Evening star., 1923-03-17
.SHERR|LL FEARS
BLOW IN LACK Of
FUNDS FOR SPORT
CurtaiIment of Outdoor
Games May Follow Con-
gress' Inaction.
PLAN OF CONCESSIONS
is BEING CONSIDERED
Report on Last Years Activities
Show Bathing Beach
Most Popular.

Because Of the failure by Congress
to respond to the urgent appeals of
Col. Clarence o. Sheriff., officer in
charge of public buildings and
grounds. under whose supervision
comes the various sport fields and
outdoor amusement and recreation
points, there is grave danger of a
curtailment in some of these activi-
ties.
Inasmuch as outdoor sports and
amusements have within the last
decade grown SO in popularity with
the residents of the capital Col.
Sheriff. is fearful that instead of
being able to afford increased facili-
ties to meet the public demand he may
be forced this summer TO discontinue
some already in use.
Besides conducting band concerts,
tourist camp. picnic grounds. sand
piles for children. an athietic field and
the sylvan open lair theater. facilities
were afforded during the past year
forms of athletic sports and amuse-
ments.
Enjoyed by Over Million.
Vastly more than a million persons.
young and old, either participated in
or were spectators of these activities $
during the year. Col. Sheriff. was
given only $4,000 by Congress with
which to furnish needed equipment
maintain and otherwise improve these
various forms of sports and amuse
ment. He has nothing with which to
make additions and extensions. Since
July l last, when this sum became
available, Sl3.529.93 has been spent,
thereby leaving something less than
| $1,000 to cover all expenses between
| now and June 80 next, when another
SIS 900 will become available.
Col. Sheriff. made a number of trips
| to the Capitol during the winter to get
a deficiency appropriation. but despite
his ardor and his arguments he met
with no success. Also he attempted
to convince Congress to increase the
annual amount for the next year to
$4,000, but without avail
|, Not Discouraged.
Although greatly disappointed. Col.
Sheriff. is by no means discouraged
/ He is determined that the trend on the
| part of the public of this city toward
| outdoor exercise and amusements
shall not receive any noticeable set
! back. when you finally get a COM
munlty taking to the open they
| should be encouraged" Col Sheriff.
said today while discussing his plans
| for outdoor activities this coming
! summer.
! To meet the shortage Of funds, Col.
! Sheriff. has formed several plans
! which believes will meet the STU
| alton, at least to a large extent. He
| can use some of the funds given him
| for the development and upkeep of
| the various parks and government
| reservations about the city to help
! out with the sports and recrea ton
| activities. Also he is contemplating
| granting concession for the opera
| tion of the tennis courts, as he has
| done in the cases of the public golf
! courses and the bathing beach This
! would relieve his office of all expense
! in connection with improving and
| maintaining the forty-Seven tennis
! courts now constructed if the various
| federal parks and grounds. However,
| by adopting this plan the public will
| be required to pay a nominal sum
! probably cents an hour-to play on
these courts.
! Popularity of Tennis.
| popularity in Washington by leaps
and bounds within the past few
| years. A decade ago there were
| scarcely a dozen public courts. With
| each succeeding year more courts
were added at cost of approximately
| $500 each, to meet the growing de-
| mand. Last year 232.452 persons
courts and it is known that many
| thousands were prevented from play
! ing because of a lack of facilities.
These figures were furnished by a
| report placed in Col. SherrilTs hands
| yesterday by Albert Burton, director
| of outdoor sports and amusements.
There are many in Washington
| who fail to realize the extent of
| the outdoor activities and their varied
| nature. For instance, grounds and
facilities have been furnished for
| bathing, golf, tennis. croquet, archery,
foot ball, basket ball. base ball. vol
ley ball, speed ball, soccer, rogue,
| medicine and push ball, quoits, polo,
| lacrosse, cricket, hurling, hockey.
bowling. horse hurdles and jumps,
| skating, fishing and boating.
Beach Greatest Attraction.
This report shows that the bathing
beach was the great attraction. Dur
| ing the past season 294,200 persons
| used the beach and there were
235,000 spectators. Base ball was
| next in popularity, with $3.50 par
ticipants and 3S6.60o spectators; then
| tennis, already enumerated; golf was
| indulged in by 155,471; polo, 764 play
ers and $4,000 spectators; quoits,
2,120 players; medicine and push ball,
| 566; soccer, 2,100 players and $4,000
| spectators; speed ball, 264 players
| and $500 spectators; volley ball,
| 1914 players and $500 spectators;
! skating, 1900; archery, 112 players
| and 100 spectators; bowling green,
| 26 players and 270 spectators; bas-
ket ball, 1928 players and $50 spec
tators; cricket, 1,154 players and
| 1900 spectators; croquet. 4,17S play
ers; foot ball, 16,500 players and So
| $50 spectators; field hockey, 1,76O
| players and 5000 spectators; hurting
field, 154 players and 1000 spectators
horse hurdles and bride paths, 7,140;
lacrosse, 1870 players and 10000
spectators, and rogue, % players.
] The tourist camp was patronized by
20,294 persons. with 6,9S7 automobiles
] 223, 900 children played in the seven
| sandpiles distributed about the city
| parks; 5000 attended the twelve per-
| forma0Ses at the Sylvan Theater, 49,
I 200 used the picnic groves, 2,1S7 in
| dulged in boating on the Tidal Basin
114,500 persons attended the ninety
| seven band concerts, and 1850 took
part in games and contests on the
athletic field in the Monument grounds