Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24

WORKING out on cOiIe2e ala
ncnds for the last three weeks
Of more or less good weather will put
II actual tests what they have learned
ana the mechanical perfection at
tanned: while the cinder path artists
are slated to find out what they can
Go in real competition for the first time
snce the indoor season. Georgetown
end Catholic University begin their
base ball seasons and Maryland is the
team that opens up in track.
The first ball games are to be played
by Catholic University, the Brookland-
ers having a trip scheduled to Lexing-
ton. Va, TO meet Washington and Lee
and Virginia Military Institute. The
local nine leaves here tomorrow and
will play the Generals Tuesday after
noon and the Cadets Wednesday.
Georgetown opens its season Thurs
dav, with Penn State as its opponent
in the first contest on local field, The
Blue and Gray does not have game
Friday, but Saturday entertains Yer
mont.
Maryland's track and field meet is to
take place at Lexington with Virginia
Military Institute The Old Liners nave
no meets en- their home field this year,
due to the destruction of the old track
in regarding.
Local schools probably have been
more reticent In their predictions re-
garding their prospects for Spring
teams than in years. Not one seems to
indicate very strongly just what is eX-
pected. but in all probability the teams
will be just as good as they usually
average, to say the least. Georgetown
and Catholic University, under new
coaching systems, naturally are not
overanxlous to have their followers look
for too much although 1t is probable
that both will have just as good teams
as wore their colors year ago.
Georgetown has strong outdoor
track squad while Maryland. the only
other local school that goes in for track
to any extent, probably will have just
an average squad. Against v. M. l.
this week ii is likely to be exceptionally
strong in some events and in others
very weak Some Spring teams prob
ably will develop exceptionally an un-
expected strength. others unexpected
Weaknesses but it is fairly safe guess
that when the first of June comes
around it is the sum total of accom-
plishments that local teams will be of
Just as nigh a standard as In former
years.
Spring foot ball practice at the Uni
versity of Virginia the last few years
has been more or less of farce, but
reports from Charlottesville have 1t that
Coach Abel, who has taken charge of
the workouts. is making it anything but
that. In order that all men who will
be on the varsity squad next Fall may
take part Abel has ordered the prac-
tice to begin at S o'clock each day, SO
that all athletes may report after they
are through with their usual training
for regular Spring sports, which begins
a. n lie
but which is not likely to turn out so
well for the other sports.
Abel is not new to Virginia and al
ready knows many of the conditions he
must face next Fall He coached the
line at Virginia back in 1922
A situation has developed at Virginia,
though, which is likely to work out very
favorably for foot ball. Holland and
Randall who coach the varsity and
freshman base bali team, will be assist
ant foot ball coaches next Fall and
therefore. are much more likely to lend
their aid and moral help this Spring to
further the interests of foot bali than If
they were to have no connection with
that team.
Dorsey Griffith is working out the
Catholic University track squad and
hopes to get together group of cinder
school much farther ahead in that sport
than it ever has been. Years ego the
Brookland squad had great relay
team. one that went up to the New Eng
land States and made good in several
races. In fact, 1t was Just about the
best team around here at that time. IL
was coached by Jimmy Mulligan, and
fine quarter miller of the name of Field
ran in the anchor position. And Coach
Griffith. who. by the way, was George
towns best Splinter several years ago,
is trying to get out for the track team
as much green material as possible SO
that he can build for next year as well
as this.
Lacrosse seems to be getting some
thing of a foothold in college athletlcs
in the South. Last year the University
of Georgia took up the sport and now is
trying to arrange schedule for tnis
wear that will involve some IFS in TINS
section. Virginia has had lacrosse for
several seasons, while Virginia Military
Institute has had one of its coaches at
College Park for the last week with the
MARYLAND squad in an attempt to work
out practicable plan for its adoption
at Lexington.
II is felt in a good many quarters
that lacrosse is due to knock base ball
sky high as a Spring sport in the col
]eges. Two schools in Maryland have
given up base ball for lacrosse. and 1t
Is runored that two or three others In
various sections plan something OF the
kind.
In the Southern schools base ball is
far more favorably accepted than in
the North, and in some places, espe-
cially small towns where there Is no
professional ball, the game has become
highly developed and is the subject OF
exceptional interest. At such places
base ball is so firmly rooted that to
think of eliminating it would be foolish,
vet some of the Southern Conference
institutions went so far as to propose
an amendment to the constitution
which would abolish it,
It seems that as far as the colleges
are concerned. the interest from the
spectators side Is in games that cause
physical contact between players. HUI
man beings have not yet advanced be-
yond the stage where they like to see
combat, and foot ball probably ex-
emplifies that more than any other
their fellow humans locked in physical
sport. That is one of the main reasons
for its popularity. Boxing has drawn
big crowds in the colleges for no other
reason, and basket ball is attractive
much because of that and lacrosse
probably is going to be generally at
tractive for the same reason.