Evening star., 1941-10-21
Sports Leader Would
Install Lights al
One OF Fields
Funds Needed for Better
Equipment and to Care
For Injured, He Says
By GEORGE HUBER.

Hardy Pearce, who admits he was
one of those doing the most kicking
when the 18-year-old age limit for
high school athletes was introduced,
now regards that as one of the best
things that have happened to schol-
sstic sports here.
Lots of things are wrong with high
school sports in Washington-noth-
ing that better gate receipts won't
help. hoWever-but the age limit is
not one of them. he remarked at
Yesterdays meeting of the Football
Writer'S Association.
The former Central football coach
and now head of the Department Of
Health and Physical Education for
Public Schools said that he and
most of the others who protested
that ruling in the beginning now are
willing TO admit they were wrong.
Puts Teams on Even Basis.
A few schools have been hurt be-
cause some star athlete is over the
age limit, but now we see it is halp-
ing the big majority, he said.
School teams are more evenly
matched for interhigh series COM
petition. and l honestly believe we
can hold our own against most of
the outside schools which don't
have our age limits he added
PearCe noted that interest and at
tendance in football and other sports
in picking up, although it still is far
away from the peak years of a dec
ede. ago, and as one means of in
creasing interest he favors night
tnterhigh football games.
The experiment tried last year
with two night games was a big
SUCCESS both financially and from
the spectators standpoint, and it
would be continued except no sta
dlum is available. He favors erec-
ton of lights in one of the school
stadiums.
Central seems the best suited at
a cost which he estimates at about
$4,000. 1t wouldn't take more than
year or two to pay for them out
OF receipts, and with the extra money
available a lot of other ills could
be corrected.
Night play has been the answer in
the minor baseball leagues and even
in the majors in some instances. |
and 1t would be big boom to high
school sports here. Pearce pointed
to George Washington High in Alex
endrla as a school proving night
games a real success.
Night Basket Ball Pays.
Night basket ball has been a pay
ing proposition, with the schools .
breaking even last year for the first |
time in several seasons because of /
Friday night twin bills. This year
they are going to try for a profit
with Saturday night double headers !
being added to the schedule.
Equipment in Washington schools
Isn't the best. Pearce and other
coaches at the meeting admitted. but
better stuff and more of it could be .
with increased gate re-
cetpts. That would make sports
participation available to more stu
dents, which is the objective in
Asked about medical aid to in
tured players, he said that a paid
physician is attending every inter-
high football game. There is no
fund to pay doctor and hospital
bills, however. and when a student
Is injured his family either paws or
In some cases individual schools NAV
pay. Before participating in compe-
tition, a student and his family
must sign release for possible in
Jurles, and this keeps many boys
away.
Insurance Is Too Costly.
insurance has been found too
costly for present receipts to cover,
but with night games and the in
creased attendance this is another
Item which could be corrected. Pos
stbly a percentage of the gate re-
ceipts could go for capitalization
fees.
Additional means OF increasing
interest in high school football. sug-
yested by Pearce and others attend
ing yesterdays meeting. would be to
dress 1t up bit with better score
boards and big time clock, a public
address system and uniformed bands
for entertainment during the half
Length of paiods also could be
made II minutes instead of the
present 10. Il think our squads are
Dig enough and with the unlimited
rule in force to play
two more minutes each period"
eesrce said. Lots of people don't
20 TO these games now because they
ire over too soon
I'VE don't intend to commercialize
nigh school football, but we want
more boys to play and that's why We