Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-22
Fue Plays Hopkins Tonight Mexico Called Fertile Foot Ball Field
On the Side Lines
With the Sports Editor
BY DENMAN THOMPSON

@HE flrSt story emanat1ng from
Tampa following the arrival
there of Clark Griffith quoted
the Washington mogul as
saying that Bluege Is to play
second base for the Nationals this
year. Just another item appropriate
for that old caption, Important. if
True
The runor that Baltimore may
get big league base ball again has
cropped up, but the citizens are re-
strnining their cheers. They've been
told the same thing too many times,
NTH disappointment as the inUdri-
able result.
The report came In connection
with the story that the Orioles are
to. be purchased by syndicate with
Los Angeles backing which proposes
to give the Monumental City real
base ball plant with a seating ca
pacity of $4,000 and so constructed
that ice hockey, basket ball, track
meets and other indoor sports can
be properly housed.
Washington already has major
league ball and capaciouS park.
but it is totally without facilities
for cold weather events requiring
large floor space since first Conven-
ton Hall and then the Arcade ca
pitulated to the bowlers.
In the past it has been found
difficult to make an auditorium OF
any considerable size pay, but IT the
experience of number OF other
large cities is any criterion the chief
1nS,Uer to this difficulty has been
found in hockey.
The fastest of all indoor games,
hockey is capable of providing
thrill a minute for sports enthu-
siastS who dote on action, and now
that the engineers have evolved
methods of providing a sheet of
smooth ice In just few hours and
removing all traces of 1t in an
equally short time, SO that wholly
different activities may be staged
under the same roof with no loss of
time, il may be just a few years
until nearly every key city in the
country will have a Madison Square
Garden or its counterpart.
Boston already Is cared for with a
structure along the lines of that in
New York, and there Is now in the
process of construction in Chicago
one that will exceed the Gotham
plant in size.
There is no question that the
great popularity OF hockey is main
ly responsible for the trend toUGrd
sports places" But it also is true
that the cities Dhich haze gone or
are going in for then, also sanction
boring. Which, OF course, proUides
the means for paying a large share
OF the overhead.
Capital residents get little oppor-
tunity to indulge in ice skating and
are wholly unfamiliar with hockey.
Regardless of that, we are confident
the game would prove just as pOpu-
lar with them as it has i'm other
centers. But il legalized boxing is
essential along with hockey and the
other sports that could be staged i'm
a modern plant for indoor athletics,
to assure one for Washington it
would seem this city will have to
wait long time.
y y *
81 have nothing to say about that
subject" was the reply of K. M.
Lands on his arrival in Boston
when questioned about the Sunday
sports bribery case, adding that he
planned to take no part In it.
IT'S good bet the commissioner
OF base ball is matching develop
ments in that u1sGuory RON, hoto-
eUer, and no surprise i0iu be oc-
casioned II he ultimately decides
upon little personally directed
probing in behalf OF the game he
bosses.
The charge lodged with the A. A.
u. that rival promoters bidding for
PaavO Nurmps services caused him
to switch his entry from one meet
in New York to another set of
games in Boston next Saturday
night makes appear well founded
the apprehensions voiced when the
great Finn came to this country
again that a repetition of the orig
inal "Nurmi scandal might ensue.
Begins to look as If Gawge God
frey may get into that heavyweight
elimination series yet. The big
black boy that most of the contend
ers have so carefully sidestepped is
to meet Pauline in a return match
at Havana next month, according to
tentative plans, and if they mate
rialize there may be more action in
the scramble for Tunney'S vacated
title than has been anticipated.