The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-07-11
This Sporting World
Sports Greet BoIm To Wortime Industry
By JOHN A. CLUNEY

The tremendous increase of inter- est in sports among Waterbury peo- pie on war production, has been brought about because management is sitting up and taking notice" Good general morale and better em- ployer-employe relations are natural as result of sports activity within big plants as well as small ones; with the So-called BIG SHOTS go- ing out for expert sports directors who can keep the men and women happy, away from alcohol during the work-weels so that they will be able and willing to come to work the next day. Sports has done more for WAR PRODUCTION in the past year than any other single process, this writer believes. Such an at- titude has resulted in the formation of the I. R. A. right here in Water bury. It means the Industrial Rec- reation Association, and is POOL of 95 percent of the industrial sports activity in the city and Naugatuck, to which the manufacturers con- cerned have donated various sums of money to get the program under way.
 From a national viewpoint, here is the opinion of Hugo Goldsmith, head man of the nationally famous Cincinnati sports-goods concern:
 Much has been said of late of how athletics have helped during wartime, preparing young men for combat on the battle fronts and ad- ministering in their way to our rla- tional morale, but it remained for Hugo Goldsmith of Cincinnati to point out how sports are making their existence felt in wartime irl- dustry, promising even greater ben- efits in the postwar era.
 The progressive industrialist to- day, according to Goldsmith, who through his experiences in his own plant in Cincinnati knows wherof he speaks, regards his working force as a team and strives through team- work to achieve the various indus trial goals, such as production, healthy employer-employe relations, better working conditions and the mutual feeling that management and workers have but one objective to work together, live together and prosper together.
 "The modern industrialists are coming to the realization that planned and supervised recreation for workers is essential to the healt- hy growth and operation of busi- ness," Goldsmith pointed out. They feel that the more management can offer in the way of extra friendly service, the greater will be the re- turn in output and loyalty from the employees.
 Industrial recreation-s f b all baseball, bowling, and other games and hobbies-it has been found, tends to break down possible anta- gonism to the pr.sence of a boss The boss instead becomes leader inspiring the safe confidence among his workers as does the captain Of football team or, for example, a good military officer.
 Tn other words, sports, through which bosses and workers meet on a common playground, are transfer ring their spirit of teamwork into the office and factory" Goldsmith continued. Sports teach that cap- tain or a leader is essential. There fore, boss is essential for greater efficiency in the plant. They teach the need for concerted effort, discip- line, individual initiative and gen. uine cooperation.
 Tn addition, they teach us to re- ward loyalty, service and achieve ment.'
 Thus, Goldsmith added, sports in this wartime world are injecting a sense of sportsmanship into indus try, with management and employees learning through athletic games and other recreational pursuits that the spirit of teamwork promises to elim- mate many of our industrial ills"