The Washington times., 1921-09-21

The same generation may live 70 see
soccer attracting its hundreds and
thousands. 1t will depend upon
whether there is that quality to the
the American so that he will be salts.
fled to be q spectator of other mems
endeavor in a sport new to him.
Matter OF Interest.
There are those to whom the fol-
lowing Of golf game is q matter Of
interest. Men who do not play golf
or at the most have withdrawn them
selves from others and tried to hit a
bail with a club in some secluded spot
where no one can see them will follow
a golf match with the keenest interest.
They absorb the intent Of the other
mans efforts to take pleasure In them.
The crudest Of tennis players de-
light in watching others who are their
supcriors. and on the other hand there
are expert tennis players who are not
satisfied to watch other players five
minutes.
There are ninty.nine spectators Of
boxing to one participant. A certain
element of all boxing crowds 10 that
which attends with not the slightest
knowledge Of the sport Of boxing, but
with Intense desire to another fellow
beaten up. They constitute the cave
men chorus which yells for gore and a
knockout. The amateur boxer does not
always delight in the show Of the pro-
fessionai fighter.
In baseball the great bulk OF the
crowds in old days was made up of
youths who wished to see how It was
done and men who had played base.
ball when they were younger. In
these days there Is an entirely dit.
ferent element and a much greater
personal interest, for baseball attend
ance has increased at least 500 per
cent.
Never Played Baseball.
There are hundreds of daily base
ball patrons who never played a game
Of baseball in their lives. Many of
them are foreign born and others are
the sons of foreisn:born parents who
did not approve of their, boys playing
certain knowledge about the national
game and they are extremely fond
Of 1t.
The popularity of soccer will have
to be founded on something like that.
We have not played soccer as q boys
sport or as q mans sport in their
country, except by the few who have
come to. the United States to make
It their home and brought their soccer
with them. The general American
population most learn to like soccer
for what It shows to them on the
field, as the foreign born Of our popu-
lation have learned to like baseball for
what II has shown them.
Must Educate Public.
There will have to be o certain
amount Of education for the public
in soccer as there has been In base-
ball. II was not quite so necessary
In golf, because that is not game
for show. It is q game for self
qualification and personal enjoyment.
II is that tyne Of game In which
the candidate would prefer 10 be .
participant rather than an onlookcr.
Even old baseball players are willing
to sit in the seats and watch others
struggle after age asserts itself In
muscle and vision. Then, too, base
ball is constantly working up q cli-
max which carries the enthusiasm
OF the spectator with 1t. Either he
.is In the seventh heaven of delight
or In the chair Of criticism, and with
that rare self-grn tification Of the
average American he enjoys himself
both ways. sa. ., %.
Fine Plays IN Soccer. =
There are lots Of thrills In soccer
II you know them. A home run
raises the goose flesh when there are
three on bases and four runs tie the