San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-04
8@a&4S
Move the Game
Around.
An Army-Navy Argu-
ment.
Belongs to Country.
Chicago Is After 1t.
> BY Damon Runyon---
Copyright. 1895. International Feature
Service, Incl


tually every section of the country
will see it-and profit from it.
For there is no inconsiderable
and Navy football game. / have rel
erencc not SO much to the profit that
is bound to accrue to the hotels and
merchants of city fortunate enough
TO get the game. as to the profit OF
having that city the center of the
country's attention for "a time.
1t is the profit OF newspaper adj
vcrtising, the profit Of having large
crowd of visitors in the city limits for
a period OF three days to week. 1t
is, in a general way, the same profit
that comes from having national
convention. or any other big event.
And for some years the profit of the
Army and Navy game has gone to
New York and Philadelphia.
.nNE year the game was played in
~ Baltimore. 1t was just as much
Of a success as it ever was in New
York or Philadelphia, and perhaps a
little more so.
know / did not hear the same
complaints about ticket Spectators,
and profiteering in one form and an
other that generally follows an Army
and Navy game in New York. There
was a little showing in spots, but ]
thought Baltimore handled the crowd
very well. and demonstrated conclu-
sivcly that it isn't absolutely neces-
sary TO hold the game in New York
or Philadelphia on the theory OF
facility.
contend that the Army and Nary
game is something that belongs to the
country in general, not 10 anyone sec
ton. IL should be held one year in
Chicago. another year in Los Angeles,
or San Francisco. or Denver. or New
Orleans. or Minneapolis. or Seattle.
OF course, New York is entitled 20
the game at intervals. just as much as
any other city. So is Philadelphia.
Bat Of late years these two cities have
held exclusive rights TO the game-in'
cidentally TO the profit Of private own
ers of football premises. while Chi
cago and other cities offer publicly
owned property for the game.
I CAN foresce a number Of argu.
i mcnts that would be advanced
against my theory by the officials of
the Army and Navy. and one might be
that this game is mainly a matter Of
sport between the two service colleges,
interesting only the students thereof,
and their families and friends.
If this is true. then / see no reason
why the game shouldn't be confined
to West Point and Annapolis. 1t
would be private enough at either 0f
those places. But. Of course. it isn't
true. and the game IL played in Ncw
York and Philadelphia because Of the
possibilities Of profit and public at
tention.
Another argument that might be Of
fered is the difficulty involved in the
transportation Of the cadet corps OF
the two institutions across the coun-
try. and the time they would lose in
their studies. The last would per
haps be the most important argument
and one not easily dismissed, yet il
seems TO me that the loss of a weeks
time could be made up somewhere
without wrecking the morale Of the
cadets.
THEY seem TO find time 70 assist
4 in the making Of privately owned
motion pictures at the academies. with
which proceeding / have no fault 10
find. because it is valuable advertising
10 West Point and Annapolis.
| firmly believe in the exploitation
Of the Army and Navy schools in any
legitimate manner possible. They
are the finest schools Of their kind
in the whole world and We have II
right to f. | proud Of them. Ono
reason favor moving the Army and
Navy game around * because II viii
be splendid exploitation. as well rs
an inspiration TO the youth Of ihc
country.
OF course the cadets corps arc
necessary to a real Army and Navy
football game. / wouldn't give you
nickel for one Of 'thcir games with
out the cadets. and their bands. and
cheering sections. and ceremonies. al
though they might play the best foot
ball imaginable. The cadet corps fur
nish the color that has made fine
Army and Navy game the finest sports
spectacle held in America.
THEY wish 10 produce the game in
Il thlcngO m Stadium or the lake
front. almost in the very heart OF
the city. This stadium will be com
pleted and improved by next fall 80
that It viii hold 10000 persons.
II would make an ideal setting for
the big game. Moreover. it would
give the people Of the great Middle
West the opportunity Of seeing tho
game. and ] know of no better way
of showing the people how the money
they nay for the support Of the Army
and Navy academies is being spent.
than to display to them the magnifi-
cent youngsters Of West Point and
Annapolis.
Anyone who secs those boys on
parade once. will 90 homo satisfied
TO keep on paying taxes IN amy in
stitutions that can turn out such
specimens Of young manhood.