The Washington times., 1925-11-10
HEAD
Of CITY IS
Bic FAN
. New York's Mayor-Elect
Jimmy Walker, Believes
Sports Vital

NEW YORK, Nov. 1O.-The
Honorable James j. Walker,
mayor-elect of New York, be-
lieves sports a most important
factor in our daily lives, neces-
sary adjunct in business and COM
merce and a tremendous part in
the development of great nation.
He is the father of the present
boxing laws of this State and he
reiterated today that he is
stronger than ever for his favorite
diversion.
Certainly am for sport" he
declared, stronger than ever.
And l am glad you come to me
at this time. l welcome the OPP
portunitv of explaining it to the
public, and particularly that ele-
ment which has to Judge life from
\ rocking chair and can't get out
on the firing line; that element
which sometimes is inclined to
look upon sport and everything
kpertaining to it, except perhaps
their own persor"l sporting
hobby, as low and underwriting,
perhaps even debasing.
ITO be sure, sordid and debasing
things sometimes creep into sport
Just as they do into business, COM
merce, into life itself. But sport it.
self is not low and debasing. 1t Is
clean, healthful, = benefit to men,
municipalities and nations.
Il am for sport because 1t Is q
most necessary adjunct to our times
health and morals. 1t furnishes en-
Eertainment and recreation; is a
sort of safety wave releasing ener-
gies that might be turned into dan
gCrous channels.
This fact now is thoroughly
known and understood by most or
our big business men. That is why
DO many Of the commercial houses
ard manufacturing concerns estaD-
lish and encourage athletic assocla-
tions among their employees and
spend many thousands Of dollars for
the upkeep.z
"Such associations make for a
company spirit and elan and en-
courage peace and contentment.
Zone of the most serious prob
lens that confront intelligent
direct the thoughts and energies
Of their children in their idle
moments. The same problem con-
fronts an employer. Sport, right
Is directed and encouraged helps
him to solve it.
Most of the big business houses
and manufacturing concerns nave
Installed gymnasiums, provided Tor
nlaying fields, established athletic
associations as a means to a most
essential end-the success OF their
bwn business through providing for
the health and content OF their
employees.
eff the BASEBALL diamond, the
kridiron. the cinder track. the box
Ing ring, invaded Russia, there soon
would be an end to Bolshevism.
"The animal is in all Of US. Every
animal has to play. How to play,
where to play, is a serious problem
tn our cities and congested areas.
1--WE need more parks and play
grounds. We need more baseball
diamonds and footballs fields. AS
the congestion, confinement OF our
cities becomes greater. the greater
. the need for encouraging play, or
exercise, or recreation, or whatver
you choose to call it. and the great
or the need for providing places
TO play.
81 can't stress too strongly the
heed for encouraging exercise and
recreation. particularly outdoor ex-
ercise and recreation.
ITO the scepticaI all / ask is
that fhaV Fafass fn fhn Gf1fiGfIe9
of any big life insurance COM
pany. Go to the life insurance
= heads and they will tell you how
much sport has done to lessen
the ravages of the White Plague
and to safeguard health well
being and longevity.
1.-The unit of the nation is man.
Anything you do to benefit citi-
zen you do to benefit the nation
itself Sport benefits the nation
first because it benefits the in
aividual citizen. Sport not only
develops the health and well being
Of the individual man and woman.
mentally as we'll as physically, SOW
ing the seeds of courage, conf
aence, stability, but it is a great
thing for national spirit and
patriotism. Wellington spoke
volumes when he said Waterloo
! was won on the play fields OF
England.
II am just as strongly for pro
.essional sport as amateur, just as
strongly for the sports we go tt
see played as for the sports we
ourselves play.
Zach type of sport has its sphere
and its benefits.
when / wrote the law providing
Tor Sunday baseball / knew Sunday
baseball would provide a most neces
kary outlet for superfluous energies
that II would take boys and men
yes, women and girls, too, from the
lance halls, the backrooms and thF
street corners, bring them out II
Inc open air, help them temperate,
20 forget troubles and disappoint
h1ents, tone them up, give them new
life.
First avenue could not GO with
Fifth avenue to the golf links.
The rich man lad his Sunday
afternoon gOH and motoring. i
believed the poor man should have
his Sunday afternoon baseball.
-AWhen / wrote the boxing law
= aid n with the knowledge that boz
ng rightly directed and supervise