The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-06
MoLey Slated 10 Arriue Early in February
Sports Should Experience
 Greatest Year In HiStOrU
President of A. U and Walter Camp Predict Busy Year in All Branches of Athletics Government Officials
 to Back Sport Contests

New York, January 5.-In the opin- ion of two men of high standing in the athletic world, sports of all branches are facing one of the best years in their history for 1918. The two officials to make this statement are Walter Camp. secretary of Inter- collegiate football rules committee, and Charles A. Dean. president of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States.
 The statement of the men, which is presented below, is decidedly encour- aging to followers of sports.
 Mir Deans statement follows:
 "The year 1918 is going to see more athletic competition than at any time in the history of our country. Most of it will, however, be of a different nature than the competitive athletics we have been accustomed to for many years. The United States government is developing the greatest lot of ath letes that the world has ever known and although they may not have the systematic physical training that the Germans have had, it will not take this country many years to surpass them. if the athletic training in con nection with the military training. at our various army and navy camps is kept up the same as in the past six months. tH
 FREQUENT MEETS
 Tt has been proven the past few months that athletic training and competition are as big an essential to military training as shooting or bay onet practice. Instead of our biggest competitive games and meets being open affairs this coming year most of these are going to be in connection with army and navy camps. Never theless, just as many athletic meets should be held and I believe will be held as in former years. The perform ances may not be as classy, but we still have the athletes to draw from meets will be held.
 "As regards championships, all the national championships in every line of sport will be held and an endeavor made to have the IA different associa- llOHS Ol lHe "A. A. U. nOlQ all tnetf sectional championships also. These championships as well as all the big open athletic meets the coming year should be, and 90 per cent of them will be, run for the benefit of athletic equipment funds for the different camps or for the camps for our sol diers across the water. The football season just closed has netted thou sands of dollars for this fund for the different camps and the indoor sea son which Is so much longer should net thousands of dollars additional
 BUILDINGS ARE NEEDED
 "These camps are all badly in need of athletic buildings to play basket ball, volleybal1, hold boxing and wrestling and other sports. Every one of the 32 camps have two or three of these buildings large enough to mark off at least three basketball courts These buildings would probably cost in the neighborhood of $25,000 each
 So it can easily be seen what a large amount of money will be required These buildings are an absolute ne- cessity, especially in the northern camps where outdoor athletics cannot be indulged in for possibly six months out of the year. All competitive ath- letics should be kept up during this war as we cannot afford to let our athletes lose even one year and de- teriorate physically. This is President Wilson's wish and we who are vitally interested in the welfare of amateur athletics are going to do everything in our power to keep the games up to standard.
 q have been asked many times what will all these athletes that the