The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-30
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

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 Now. the thing had in mind was for him to talk on the value of a clean life in athletics, for he has seen enough of the inside of the national game to know that the men who get out of the bush league into the major have to cut out fast living,
 He could tell a worth while tale about the change which has come into professional ball in his own time. for while still in his prime he has wit messed complete change in the drink ing. roystsring type of q ball player into the steady, sober, hard working, conscientious members of the profes- sion
 am sure also that he could give data concerning revolution which has taken place since the days when the league was recruited largely from back lots to be filled up with many college men; and this is as 1t should be. for 1t is the great sport of democracy and
 
 the bringing together of various types of players. bringing about better un- derstandins between the educated and those who have not been through the schools @f
 This is one great service the army performed, and my objection to certain snorts eop,ess lar~aJy fro~. th. s..& ~ |. : they arc classed almost exclusively as "gentlemen's games" hope to see the day when golf itself will reach more and more of our citizens through tho inauguration of municipauy owned links, and therefore hope the agitation for it here will be revived.
 There has been a great growth in America in the widening of the games. daresay. some who read this will re- member when town ball was tho vogue, | and that they looked on baseball as an unwarrented innovation. But there vas something in it which caught the fancy of the public and 1t spread and spread until today it has no competitor in the bearts of boys or in the affec- ton of Erownups. Football comes next to baseball in the hold 1t has on the public at large. can recall It's introduction in our southern colleges. I never played the game. but have always been interested in it. I reported the famous game be- tween the Birmingham Aethelic club and the University here in which Ross made his world making drop kick from | the field. It won the game. I remember how an Alabama lad who had dropped liver on the game. plaintively said: We can't beat miracles" That was his sad comment on the marvellous performance.
 Tennis got strong hold years ago and still is primo favorite as it gives both sexes chance to take part in 1t The exercise Is not so taxing or violent as Is base ball. unless 1t be in hard fought and long drawn out matches in the great tournaments. which frequently are gruelling and call for strength and stamina in the contestants In . marked degree. remember a quarter of a century or more ago when tennis was in great favor with the younger society set. and many . match was staged out at North Birmingham park in the afternoons, and finished with basket picnic and . dance in the evening. I know of few prsttier stxhts than to watch . ten nis game In which one gets to sec pretty girls in white, with flushed cheeks and flashing eyes at play. Gs
 Basketball came on after my days at college. or even la the Athletic club. It has proved its popularity both in men and women's colleges. and is real | ly an unusually fine sport. and always draws good crowds here when match games arc played. There is . regular I and the colleges also put on . schedule which covers at least the sister statsa Golf quietly got . hold on the Ameri- can public I got my first taste of it IS years ago and liked it so we'll that
 I knew if I ever gave it up I would | have to do 1t before the bug had eaten too deep into me. On coming to Bir-
 mingham I reluctantly put aside my paraphanalia and got down to work for it. like the law. is a jealous mis- tress and requires constant and long | wooing.
 My home faces the beautiful Country club grounds. and walk by or through them almost daily. For more than 10 years I have sssn my friends as they wsrs pAssinS on the links in full view
 from my front porch, or as I have been on my way to catch . ear at the lake. have stopped many . tims for ] . chat or to sss them as they drove
 on or putted. and always with long,
 ing to get into the game.
 l
 I am Baptist. and you know ws do
 not believe in what is known among l theologians as failing from grace
 but Baptist or what not. to be honest
 must confess that while I never fell
 in my home town I did fall when ou, of 1t. It happened in this wise. wal
 up in 2 lovely little city in the noun,
 ta,ns of Esst Tsnnesssa, visiting soma
 friends. having been by Tate spriul