The Washington times., 1932-12-06
.TTENDANCES
GENERALLY
HIGH
BY HARRY COSTELLO


a game as they did in 1882, to
football.
If the amount Of public interest
in the gridiron game be estimated
by such an accurate gauge, we
must be convinced that OUR Ameri-
can people not only give much
of their time and thought to foot
ball, but also manifest more and
better quality of interest in the
game than in any other hobby,
sport or spectacle, with the prob
able exception Of hunting and
fishing.
Americas red-blooded youth,
vigorous and verile, continued in
1882 to flock in large numbers to
the field standard of football. 1t
is estimated that 100000 young
men represented the nations
schools, colleges and universities
in official interscholastic, intra-
mural and intercollegiate gridiron
contests during the past three
months.
Football VS.. Military
After one has studied Americas
postwar periods of history, one
feels rational in assuming that
there is some correlation between
military training dncluding the
mobilization of an entire people
directly or indirectly for military
purposes) and athletics. There
fore, it must be with keen feel.
ing of satisfaction that military
leaders of America study any &C.
curate survey of the 1882 football
season.
Contrar!" to general opinion, at
tendance did not fall off in 1882.
Some teams played before fewer
people than last year. However,
others, notably George Washing
ton University, witnessed large in
creaSeS in the numbers of per-
sons attending games. The policy
of reduced prices aided materially
in overcoming the influence of
the economic stress. In the mat
ter of wise management George
Washington University again
stood out prominently, as did also
Catholic University and Mary
land.
Radio Driven Out
The majority Tin control of the
intercollegiate athletic establish
ment) committed numerous er-
rors Of commission and commits
sion, but none so great as the one
by which footballs best friend,
the radio, was driven from many
stadia throughout the nation.
Georgetown was among these
short-sighted enough to drive out
the radio.
The minority, which includes a
number of professional reforme~s,
also blundered, particularly in the
matter of statements purporting
to contain facts but which actu
ally were unsupported by evi-
dence constituting proof of
charges made,
Football in 1882, of course, was
good game. Vigorous and
rough, it attracted as admirers
men and women who Staunchly
stand against any softening of
the fibre of American manhood.
Rugged and virile, football is the
embodiment of vitality. No game
ever communicated a greater ZeSt
for clean living.
Cling to fundamentals
It is more than passingly inter-
eSting to note that those Ameri-
cans who admit of favorable atti.
tudes toward football also express
a desire to see this nation escape
the ravageS of flabbineSs, moral,
mental and physical. Like foot
ball players on the field, these
friends Of vitality in national
character cling to fundamentals
in the midst of a growing in
difference to well-tested standards
in personal and public life.
Football antagonizes "conscien-
t1ouS objectorS" and the peace
at-anyprice" groups of this coun-
try, and, during the 1882 season,
these two movements spread their
wings to include football on the
taboo list.
The necessity for a reasonable
amount of color and pageantry in
our lives was never more clearly
indicated than in the past three
months. Conditions have been of
such a nature as to bring worry
to even the wealthier classes, who
normally escape the depressing
effects Of economic reverSes.
SurceaSe From Trouble
During the past three months,
football probably gave more per
sons SurceaSe from their troubles
and cares than any other single
spor game, hobby or spectacle.
Hay ng given of their emotions
In trims Of football, having wit
ness sd deeds of courage by ag-
gres ive youngsters on the field of
plas, and having enjoyed the
color and pegeantry of gridiron
Spectacles, the spectators have re-
turn ed to their daily tasks to face
evefy-day difficulties and prob
lena with renewed vigor and en-
thuSlaSm.
The nation today Is stronger,
more virile in mind and body and
soul, and possessed of more ideal.
ism, because of American school.
college ,opd Sondlot football &c nv