The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-14
DR.. Parker Calls for Showdown in
Controversy With Richmond Sports
Association, Who Must Show Proofs
Posts Two Checks for 500 Each, to Be Given to
Associated Charities When New Organizations
Shows That They Have SIS, 900 in Bank and That
Georgetown Promised to Play Here

| same publi- will undoubtedly agree
| with them that they are entitled to
| receive enough to save them from f.
| nancial loss.
TRY TO GET BASKETBALL
| The Sports Association will try to
get basketball games here during the
winter. having obtained the use OF
Belvtdere hall, but they have given
UP hopes of having any football CON
| tests here IL 1920. though they are
| optimistic about the future after that
/ They will also try to stage track
meet here in the spring, probably
using the fair grounds for the pur-
! pose.
| II is evident that the flow OF clio
| uuence that has been going on be-
tween the Sports association and the
| owners of Boulevard field Is not In
any way helping the promotion of
/ sports in Richmond. This is a case
| similar TO the sduabble in the Ameri~
can league, The fight between Ban
/ Johnson and the loyal five" and the
minority faction headed by Colonies
| Rupert and Frazee, ably backed by
Charley Cominsky, is not helping the
! national pastime, and the same is
undoubtedly true with the situation
! in Richmond. The public wants the
! games. and not s1uabbles. It makes
/ little difference whether the games
are being brought here by the Sports
association, the owners OF Boulevard
/ field Ben w. Wilson or any other
person or association, 1t Is high time
/ that ar arYnistice was signed. and
/ that either cooperation be used or
! one or the other of the opposing fac
! ton drop out of the field, for it seems
/ i'm possible that the two parties will
! ever be able to get together on the
J matter
! DIR. Parkers statement has already
! been printed. and below liz the letter
written by the Sports association.
! Sporting Editor,
Richmond virginian
! Dear Sir
Feeling that the Richmond Sports
/ association has been placed~in a very
/ unjust attitude ny the recent state
nent issued by the owners OF Boule-
ward field. We beg Of you space in
your paper that we may present our
latitude, aims and desires in refernece
! to the sncrtfne situation in Richmond
so that its citizens. who are the ulti-
mate judges, in all controversies of
this kind, may pass judgment on the
:, merits of the case, and place right
! and justice vs. here II properly belongs.
BUSINESS CONDUCTED WITH
WILSON
! In Justice to Messrs Parker HILL
/ Duls and Gum. we wish N state that
/ all previous negotiations have been
conducted with IS w. Wilson. whom
we understood was the represe utative
/ of the owners of Boulevard field
FIRST LEI II be thoroughly under
stood that this associatinn was found
/ ed and is new composed of 25 public
/ spirited citizens of the city of Rich
! mord who, in desire to promote
better athletics in this city and as
! matter If civic pride. wished and still
wish the placing of Richmond on the
I sporting nap handed together and
/ contributed sen0 each for total Of
! s., 600 To "A common fund to be of
| fered universities as guarantee
1 against anv financial loss relative to
| the stagin- Of large football basket
/ hall and track contests in the city of
/ Richmond.
/ This desire was prompted by civic
g. Pride, and with no thought Of recon-
| pense fer their work and time neces-
/ sary in the staging of these contests
| In brief each Of it's members was cali
! ing TO make his contribution to the
| cause that his fellow citizens might
witness athletic contests of htgher
| caiiher and provide for the youths ct
Richmond places Of clean wholesome
/ amusement,
|
| ing guarantees to universities to play
| on Boulevard field fer the sole benefit
of its present owners was fatty re
! fused b. said ownFrs on the ground
! that they did not need the assistance
/ cf any individual or association IN the
( matter of bringing athletic contests to
the city of Richmond, which we might
/ add at this point that to date they have
/ failed distnaily4 to d..
DID NOT APPRECIATE PATRONAGE.
I An additional statement ar these
owners was to the effect that they did
not appreciate in the least the patron
| 2 gre given by the citizens OF Eichmon.
as they had before and would place
| in the future attractions OF such cali
! her at Boulevard iTs id that the afors-
mentioned citizens could not and would
/ not resist giving their patronage To
| go step further, the representative
/ nf the owners of Boulevard field stated
in the presence OF witnesses that he
| end his colleagues rould not eonsider
any price or any amount for an option
on any date or on lease as whole ou
said Boulevard fell, and that he would
[ deal only with duis- authorized repre-
sentaticeE Of universities and colleges
/ in letting options on Boulevard field
/ Any statement to the contrary from
I the Richmond Exhibition company is
+ absolutely false,
/ Now 1t is very evident to anyone
who has followed this controversy that
/ the offer made recently by the owners
4 of Boulevard held 10 allow the Rich-
mond Sports association to take over
/ the grounds was prompted solely be-
/ cause of their failure after having made
| fruitiess efforts, 70 secure football
! games for next season and having met
1 with fiat refusal in every instance
/ SIMPLY because of their failure to post
4 stipulated guarantees to protect the
\ universities coming to this city. they
are now. In their effort to obtain public
/ favor. trying to shift the burden to
other shoulders. by what on the~face
! appears to be fair offer. This offer
| lie simply a wolf In sheep's clothing as
| II is now too late To close big games
for Richmond next sea son, the universi-
ties having completed their schedules
| other than practice games early in the
| season. and the knowledge of this state
of affairs alone prompted the recent
offer of the owners ~ Bulevard field.
| WAITED roo LONG.
! To sum III their position they. by
their unreasonable ard stubborn stand.
have waited until 1t IL tools for any
enc to secure good games. inasmueh