The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-26
BY JACK CUDDY Limited Press Staff COrresp0ndent)

'
 New York, May 26-(UP)-It seems incredible, but underground sources disclose that too many prominent civilian sports personag- es have declined or evaded making overseas trips to entertain service men in the various war areas.
 Because of this surprising reluc- tance, we learn, there was 8 New York huddle on Tuesday which brought together officials of the War Department, the U. S O. and New York sports writers. A spe- cial committee of sports writers and an assisting chairman were named to pick the sports notables who could do good overseas-and try to get those notables to do their bit in the war etffort.
 The American underground brings us the names of those sports biggies-famous in the past or pres- ent-who did not accept invitations to go abroad, where their mere pres ence and conversation could have done so much good in hospitals and fatigue centers.
 You would be surprised-amazed at some of those names-nameS that designate men who became in- ternationally famoush and compar- atively wealthy through sports. You would not believe that these per- sons, of all people, would give a black eye to sports through their apparent SelfishnesS - would mar the grand record that sports have made in the war. But such is the situation.
 We will name no names now, be- cause we believe the men who fail- ed to heed the call did not appre- ciate fully the good that their pres- ence could have done overseas. Per- haps they didn't know that the boys overseas crave informal con- tacts with big-name sports guys more than any other entertainment more than the beautiful gals from Hollywood and the stage. This is particularly true of exhausted men in fatigue centers, and of wounded men in the big hospitals-and espe- cially in the wards of the blind.
 We are in our third year of the war, but only dribble of civilian sports personages have visited Alas ka, Hawaii, the British Isles, and the Mediterranean area. The pub lie was under impression that only these few had gone because of transportation restrictions, The public remembered that two teams of Major League ball players had been turned back ostensibly for this reason. That wasn't the reason, we learn authoritatively. Actually. neither the War Department nor the U. S. o. wants teams-that might have no place to play-nor other large units that would have transportation difficulties near the front. They wanted, and do want, small Elits of three or four men big-name guys who can sit and talk with the boys, show them 8 few sports pictures, and give them an informal bull session" while an- swering questions that may settle bets of ong-standing.
 Tuesdays meeting named as com mittee Chairman Fred Corcoran tournament manager of the Profes- sional Golfers Association. Corco- ran was picked because he had been overseas twice before on sports entertainment missions. He has nc knowledge of the previous refusals of sports stars; but he asks that every key figure in every key sport communicate with him at "U. s. O., West 90 St., New York City Those who the committee figures the service boys want will be sent overseas with all expenses paid. And neither the boys nor the public will forget.