The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1935-08-02
PRO FOOTBALL
in ITALY WINS
WILD ACCLAIM
Enthusiastic Fans Support
1000 Teams Employing
$4,000 Players
BY VIRGIL PINKLEY
funltel Press stan CoErespondent)

ny NA4eNAA4 = AANAAA1A
UNITED Press STAR Correspondent
Rome, (UP)--Association foot
ball today is Italy's most popular
sport.
Persons who make their liveli-
hood directly or in part from foot
bali number 1000, 900, according to
official estimates.
Popularity of the game adopted
from Great Britain is so great
that there now are 1850 recog-
mixed teams with $1,000 players.
During the past season 1887 off,
cial games were played under the
supervision Of the Italian Football
Federation.
Long Schedules Played
!. Italian football, which is played
annually from mid-September UNI
ell June, centers around three d.
visions. Each division has 16 clubs.
The teams play only on Sunday
afternoons. Weather makes no diff
ference.
The Italian sports fan generally
knows his football thoroughly and
il an ardent rooter. Supporters
wear symbolic badges through
out the season. The greatest Ri
valry occurs between teams of the
same city. For instance, in Rome
the two clubs are Roma and Lazio.
All anyone who desires trouble on
= Sunday afternoon needs is to
shout "Abasso Roma or LaZio"
(down with Roma or Lazio) and
he In accommodated willingly and
quickly.
Rioters Use Canes
One of the most effective and
respected methods Of an ardent
club fan to suppress a spectator
who is in the wrong roofing Sec
ton Is to bank the misguided fan
neatly on the head with a cane.
This system Is used with finesse
and great speed.
Players receive an average sal
airy OF approximately 1900 lire
(about $3.50 month throughout
the year. In addition, prizes are
given for victorious games, espe-
cially those played away from
home.
Sub rosa prizes also are paid to
championship clubs. Players are
bought and sold in the same man
neg as football players in Britain
or baseball stars in the United
states. The average paid for play
ers In the first division is 10000
lire 1850, although Rome spent
100000 lire ($23,140) for the SER
vices of Monzeglio, fullback from
Bologna.
Players Get Bonus
Players selected from first divi-
sion teams for international
matches receive from $40 to 500
from the federation, depending
on the result of the game, where
it 10 played and difficulties encoun-
tered.
Speed and teamwork are the
outstanding features of Italian
football. Most players are not big
men. This characteristic was
shown in the international match
against Great Britain last fall.
The Italians looked like boys play
ing q professional club. The Brit
ons were too powerful and rugged
and their secondary line of de-
Tense was stronger. Great Britain
won, however, only by score of
to 2.
Latin Players Imported
italian teams during recent
years have purchased a number of
players from Argentine, Brazil
and Uruguay. These visiting ath-
letes usually are used at wing and
forward positions.
Ticket prices for ordinary divi-
sion matches range from so cents
for standing room to $2.25 for re-
served grandstand seats. Special
discounts are given to soldiers,
athletes and other special groups.
Reserved grandstand seats for in
terns.ttonal contests cost $$4.45.
Most good league games attract
an attendance Of 10000 to $4,000.
Special Trains Run
Special trains offering greatly
reduced rates are run on Sundays
for football fans.
At present the Juventus club of
Turin is on top of the football
world here. During the past season
Juventus won its fifth consecutive
championship.
Other leading teams are AM
brossiana Of Milan, Fiorentina,
Florence, and Roma and Lazio, of
Rome.