
passing all expectations. Track
performers from New Orleans, Camp
Frement, Calf, Pelham Bay Naval
Training Station, N. Y, Kelly Field,
the aviation at San Antonio, Texas,
Camp Gordon, Ga, and twenty 9TH
er camps are entered.
Athletic experts expect smash
ing of records and points to several
reasons. First is the 440-yd. straight
away, the only one ow its kind. In
the second place the wave OF ath-
letic activities which has swept over
the country since the war began has
brought out more athletics than any
other happening in the country's his
tory. Most of the great athletes are
now in service, and if only the men
with Uncle Sam were to compete
the class" of the event would be
maintained. But besides these, the
big universities and athletic clubs
of the nation will be represented.
No Admission Charge.
The national games were awarded
to the Chicago Athletic Associa-
ton, which donated $4,000 to de-
fray the expenses OF the athletes and
gave the meet to Great Lakes. The
meet will be open to the public
without the usual gate fee. which
undoubtedly will result in a record
attendance.
One OF the modern athletic mir
acles has been the construction OF
the new athletic field at Great Lakes,
now the most wonderful stadium in
America which furnished the setting
for the championships. Distinctly
a war beauty, this field, built almost
over night, is in class with Frank
lin, Field, Staff Field Ferry Field
Francis Field, the Yale Bowl and
other great athletic arenas famous
in East and West.
They call it merely what it is
the Athletic Field. The athletes
and throngs OF spectators who
swarm here for the title games will
see four-lap loop as the main
track. A few yards away stretches
vowing towards the distant barracks
the grey 440-yard straightaway mar
rowing towards the distant barracks
in Camp Paul Jones. Enclosing the
tracks are the thousands OF comfort
able seats. In the center is the
grassy sward of Kentucky grass, es-
pecially sodded until every blade
stands rigidly at attention. This
is the headquarters OF the javelir
artists, the burly weight man and
the nimble jumpers, high and broad
as we'll as the flying vaulters.
The history OF the field is unus'
ual and thoroughly characteristic oi
the navy. Two months ago the site
was a hilly meadow, barren and dus.
ty with occasional bogs. Now ant
then squad OF "gobs" drilled there
but even the company commander:
preferred other grounds for theii
manoeuvers.
Navy Boys Fixed the Field.
Captain w. A. Moffett, command
ant at Great Lakes, conceived thu