The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-06-29
100000 EXPECTED
j AT POLICE GAMES
Lieut. Commander Read Prom
Uses to Give Exhibition
Flight at Sheepshead.
RECEIPTS TO AID WIDOWS
Deputy Wanamaker Buys 49,
900 Tickets at SIS Each
Kenny, Takes 5000.

The police say that 10000 persons
will attend their big field days. July 10
and rs. at Speedway Park. Sheepshead
Bay. They base the estimate on the
sale of tickets already made. and even
allowing for the fact that thousands of
folk who found 1t desirable or expedient
to dig up five simoleons at a policeman's
invitation will not go to the show. 1t IL
probable that the 100000 guess won't be
far out Of the way. Probably, indeed,
the biggest crowd that ever turned up at
an athletic carnival will go to Sleeps
head Bay to cheer for the police.
Requests for tickets by the bunch are
being taken care of at Police Head
quarters by the Fourth Deputy Commits
sioner. Rodman Wanamaker, himself
deputy commissioner, bought little or
der of 10, 900 tickets. Col. Ed Kenny of
the Police Reserves managed to get
along with only 5000 tickets. J. Stevens
Ulman. a police fan, of the type of the
Fire Department nut called bun. has
bought several thousand and is still at 1t,
taking 1000 from Deputy Commissioner
Wallis and hundreds from patrolmen he
met in the streets.
What tickles the cops most OF all is
that Lieut. Commander Read has prom
ised to attend the big show and to give
an exhibition of flying. The police fig
ure that Reads presence is worth dol
lar in itself. The programme includes
military man9uvres, what Is usually and
incorrectly called a sham battle: mo-
tor car races, featuring Ralph De Palma,
Dario De Resta. milford and other speed
burners who will go after new records {:
an aeronautical exhibition bringing out
a flock Of airpanes and dirigibles and q
series Of track and field contests by the
police athletes.
The purpose Of the Field Day Is to re-
plenish the police relief fund, which pro-
vides financial aid for widows and chill
dren of members of the force in the SER
vice of the city less than ten years at
the time of death.
Police Department records show that
the majority of those who are killed or
seriously injured in the course Of regu-
lar police duties are men who have been
In the department less than ten years.
These men, as the records show, were
men in the prime of life and the heads OF
families. the children OF which are still
Of tender age. ranging from infants In
arms to ten years. 1t Is to protect these
young mothers and children that the
Field Days are held.
There is one duty that comes every
day in the life of a patrolman that few
people know about In response to calls
that come to station houses daily. prin-
city. he is required to assist in sick
cases. 1t may be a call from home
where a Outrageous disease turks. Here
he is exposed to the danger of contract
ing the disease and himself falling a
victim, probably with fatal results to
himself and members Of his family.
An instance OF this was noted during
the influenza epidemic last year. There
were more than 100 deaths In the Police
Department alone from the ravages of
that disease. OF this number ffty-one
were of the younger men of the depart
ment who died in one month. All left
dependents.
II is for these younger men. incident
ally. who receive only $1,200 a year until
they have served up to FIVE years. when
the salary is raised to $500 and then
another increase of only $3.50 until ten
years OF service that the games are be-
ing staged.
Out of his salary n policeman is COM
PEELED to spend approximately 5000 for
uniform and other equipment. For new
uniforms and other equipment destroyed
in the performance OF duty-at fires or
stopping runaways, &c.-he also must
stand the expense