Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-11
COACH KECK URGES
HIGH SCHOOL FIELD
Sentiment Being Aroused for the
Establishment of Up-to-date
Athletic Grounds.

Considerable sentiment is developing
i'm this city Tor an athletic field FOR the
High school Leaders in all branches of
athletics have expressed themselves In
favor OF the plan for an athletic Held for
this city for the development Of sport
of all Kinds and particularly track and
field athletics. which ha ~ been neglect
I'd for years owing to the lack of proper
facilities for the training of athletes
It is held that with an athletic field
as part of the High school equipment.
II would he available for the other or
gani2ationa Of the city. which are in
ter~sted in track and field athletics.
The Sporting Editor of Every Eve
ming has received the following letter
from John keck, coach at The Wilminr
ton High School. IN which he discusses
the needs for an up-to-datc field
In The midst ot al IA" agitation for
better schools. brttoi school equipment
and better facilities for school children,
we are overlooking thr ono MOST vttal
fcatur" Of tn" whole school prnrrntn.
There iR ne use nrEung the valur of
athletics. The question was settled
years ago We must have them What
are We going tn do about athletics IN
Wilmington? Where is our ;, hool ath
letir nrld9
our high school has matcrial for
athletic teams second e. none il thc -
tire country Much If this material Is
utterly wasted lct as ~" what haIt
pens to our outside athletic teams Tho
football team works on n rocky hill4id,l
fun of holes There Is no privacy ~
practirc- The plays arc opcn to alt The
field IS a. al Times covered with spec
tators. small boys with bicycles and
oven automobiles An cnd nun a. a
dangerous experiment As the lai Is
public property spectators have aH
much right 10 tho field as tho football
team.
sloring. rough rocky. rcd olay
hill serves as z baseball fold This
field Is As private as thc football field.
except that mor, people aIc out dutiI
baseball season Thon the 9, hool tc1rns
get tn" field only once IN while. other
teams must ho proti idc,i for The crowd
is all over The ftold in practice and dur
ing games II is q frequent occurrence
for the tieldcrs 10 he sworn az by an ~
diEnani fan hroauee The n,ld.r has fail.
81 10 apologize Ion running over Raid
ian foot while trying To- ,atch a fly
so feet inside tho foul line
The track team is tn atill worse
shape W. are trying fn compete with
tho best tho country affords and ON
runners arc running around rcscrvoii
our jumpers have no place to work out
a. All They wait until a meet cnt,,cs
around and then inmp Is IL any wondc,
that hoya get discouraged and lose IN
t"r"si when such conditions exist
Athletic teams cannot be trained and
supported on sand lots Tho hotter
class of pcopir VII not 3ricar 1T eanc4
when thcy are showed triprod inslited
and run over hv loafcra who havc no
place 70 80 and appear at games nrrol,
because there is little free excitement
Their" is no argument FOR the present
condition and no reason for IL
The Wilmington High school has
] 900 students ready TO put their shout
der to the wheel and work Tor a school
athletic field. There should hc enough
interested alumni and other citizens to
help Chester did IT, Why not buy and
equip field as a memorial to the VII
mington boys who gave their lives for
the good Of the cause Could any moro
hitting memorial be built than field for
the advancement Of the health cnioy-
ment. moral unfit and physical welfare
af the coming CItizrnS2