The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-04
Struggle For Waterbury's
 New Athletic Field
 Was Long And Hard

get the prOJecC under way, Wnlch was accomplished in the main through the untiring efforts of Senator Lawlor, Connecticut'S ath- letic commissioner and a handful of others, only to have federal funds suddenly cut off. They went to work again and by dint of con- tinual appeal, finally got the all- important 70. R." for the work to begin in Waterbury.
 Happily, the field proper is com- pleted, with the steel work for grandstand and the stone work well under way. Labor conditions will gov- ern the time of completion, Engi- neer Root told the writer, and with the present number of workmen, should be finished in late summer or early fall in time for the foot ball season, if some baseball games are not played there. Of course, if many of the men now working on the federal project go back to work in local factories or other jobs and are not replaced, the completion of the Municipal Stadium will be necessarily delayed, but everything points to occupancy and use of the field and grandstand by Thanks giving at the latest.
 LawlOr Statement
 Asked to comment on the field, which he had prominent part in making possible, Senator Lawlor had the following to say:
 ''The completion of the new
 municipal athletic plant on Wa
 tertown avenue will be not only
 a cause for celebration among
 the young athletes of the city
 but source of qualification to
 the group of public spirited citi-
 zenS who were instrumental in
 having the government allocate
 funds for the project. Only
 those who had a part in con-
 vincing the federal authorities
 of the great need for an ath-
 letic field in Waterbury can
 appreciate the many anxious
 hours that were spent while
 waiting the final decision in the
 matter-only to have the pro-
 ject bog down when the funds
 became exhausted due to the
 large preliminary costs. Hap oily, the necessary money was
 again obtained and now this summer or fall will witness the dedication of as fine an athletic field as there is in the state.
 Waterbury, owing to its
 rugged layout, was signally
 handicapped in it's recreational
 facilities for the development
 of it's youth. The old timers,
 such as myself, who played
 baseball on the makeshift dia-
 monds on our hillSideS were
 content to use the stones of the
 fields for our bases. That this
 city was able to turn out such
 fine athletes in the past must
 be a source of wonder to the
 present generation. No wonder
 then, we take pardonable pride
 in the new field where our
 school and sandlot teams can
 indulge in baseball, football
 and track events under the best
 of conditions.
 JOSEPH H. LAWLOR,
 18th Senatorial District
 Another novel feature concerning the new athletic field is the fact that High Sheriff J. Edward Slavin of New Haven county has secured permission to present the A. A. U. Women's NATIONAL CHAMPION SHIPS in track and field events which is scheduled for July, 1888, which is possibility that the field may be finished in time for that event. which will attract the best female athletes throughout the world.
 LawlOr Field?
 AS to the official name ot the field, when it is opened for public use. several suggestions have been made, the name Municipal Stad- ium" appearing in the architects drawing, though that matter Will be decided upon later. Why not "Lawlor Field" as well-earned tribute to the man who has done as much for the young athletes ot Waterbury for more than 40 years as any individual, and who was primarily responsible for getting federal funds to start it, thereby bringing something that had been only hoped for and dreamed aoout within the realm of realityp