Evening star., 1942-08-11
Thrills Bound 10 Pack
bear-A|I-Star Clash,
Redskin-Army Tilt
Service Teams Of East,
West Look to Bitter
Bottle With Pros
Nv GRANTLAND RICE,

Football Idle bIllS HloDbIl, lids a
chance to set new record. There
will be two games played that to-
gether may reach the 100000 count.
One is in Chicago between the ALL
Stars and the Chicago Bears. The
other is in Los Angeles between
Wallace Wade's Army team and the
Washington Redskins. Both are
playing in plants that can seat over
100000 spectators.
Both will be great football games.
Neither can miss. And in addition
both are played largely for the
Army Emergency Relief. Here and
there we have had football games
that drew 100000 or more spec
tators-Arny and Navy in Philadel-
phia, Notre Dame and Southern
California at Los Angeles.
But the prospect of having two
games in August draw 100000 each
is something that never happened
to football before.
Coast Game Needs Promotion.
These are the two starters. There
Is no question but that the Chicago
game will pass the 100000 mark,
This game will net the Army fund
well over 100000.
II the Los Angeles Army y-Redskin
game Is properly promoted, this
should be another capacity affair.
It shouldn't miss.
The West Coast Is one of footballs
high spots. A short while back the
West Coast was badly worried over
the thought that bigtime and big
crowd football was over for the
duration.
But, looking after Army relief
needs, Gen. De Witt has removed
oil barricades.
The fact that these two games
are for war relief wouldn't sell out
either place. They must stand or
fall on their merits-as attractions
the public wants to see. This is
something that can be guaranteed.
Service Teams Promise Action.
In the wake of these two opening
contests that should set new at
tendance record, September then
will break loose with even more &C
tion.
With Wallace Wade on the West
Coast limited to a short training
season, Bob Neyland is at New
Haven getting his Army squad ready
for the Giant game at the Polo
Grounds, another certain sellout.
Maj. Wade's legion marches East
ward through Denver and Mil
waukee in the direction of the At
lantic. Col Neylands squad re-
mains in the East. Either coach
can interchange men that are
needed.
They have little time to get ready
squads that have been at Army
work.
The same is true Of the profess
sional teams, who in addition have
lost close to 100 of their best men
from the 194l rosters. The pro
teams already are hard at 1t, know
Ing the opposition they must face.
Messrs. Owens, Halas, Lambeau
and others may have the advantage
of using men we'll set and trained
under their systems. but they still
have to face teams that are packed
with football power and skill.
Army, Navy Demand Football.
Each one of these Army-Pro
games is sure to be bitter, thrilling
contest.
None OF them can miss. They
don't have to be sold on any charity
angle. The millions who love foot
ball will more than get their moneys
worth.
The question has been raised
along this line-in the middle OF
the worlds greatest war. why should
there be any place for football or
any other game?
The answer to this is quite simple.
It takes in three points
1. Badly needed financial aid.
2. Physical conditioning, with
these Army-Pro games getting a
much bigger football program under
way.
3. Morale-a much abused WORD.
but one that happens to fit In the
present situation.
Whether right or wrong, both
Army and Navy want more football
plaved this fall than the country
ever has known before.
I think both are right. There
NAV be a few flaws in this arrange
ment. but the good far overrides
the bad.
So we now are stepping into a
record breaking football season,
Whether this will be the last for
sone time is anybody's guess. The
future has a unique way Of supply
ing It's own answers.
(Released by the North American
Ny.usrn Alliance, Inc1