Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-21
DEPRESSION FAILS
TO AFFECT SPORTS
Two National, Many Section
al Titles Are Attained
During 1880.
TUMBLING markets, business
depression, unemployment
i worries and droughts may

repression, uneI1piOymeuG
i worries and droughtS may
harass people, but still they
will play. This is certainly so of
those in the District of Columbia.
Despite all their troubles, they
have made 1880 about the great
est recreational year In the his
tory Of the Capital.
While no startling number of cham
pions of other than strictly local char
acter has been produced, District folk
have flocEed to playing fields during the
year now waning and taxed all recrea-
tional facilities.
An indication of the growth of sports
and interest in them here is seen in the
statistics given out by the once of Pub
lie Buildings and Public Parks, which
Supervises only part Of the recreational
fields Of the District Its fields cared
for BAL Alb golfers, 229, 4S9 tennis play
ers. 86,828 base ball players, 3O,996 foot
ball players, $1,000 horseback riders,
1880 QUOT and horseshoe pitchers,
$500 croquet-yes, croquet-players,
5,038 soccer players and 912 polo
players.
What a throng Witnessed these
players in action. It is estimated 379,-
400 saw the base ball games, 1877, 400 the
foot ball games, SO, 400 the polo matches,
$4,000 the soccer contests, 14,0oS the
boating events along Potomac Park and
$500 the archery tournaments on the
fields supervised by the once of Public
Buildings and Public Parks
Considering the many thousands who
sought recreation on various club and
other private fields in and nearby
Washington, it is not difficult to realize
just how great a playboy Mr.. District
of Columbia has been during 1881. And
not all were playboys. There were
plenty of the fair sex who took advan-
tage of recreational facilities hereabout.
High spots of the sports year we're the
astounding success of the Washington
base ball club in the American League
championship race, the introduction of
night foot ball by the colleges, gen.
eral improvement in Sandlot base ball
and foot ball, exceptional activity in
tennis, increased interest In bowling
and the Inauguration Of more and bet
ter tournaments for the duckpin devo-
tees, expansion of the activities Of the
newly organized District branch Of the
A. A. U. and more efficient organiza-
ton Of officials and regulation Of play
ers In various pastimes.
Many Titles Garnered.
Only the rife shots and the bowlers
of the District provided national cham
pions, but section titles were garnered
by tennis players, swimmers, canoeists,
poloists wheeImen, trapshooters, horse
shoe pitchers and pigeon fanciers.
While the Washington base ball club
did not crash the championship ranks,
it had among its members two who
ranked at the top In their respective
positions and one was selected by a
national committee of base ball writer's
league.
Night foot ball, played in Grifnth
Stadium for the first time, proved pop
ular and did much TO put more money
than usual into the athletic Golfers of
several colleges. However, the college
gridiron game was not so well presented
as formerly. there being few strong
teams In the District area. The game
1ourished. though, in the high and
prep schools.
Scholastic Sports Thrive.
There was a remarkable advance In
interest in athletics and caliber Of play
in the high and prep schools. The
ySchoolboys turned out capable foot ball
elevens and their basket ball teams went
through good seasons. Canoeing In
competitive way enjoyed q revival and
many laurelS were garnered by Capital
paddlers.
In its review of sports in the WASH
ington metropolitan area this year, The
Star presents reports of activities in
more than threescore pastimeS, rang
ing from archery, chess and billiards to
the strenuous games OF foot ball, Ia
crosse and wrestling. The review deals
not only with the accomplishments of
sports devotees in the District of Co
lllnbia, but also of those in the neigh
boring counties Of Maryland and Viz.
ginia.
The review reveals in no uncertain
manner how many forms of recreation
appeal to the playboys and playgirls Of
Washington and vicinity.