The Washington times., 1935-11-05
D. S. Sport
Shrine Is
Lacking
By KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

It makes a fellow burn up a
little, it doesl
Navy's football fathers would
like to play one game a year
in Washington, but can't con-
slider such a possibility because
there is no stadium here COM
parable with the Municipal
Stadium in Baltimore, its home
field for big games, where
$4,000 paid to see the Notre
Dame game ten days ago.
And in my sizzling and stew
ing, I find myself asking:
"How much longer have Wash
ingtonians got to HE to Balti-
more and Philadelphia and New
York to see major football compe-
tition?"
Paris, Berlin, Madrid: in fact,
all of the Old World capitals have
their coliseums and stadia where
= monster sports events of a ma
tional character are held.
No Place To Go
What has the most enterprising
nation on earth got in the way OF
an arena for sports?
Navy is giving two Of its ma
jor 1885 football games to Balti-
more. It plays Yale there Oc-
tober II and three weeks later, on
November 7, Notre Dame again
goes to Baltimore to engage Navy,
as it did a week ago last Sat-
urday.
You pick up the papers from
time to time and read that our
Government awards seven-figured
sums to various municipalities
for this project and that. 1t has
come to be almost an everyday
news item in Americas campaign
to put people back to work and
cancel the "dole."
Why shouldn't some Of this
free-flowing money be spent near
the font thereof-right here in
Washington for a Federal-owned
stadium whereto Navy and Army
could bring one of their important
football games each season?
Certainly such a structure
would be in keeping with the
impressive plans being completed
every year to beautify the Capital
with architecture lending dignity
to this seat Of government.
COmDIete the Chain
Certainly stadium some
where in the Mall development
would complete the varigated
program here for edifices OF
enduring beauty and solemnity
to reflect richness Of ideals and
national purpose upon the great
est country on the globe.
What is more vital to the
survival of the race than a full
program Of recreation and atn-
letics for its boys and girls?
Sports are recognized by every
country on earth as an intrigal
part of national development-yet
what stamp of approval thereof
has America placed on physical
development and competition, in
the way of an arena typifying our
faith in such endeavors Tor our
youth?
We know that every four years
America must develop an Olympic
team to compete with other peo-
pies. The States and territories
and possessions should hold as
one of the steps to competition in
the Olympic a quadrennial elimi-
nation to be held in the Capital
Of the Nation.
That Is one definite and useful
utility for National Shrine to
Sports in Washington. 1t should,
because Of it's characteristics, be
built with public money and main
tanned with public money. letting,
for the most part, receipts go to
foster the particular events which
utilize its facilities.
Many, Many Utilities
Each of the service elevenS, and
such other major colleges as would
like to come here from time to
time, for football games, should
have access to it.
Our Olympic teams should use
it.
Our boy and girl scouts should
have entree to it for encamp-
ments, rallies and jambourees.
Military maneuvers such as
cavalry drills, horse shows, ETC.,
would attract tens of thousands Of
people to such a place.
Important national conventions
Of veterans organizations would
be glad to avail themselves Of the
facilities of such q gathering
place from time to time.
Washington is within 24-hourS
and less of the major portion of
the country's population to give a
national stadium untold usageS
which no one person can con-
cieve now, but which the ensuing
years would develop as a great |
gathering place for all sorts Of
intereStS-SportS, military, govern
mental, industrial and patriotic.