The Washington times., 1928-12-29

hockey and all the rest set up stag
gering attendance figures which
testify to the robust health of ath-
Ietics in general. A new world
record for the gridiron came when
122, 600 saw Notre Dame beat the
Navy in Chicago.
Monster stadia seating from
10000 to. $4,000 OverflOWed time
and time again. Baseball parks
were packed for the world series
and on holidays and Sundays.
Racing never before attracted
so many patrons.
Boxing did fall off from that
record attendance of 100000 when
Jack Dempsey was beaten down Tor
the second time in 1927, but it is
safe to say that the figures Tor the
wear were bigger than for any
other. even though Tex Rickard and
his 500 rnillionaires lost money when
Gene Tunney and his devastating
punch ruined Tom Heeney. That
gate was only a million or so, and
the bridegroom took most Of that.
The statisticians tell US that over
500 900, 900 was expended for sports
in this country alone. There Is
reason to doubt If even this vast
sum win pay the bill.
Big Moments of the Year
Thrills were packed on thrills and
drama on drama throughout the
year. Big moments were supplied
by Babe Ruth with his three home
runs in the final game OF the
worlds series, by Johnny Farrell
in beating Bobby Jones by single
stroke in the play-off of their tie
for the open golf title; by Ray
Barbuti in winning the Olympic
400" by a scant six inches; by
Chris eagle, Paul Scull and Ken
Strong in spectacular football plays;
by Sabin Carr, who scraped the
ceiling in his mighty pole vault Of
IL feet / inch when long it had
been predicted that IA feet was be-
yond human powers; by Henri
Cochet in coming from behind TO
tennis title; by. the youthful United
states polo four in defeating the
favored Argentine team; by the
California crew in outlasting CO.
lumbia at Poughkeepsie and in
beating England'S best at the
Olympic games; by Walter Hagen
IN winning the open golf champion
ship of Great Britain; by Reigh
Count in racing to victory in the
kentucky Derby, and by High
Strung in beating Roguish Eye a
head in the Futurity of $125,000.
Another big moment came,
and most dramatic one, too,
when Bill Tilden, suspended on
the eve of the Davis Cup match
with Italy and then reinstated
temporarily to play against
France, rose in his might to
beat Rene Lacoste.. 1t was not
enough TO retain the cup but it
provided a thrill.
Champions sat unsteadily on their
thrones. Many were pulled off as
titles changed hands. The competi.
ton was SO keen that few escaped.
In an international way the United
States more than held its own by
winning the Olympic games, the
Walker Cup in golf and the polo
match with Argentina Our one
major reverse was in lawn tennis.
France retained the Davis Cup and
our national championship.
At home the accomplishments
were many and varied. Full details
will be found in the individual re-
views. but it is fitting to touch on
the high spots of some of the lead
ing sports.
Victory in the Olympic games has
come to be an old story. This coun.
try has not failed since the famous
Greek festival was revived in 1895.
The United States scored 131 points,
counting everything, to SO for Fin.
land. SO for Germany. 55 for Sweden
and the other nations, of which 33
took part, scattering. 1t cost $780,.
900 to finance the team. Our ath.
letes established II new Olympic
records, of which seven were world 8
records.
On track and field the honors
were widely distributed. Victory
came largely by weight of numbers
In the field events this country was
supreme, but, apart from two relay
races, Ray Barbuti was the only
track, when he carried off the
"400' in a spectacular finish and
then collapsed. This took much oi
the kick out of the games for us
We scored ten firsts in swimming
which helped nightly in the vic
tory, two in rowing and one In
wrestling but not a single one In
boxing or any other line in tht
regular program outside OF the win
ter sports.
IDbe Ruth, as usual, was the
most spectacular figure. in baseball
He sIashed out 81 home runs, jus
six behind his own mark set in 1927
and he established record fol
world series hitting of .625.. which
IL likely to stand for years TO come
IIA made fhreaS home runs in fht
aask game. n mightier man will