Evening star., 1938-03-03
NEED Of STADIUM
IN D. c. STRESSED
Reynolds Indorses Project
Strongly at Victory
Post Gathering.

Construction of an all-weather, all
purpose stadium for athletic and
public events in the District was ad-
vocated strongly by Senator Reynolds
of North Carolina in an address last
night before the Victory Post of the
American Legion.
washington is the economic CEN
ter of the entire world, and yet in
stadiums it stands forty-second in the
United States alone" the Senator
said.
I'VE have never been able to hold
the annual Army-Navy football game
here because of seating facilities.
Chicago has an athletic plant that
seats more than 100000 people; Buff
falo, N. Y, a stadium that will seat
10000, and Philadelphia one that
holds more than 100000. We need a
stadium that will accommodate the
Olympic games"
The Senator said new stadium for
Washington should include a new and
long-needed National Guard a-mory.
1t should be equipped also for ex-
positions ice skating, roller skating,
| swimming and for other sports, he
declared.
Plans for stadium, as part of a
major recreational development at the
end of East Capitol street. on the
banks of the Anacostia River, have
long been carried on the books OF the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission. c. Marshall Finnan.
superintendent of the National Capt.
! tai Parks, has been one of the warm
est advocates for such proposal, but
while the Federal Government owns
the land in question, Congress has
thus far failed to appropriate any
funds for the stadium construction
Some Government officials would like
to see the Thomas Jefferson memorial
here take the form of the stadium
development.
Lack of Vote Cited.
The present inadequate National
Guard Armory quarters are allowed
to exist. Senator Reynolds asserted,
only because District residents do not
have the right to vote and therefore
to secure the advantages to which they
are entitled.
In further support of his contention,
he cited the estimated 5,000,00 people
within a 100-mile radius of Washing
ton and 100000 annual visitors to
the Nations Capital.
Members of Victory Post, who gath
cred at the Bamboo Gardens to honor
their District championship indoor
baseball team, pledged their support
to the Senator and started q move
ment to secure the backing of all ~
Legion posts in the District.
Drawings for an all-weather sta
dium were shown to the Legionnaires
They are the work of j. H. de Sibour,
Washington architect, and were pub
lished locally year ago.
Trophies Presented.
Mike Thomas, post commander
presided, and Assistant Secretary OF
War Johnson presented trophies to
members of the indoor baseball team
which won the championship of the
Community Center Indoor Baseball
League. The Community Center
trophy went to Oren Shanks, Treas
ury Department pitcher, selected oy
Harry G. English, center athletic d.
rector, as the leagues outstanding
player. Another cup went to Harold
Edward Steffes as the leagues leading
pitcher and designated by players Of
the league as their outstanding per.
former.
Individual medals were presented te
Ridgely Wilson Axt, Edward J
Baronowski, Morris A. Bealle, posi-
athletic officer and Judge advocate;
Joseph Bertolini, Graciano Carvajal
Thomas S. Clark, Frederic C. Geb.
hart. Arthur P. Gill, Henry F. Long
Charles s. Porter. Mr.. Steffes ano
George r. Vidi.
Senator Reynolds and Representa-.
tive Randolph of West Virginia were
awarded medals for making indoor
baseball possible in the District.
Banquet guests included Thoma!
Mason, District department comman'
tder of the Legion; Mrs. Dorothy Har.
per, department president of the lie.
gion Auxiliary, and David Herman
department commander Of the Veter'
ans Of Foreign Wars.
(