The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-19
 This
 Sporting World
SandLot Baseball Big Help Says Parker
By JOHN A. CLUNEY

Waterbury-bo Dan Parker, sports editor of the New York Daily Mirror for the past Is or more years, had a notwithstanding Sunday sports feature article in Hearst newspapers over the past weekend ParkerS column, daily feature of the Waterbury Democrat, for more than 12 years, is read by millions of fans; and his special article rel atiVe to the promotion of sandlot baseball at this time is particularly applicable to the Democrat, in view of it's Sandlot Baseball program which will be concluded this week, from an original start of 76 teams and 1,040 young baseball players from 10 through 19 years of age reg { istered last June when the Water bury Democrat Sandlot Baseball Federation started with its opening games.
 Relative to sandlot baseball throughout the nation at this i time, Dan Parker has written the following:
 l If the sports pages look like the stock market section these days, it's because they're so heavily la den with statistics about new at tendance records at baseball games everywhere.
 However, more heartening sign that Americas nation pas time is on the upswing is vastly increased interest in sandlot base ball. Never before have so many agencies been at work encouraging youngsters. Even Organized Base ball itself suddenly seems to have found it has mission to perform For the first time it has entered wholeheartedly into the promo tion of the sport as means of combating juvenile delinquency, making better citizens and raising healthier and happier young Am ericans.
 For many years, Organized Baseball operated on the principle that the games future would take care of itself.
 There was plenty of room for baseball diamonds even in the big cities. But the habits of Young America underwent radical change. Instead of getting up scrub games on sandlot diamonds, the youngsters of the last few decades were more likely to spend their time in neighborhood movies, caddying at golf courses, listen ing to radio accounts of ball games or motoring with the family.
 During Word War II, which fore. ed change in recreation habits because of oVerWorked transports tion facilities, kids of the new gen. eration rediscovered the lure of the sandlots. Luckily, there were agen- cies standing by, ready to encour- age this drift back to baseball. Now that the war is out of the way, the campaign to keep interest alive 1T sandlot baseball is in full swing
 The Hearst Newspapers are pro- noting sandlot baseball in all tht key cities of America. Other agen. cies are also behind the campaign
 The American Legion has beer backing sandlot baseball with gra. I LIylES TeSuiDS TOT StNcfdl years Some of the boys whom the Legior started out on the diamond art now in the majors.
 Esquire magazine sponsors an an. nual East West game for teenager! that is gaining momentum eacf year The sandlotters have a na. ional tournament annually at Wi. 2hita, Kansas, that draws team. rom all over the country.
 Organized Baseball will derive Z .wofold benefit from the country. vide campaign to encourage sand lotters, although the main objec of those behind the move is to raise the standard of American citizen. ship by combating crime before i las had chance to germinate.
 While this praiseworthy purpose 5 being served, the game will be in- ured of an inexhaustible supply O. alent."