Omaha daily bee., 1919-12-29
1919 HAS proven.
BANNER YEAR IN
SPORT WORLD
Every Branch Of Athletic
Competition Has Revived
From Effects of
War.
BY JACK VEIOCK,
International News Sporting Editor.

is Just fading out.
With the signing of the armistice
a year ago last November. leaders in
every branch Of sport began making
plans for 1919. And sport came back
with a bang.
Uncle Samuel may well look with
pride on the records of sport in his
country during the last II months.
1t thrived everywhere. Interest that
Jagged for the two-year period COW
ering 1917 and 1918 was revived al.
along the line.
The United States, now holds prac-
tically all worlds records and nearly
all worlds championships of any
consequence. Uncle Samuers khaki
clad fighters, who took part in flstic
and athletic games after the war.
proved the superiority of American
athletes over the rest of the world,
and we can look forward to the next
Olympic games at Antwerp in 1920
with decided optimism.
One of the biggest sporting trans
actions that has gone down in the
annals for many year was an
nounced on January IS, when Harry
Hampstead sold the New York
Giants to Charley Stoneham, John
McGraw and Judge McQuade for
Sl,350,000. There were other big
transactions. The Boston Braves
were sold to George Washington
Grant on January 20 for a price re,
ported to have been $4OO,0oo, and
lust a few days ago the Washington
Americans changed hands, being
sold to w. NJ. Richardson for like
sum. PLAYER deals among the mag
mates of the major leagues during
the year totaled thousands of dol.
lars, and many players changed
hands.
Big sporting events of nearly
every kind drew crowds that left no
doubt regarding the stability OF the
athletic game in this country. The
Dempsey-Willard fight at Toledo,
while it failed to draw what Fro,
moter Tex Richard expected, netted
about 100000 for the promoter and
Sl2s,500 for Dempsey and Wl naa
the old champion getting Sl0l,ooV, a
record-breaking purse, for his end;
Base ball thrived this year de-
spite the fact that it is undergoing
sort of reconstruction. Early IN
fine wear the club owners OF the ma
Tor leagues agreed that base balls
triumvirate-the national commis-
sion must be revamped in the matter
of appointing new chairman 10
succeed Garry Hermann.
The American League, torn by. IN
ternal strife for the first time since
II was formed, is still troubled with
court proceedings and the SQUAD
bling of rival factions. Yet despite
internal conflict the league pros
pered during the year, as did the
staid old National. -,
Ban Johnson and his FIVE Iowa.
club-owners, fighting against the
Rupert omiskey-Frazee faction,
furnished some base ball history.
Yet the wiseacres of the game pre-
dict that all differences will be
eventually ironed out. The league
will not be permitted to die.
Babe Ruth's wonderful hitting was
one of the outstanding features OF
1919 season. The Boston Babe ham
mered out % home runs, bettering
the best previous record by two
circuit swats. This mark will, in all
probability, stand tor many years.
Ed Roush and Ty Cobb also en-
tered the spot light for their hitting,
winning the batting championships
Of their respective leagues. The big
gest winning pitchers in the two
majors were Eddie Cicotte of the
White Sox and Jess Barnes of the
Giants.
Tn the minor leagues which came
back nobly after being hit hard by
the war and leap year or two prior
to Uncle Sans entrance, the PEN
nant races were watched with the
old-time interest by the fans. The
new international league, the Amer
/, lean association and the Pacifle coast
league, in particular, enjoyed sue
cessful seasons.
Boxing had one of the best years
II has ever seen. Jess Willard, the
biggest man who has ever held the
world. heavyweight championship
was dethroned at the memorable
battle of Maumee Bay by Jack
Dempsey.
The young, hard-hitting giant
killer from Salt Lake blazed his
way across the fstic armament
within a short twelve months time;
reached Wizards doorstep by leaps
and bounds through a series OF
knockout victories over nearly all
of the eligible ehallengers, and cap
tured the championship on July a.
in three rounds, beating the gigan-
tic Willard so decisively that there
was not the shadow of doubt as to
his right to the title.
Dempsey's fight with Willard Gre
ated more interest and more COM
ment than any fstic battle since the
lamentable Johnson-Jeffries affair
at Reno, and Dempsey stands forth
today as the greatest fighter who
has ever held the most coveted OF
ring titles.
The only other fstic title that
changed hands during the year was
the welterweight championship
which Jack Britton regained from
Ted Lewis last March, knocking out
the Britisher in nine rounds. Brit
ton has successfully defended his
title against Lewis since that fight
and has stepped out of his class
meeting and outpointing Mike
O'Dowd in Jersey.
Foot ball developed its stars just
as it has done in other years and
was brought back to enjoy greater
popularity than ever. The tendency
of foot ball teams in general to
play an cratic game did not damp
en- the ardor of the public.
No championship was decided in
tie east. Harvard was unbeaten
It's true, but the Crimson could gel
no better than a tie with Princeton
l.