Evening star., 1941-12-21
Army, Navy 10 Draw
Most Of Varsity
Gridiron Crop
School Game, as Greet
Spectacle, Also Bound
To Take Huge Drop
Ry GRANTLAND RICE.

Special Correspondent to The star
LOS ANGELES. Calf, Dec. 20
II is only natural that professional
football, in regard to its coming
draft. will be hit harder than any
other commercial sport. Those un-
der consideration by pro teams Will
be seniors, soon through with their
college careers. They also Will be
among the finest athletes we have
at the most useful Army or Navy
ages
Some wears ago. when he was the
eommandant at West Point, Lit.
Gen. Douglas Macarthur. now COM
manding our Far Eastern forces,
told me that in his opinion football
plavers made the best officers and
non-commissioned officer material
In the world"
Football is a game" Gen. Mac
Arthur said. that not only develops
physical fitness. but also the needed
qualities of leadership
Will Take College Seniors.
This means that practically every
football senior through the season
of l941 will be needed for Army,
Navy or air force work. The great
ma ioritv of these will volunteer.
The others will be drafted into ser
vice
II always has been the idea that
competitive sport was one of the
main factors in the country's de-
fense. If this idea fails to work out
It will be the most disastrous blow
that sport ever drew. Certainly nc
one expects athletes, amateur or pro-
fessional to fall down on the big as
signment they now face.
This means that any pro foot
ball PLAYED next fall will have to be
carried on by married men. 1t would
be even more difficult to find col
lege stars with dependents to care
for. At Least, it would be difficult
situation for any college star to ex-
plain.
Baseball Not So Hard Hit
There are many more good base
ball players over 80 than there are
football players. Here and there
you find exceptional people like
Mel Helm who still are good after
10 years of service But they are
few.
It is different in professional base
ball. where the majority are mar
ried with families to look after
where there are many stars over 80
But there will be few younger
stars joining the pro ranks. And
they won't be popular. They won't
be able to get off as easily as they
did year ago.
Pressure OFF Coaches.
College football, as big spectacle
will take a terrific drop until the
war is over. There no longer will
be any high pressure on coaches to
have unbeaten teams.
There always will be the feeling
in a great emergency, that those
strong enough physically to play
football should be in some branch
of the service. I believe the ma
iority of the players will feel that
way about it, without waiting to be
dragged in.
But it is sure thing that col
leges and universities won't be
closed and this will mean and
petitive sport.
Public Opinion to Decide.
From now on the situation in all
sports will be guided largely by
public opinion.
It Is easy enough to get by with
almost anything in times of peace
1t is another story when the storm
clouds are swinging in. There is nc
promoter, no amateur or professional
athlete. who can afford now to do hi;
own picking or his own choosing.
Professional athletes. especially
will find themselves more open tc
criticism than any others. Anc
this, above all, will affect amateurs
now attempting to switch over to tbs
professional side.
It will take a certain amount o1
time to work this problem out cor.
rectly. Those making money ou
of sport on the promoting side vii
come under closer and more critica
observa ton than any one else
They can't afford to make any Sc
rious mistakes, If they expect tt
remain in business after the war
Ton MANY mistakes of this typx
were made in the last war. Bu'
there are many-too many-Wht
never seem to learn.
(Released by North American Newspaper
Alliance