Evening star., 1942-08-05
Heavy Contributions
Needed 10 Further
Fitness, Morale
Worthy Stort Is Made,
But Home Front Must
Go All Out in Aid
BY GRANTLAND RICE.


Special Correspondent OF The Star.
Sport now is on its way to a S10,-
600 900 contribution to various war
funds, which is a highly worthy
start. But. after all, it is only a
start.
Sport today has no place beyond
Its ability to help out the war effort,
which means fitness, morale and the
money it can raise to help win
much bigger game than any ore, in
a Nation of big games, ever will
remember.
In the first place, it is a mistake
to label any of these sport contribu-
tions as charity. There is no char
ity involved. 1t is all part of the
matter of winning the war. of sup
porting those in the field, in the air
or on and under the seas. These
are the ones who are handling the
jor part of the job.
The best that the home front can
do never can match in the way of
suffering end sacrifice what our
fighting forces around the world
soon will have to meet in a major
way. These are the ones who soon
will be marching flying and sailing
into a tougher he'll than Dante ever
dreamed about.
Compared to this, the home front,
going all out, still will be picnic.
No Limit to Any Ones Share.
There Is too much of feeling, on
the sporting side and otherwise,
that II have done my share
There Is no limit to any ones
share. Sport, in particular, must
feel that it is only starting its job.
The War Department believes that
sport, especially body-contact COM
petitions, is essential for physical
fitness and morale. 1t emphasizes
that this type should be enlarged.
rather than cut down. The War
Department wants a Nation of
young, rugged athletes who know
how to give it and to take it.
But the main contribution from
those who make up the professional
cast must be on the financial side.
And again this isn't any charity.
Any game played for a war fund
should be a total contribution to
this fund, minus only the necessary
expenses.
The picture of any organization
making any money from these con-
tests, football or otherwise, won't
be too pleasant to look at. The
New York Giants and Brooklyn
Dodgers have set an example in this
respect that every other sport could
follow.
Need Will Be Greater Later.
No one can say now what next
year will bring along-except that
next year will be much rougher
road. Higher taxes will cut in heav-
lily on ottside help and this will
AFFECT sport as much as it will every
thing else.
So the big idea is to raise as much
money as possible through the re-
mainder of this year. There certain
" would be no holding back if those
on the softer home front only could
see at closer range the need for
Army, Navy. Red Cross and USO
funds-and could understand how
much greater this need will be
later on.
The word athlete" is a Greek
name given to those in sport who
were training for war. In general,
It means sport on the war side. The
Olympic games were all war games
games arranged for the sole pur-
post Of building up fighting men.
To a certain extent we have let
that original idea get away from u.s.
One Of the main ideas the word
athlete" has carried for many years
largely has been connected with
big pageants and gate receipts. The
time now has come when we must
go back to the original Greek mean
ing-one who takes up sport to be
ready for war.
Must Train Youngsters.
There is vital national need to
start along these lines with the
younger crop-those between IL and
16 years old. These are the ones
who need the right training in a
bigger way. 1t often is too late to
start training them after they have
passed Is or II with softer ways of
life too tightly woven into the fabric
Of set habits.
Faults are not hard to correct.
Habit is another matter
Whatever happens, this country
will carry out an increased sporting
plan in the way of physical fitness
and morale. But the professional
side now must make its greatest
contribution in the way of raising
money, of helping out beyond any
set limit to provide its place in a
new form of existence.
Il already have done my part is a
line that should be wiped out This
isn't matter of part" but Of all.
North American Newspaper AuianceD