Evening star., 1929-10-10

~ ALTTMORE people responsible for
- the management OF the huge
stadium in which virtually all
IL big foot ball games in that city
are played are putting forth
great efforts to get q big crowd 10 at
tend the Navy-Notre Dame contest Sat-
urday. In fact. it is doubtful II city
authorities anywhere ever so went out
OF their way m efforts to get cash GUS
toners to attend a foot ball game as
they are doing now in Baltimore.
1t seems strange that in, big city
with game such as that between Navy
and Notre Dame promises to be, it is
necessary for the city officials to 60 out
of their way, away out Of their way, in
order to stimulate tick:t sales. If that
game were played in any other city Of
the country, in all probability there
would now be no tickets available. In
New York, at West Point, it is tmpoS-
sible for one to buy tickets to the Army
Notre Dame game scheduled for Novem-
ber so.
Maryland simply is not foot ball
State. Of course, the race tracks take a
good deal away from gridiron interest,
but, even considering that, it is likely
that there is less foot ball interest in
Maryland than any other State in the
East. a.
youngsters Don't RAY Oame.
In the first place the high schools
generally 90 not play the game and
those responsible for Statewide devel-
opment of athletics in the public school
system are not favorable toward the
game and actually discourage 1t at every
opportunity. Consequently, people, in
the towns throughout the state never
get what might be called foot ball fever,
as they do IN other States.
Take the State of South Carolina, for
instance, which compares in many re-
spects to Maryland There every high
school has team and kind of town
pride is developed in the accomplish
ment of teams representing its high
school. Consequently, general interest
in the sport Is natural growth, and
people come to know foot ball and to
like 1t. In Maryland, little is known Of
the game in many sections. In fact,
outside Of Baltimore City the game
hardly exists, as far as the high schools
are concerned. Cumberland, Hagers-
town and Annapolis, three of the larger
towns, have recently begun to develop
foot ball teams, and 1t may be that
other small cities and towns will take
it up. but until they do foot ball viii
not attain the popularity that 1t has in
other States. When foot ball is taken
up and played generally In all the high
schools, then nobody will have to mako
much effort to get out crowds for games
anywhere.
Officials Forced to BallyhOo.
A game between Navy and Michigan
q game between Navy and Notre Dame
ought to fill any stadium in the country,
and probably would in any city but
Baltimore. Out in the Middle West in
cities not more than a third the size
Of Baltimore stadiums are sold out and
those In charge are seldom able to I'LL
more than half the applications But
in the biggest Maryland city 1t seems
necessary for even the city ofncials 70
ballyhoo In order to get enough people
to attend big game to show enough
interest to warrant again playing the
game in Baltimore's stadium.
Baltimore has the reputation of not
being "big time" city, as far as sports
are concerned, and even less Is thought
Of it for foot ball. Many people in
sports speak Of Baltimore without much
regard for the kind of expression they
use, but actually Baltimore is not diff
ferent from what any other city would
be under the same circumstances. New
York City, Urbana,. Ann Arbor, Rich
mond, Palo Alto or New Orleans will
I'LL q foot ball stadium for any big
game, but how many stadiums would
be filled in these cities for an Eng
lish rugby game, came that in Eng