The Washington times., 1936-11-26
Sport Dinner
To Be Gala
Affair
BY KIRK MILLER
Times Sports Editor

64A1 SOAuS W uO d 1AGG4o
predicting today.
It will have nothing
to do with the outcome
Of the Army N a v y
game, although don't
anybody offer to make
a small wager against
Navy.
Nor yet will it touch on the
possible result of the Penn
Cornell class in character.
And that goes for George
Washington and West Virginia.
What I'm predicting with
greater confidence than ever
psycho-analyzed a football game,
q fight or a horse race either, is
that there is going to be some
sort of a stampede on the part
of the general public around the
Willard Hotel the night of Decem-
ber 9 when sports celebrities will
be hiding behind every palm, every
pillar and perhaps every pineapple
shake.
The ToWn Is Talking
1 gather my information for
such a bold prediction purely
from the rucus that is being raised
around town over the occasion,
everybody inquiring as to eligibil-
1ty to attend and whether the at-
fair is to be formal or otherwise.
! And the tables! Why fellow,
they are going like flannel cakes
In a lumber camp.
The point of this effusion, there
fore, is to remind you to make
reservations at the willard i'm
mediately, or you are likely to
miss the biggest sports social of
the year-any year-last, this or
maybe next.
And to take up some of the mat
ters which have been brought up
regarding the Touchdown banquet:
It will be a stag event and in
formal Tables will seat 10 and
many groups and parties are be-
ing organized to sit together.
There are no eligibility rules,
the idea being to give the public
an opportunity to see and hear
their favorite sports idols with
their makeup off and sleeves
rolled up.
15O-Minute Program
Besides offering a menu
selected with a view to he-man
appetites, the prominent sports fig
ureS will mingle with the guests
Of the evening and, dare say,
gladly autograph the programs,
which will have a blank panel
dedicated for that very purpose.
Then, to top off the evening,
the Washington theaterS are pre-
senting a joint program of enter
tainment which will be introduced
Art Reilly, the globe trotter, in
person, no effigy.
Here will be two hours and a
half of food, fun and frolic, staged
in a strictly sports atmosphere,
with athletic notables as guests
of honor in the capital of the
greatest country on the globe,
which seeks it's safety valve from
big burdens and common prob
lens in the broad field of sports.
Yes, sir, the darn thing is work
ing out into sort of national
ideal, is this Touchdown Club,
which is just in it's second year
of existence and has the whole
town getting behind it to make it
a strong influence in local and
national athletic affairs.
Adds Notable Event
With that dynamic personality,
John F. McGovern, one-time Wal
ter Camp All-American quarter
back at the University of Mime
sofa, as president, the Touchdown
Club is adding a social gathering
to WaShington's great list of dis
tinguished dinners that in time
will vie with the annual events
staged by the Gridiron Club, the
Board of Trade, the Carabou, the
White House correspondents, Al
falfa Club and Friendly Sons of
st. Patrick, to tabulate a few of
the high spots of Washington's
winter gayety.
Why, the Touchdown Club ban
duet may some day even assume
the proportions of Jefferson Day
dinner, but there go again, crawl
ing out on a limb, which seems to
be the first step in qualifying as
q SYo0rtS ScriVener
First you crawl out on a limb
and after the fates combine to
prove you wrong, you crawl back
again.
Anyway, it isn't going to be easy
to crash this select company of
sports celebrities as the hour for
the banquet arrives, judging by
the way the tables are going. Harry
Sunshine" Viner took a whole
table, as have Mike" Calnan, the
Lions Club, the baseball writer's,
the football referees, and so on
UP and down the entire scale of
Washington life.
Better get on the band wagon
only 500 can attendl