New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-02-28
GAINS
Much POPULARITY
Attendance Of More Than i,0O0,'
900 Predicted by WSterners

Chicago. Feb. 2s.-tBy the Asso'
eiated Press)-Basketball has aehiey'
ed such popularity in the Western
Conference that officials today pre-
dieted the attendance for the io22-2a
season would exceed 100000 fans
When the game was given an insig-
nincant start fifteen years ago. only a
handful OF spectators turned out for
the contests.
While the game probably never will
outrival football as a college sport, 1t
Ii running the gridiron game a close
second In the ten universities compris-
ing the Western Conference, and II IL
far ahead OF track and baseball. both
In attendance and interest, Gymnasi-
ums built ten years ago are hopeless
iy inadequate as crowds are turned
away at almost every basketball game.
More than 100000 spectators
will watch the basketball games In
Western Conference teams this win
ter" said Major John l.. Grllith. COM
missioner OF athletics today. This
great winter game Is rapidly growing
In Importance In the Middle West. 1t
will never attract the crowds that
witness the football games, because 1t
will never be possible to furnish in
door Accommodations for 10000 or
$4,000 spectators.
I'm fact, the combined seating ca
pacity of the ten basketball buildings
in the conference in round numbers
Is 10000. Ohio State, with accommo-
dations for 1000, has the largest bas-
ketball crowds in the conference.
Illinois and Iowa seat five thousand.
Northwestern can take care of four
thousand. Michigan Is building field
house that will seat 10000 basketball
fans, and Minnesota Is raising money
to make possible an enlarged physical
education program which includes
basketball, both intercollegiate and
intramural."
The University of Michigan presents
a typical example of the wave of
in basketball as college
sport in the middle west. The VOL
up to 1917, never played the
indoor game. Withdrawn from the
Big Ten" the Wolverines maintained
an isolated position in sport and were
forced to invade the east for real
in football. baseball and
track. Because eastern popularity OF
is not so general and be-
cause of the expense of travel, Michi-
gan had never played basketball.
When Michigan returned to the
basketball was major
sport The Wolverines, in their first |
season. did not win a game in the
and in the two following
years were not much stronger. The
lext two years, however, Michigan got
nto basketball in earnest and the re-
'ponse in attendance was surprising.
The Wolverines gymnasium, ten
years ago considered one of the finest
n the country, was entirely too small
o accommodate the crowds that
wanted to see the speedy and some
lines rough indoor game. The new
ieid house, with a 10000 seating ca
,acity. is expected to remedy the sit
lation.
Iowa opened its new armory last
largely because of the
of basketball. 1t is one of
he finest buildings of its kind, and
an accommodate 1000 for basket
all. Northwestern is finding that its
considered the last word
n athletic auditoriums when built a
ew years ago. is entirely too small.
hid same situation prevails at Illi-
dis and Ohio. Chicago. Wisconsin.
'urdue, Indiana and Minnesota still
re using antiquated gymnasiums, |
arge enough six or eight years ago,
ut now forced to turn away throngs.