Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-21
NOT ENOUGH ROOM
FOR MORE TEAMS
Youngsters Are Forced Into
Streets as Golf Links
Continue to Grow.

TWO or three years ago it was the
opinion of base ball leaders that
interest in the national game
Il among the youngsters was dying
out But that is no longer the
case with 100000 or more boys playing
in the American Legion tournament
this year
The problem no longer is one of re-
viving the boys interest, or keeping
him Interested but of finding him a
place to play base ball.
Maj John L. Griffith, executive. vice
president of the National Amateur
Athletic Federation, challenges the
acquaint themselves with conditions in
their communities
Not only the National Federation,
but the Playground and Recreation
Association of America, and the Har-
mon Foundation of New York City
ere interested in this campaign and
are hopeful Of enlisting the support of
every large community.
Shortage of Diamonds
"Our base ball survey brought out
one particularly startling fact" said
Maj. Griffith, and that is that thou
sands Of growing communities are allow
ing their sandlot base ball diamonds
and open spaces to be taken oyer for
1T Is pathetic that these little parks
are being lost to posterity, and to real
ize that through this preSent-day lack
OF foresight all generations of children
who are born in these communities are
being denied their fundamental right
of a safe place to play.
The amazing rate at which these
open spaces are disappearing is chal-
lenge to civic leaders and civic clubs
thPnnSolvnS
with conditions in their communities,
and to secure these spots for the pur
pose for which they will increasingly
become most valuable-as Fairgrounds.
Youthful enthusiasm when directed
into the channels Of athletics yields
fruit in the form of fine physical
mental and moral traits which carry all
through life."
Needed as Protection.
The N. A. A. r. survey shows about
half As many base ball fields, play
grounds and other athletic fields as
Increased participation demands today
AS a result, it is pointed out, there is
an increase in crime and an increase
In deaths by automobile in the streets.
For their lack of recreational facili-
ties fast growing cities are paying the
penalty already" continued Griffith.
This penalty is being paid in the form
of discontented citizens, heavy crime
bills and an overabundance of under
developed boys and girls.
Some cities, already realizing their
fault, are paying excessive prices to re-
claim land for Fairgrounds that once
was theirs for the asking.
These mistakes have been made and
more mistakes and more expensive ones
will be made unless other fast-growing
cities wake up now and claim those re-
manning open spaces
Streets Are Not Safe.
The survey points out that when the
present generation of fathers we're boys
the streets were safe enough to play In
But times have changed with the
coming Of the automobiles.
Last year many thousands of auto
mobile deaths were traced directly to
the fact that children were forced to
play in the streets because Fairgrounds
were not available.
To save the sorrow of one family, at
the death of a little one. the citizens
OF community could afford to give
more than enough money to establish
one additional playground OF base ball
diamond.
The National and American Base Ball
Leagues give annually sum of $4,000
toward the promotion of base ball for
Legion. And the popularity Of the
Junior World Series already has been
established.
The problem now is to provide dia-
monds. The players have been pro-
vided. The youngsters are interested in
base ball.
While the production of base ball dia-
monds and Fairgrounds has practically
stood still-in fact lost ground in some
communities-there has been a rapid
growth m golf1ng facilities.
The grown-ups who would like to
play golf are not by any means fully
accommodated as yet But they are
better accommodated than are the
youngsters of the sandlot and play
grounds age