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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 2, 1957)
Is That So?' By Eugtn Burnt ftjngrNaurjisl Americans are today on the greatest sports binge in history! Take a gander at these figures astounding figures to be dup licated in no other land. Let's begin with boat trailers. In 1939 about 1,000 were pro duced. Ten years later, less than eight time that many, but by 1952 the number has reached Wednesday. January 2, 1957 MEDFOHD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE SEVEW 40,000 and last year it was over 100,000. Informed guesses say that there are about 5,250,000 recreational craft on all waters of the U. S., about half a million of which are sailboats and about 4 million are outboard powered craft under 16 feet in length. Next, take swimming. It heads up the list of sports on public playgrounds. From a total of around 3 million swimmers in 1938, there are more than 10 million today. If any of you are anglers, you know what happens on opening day! More than 17V4 million fish ing licenses were sold in 1953, of which about three million were to women. This is double as many as were sold in 1943. These figures do not include youngsters and salt water angle rs. Roughly, there are about 30 million fisherman in North America. In hunting, there are approx imately 14 million holders of licenses to this add three mil lion nonlicensed hunters, most ly young boys. This does not in clude bow and arrow hunters this, which was once a necessity, has become a sport enlisting hundreds of thousands with special deer seasons in many states for bow and arrow hunt-: ers only. , Bicycling, too. is booming j perhaps from its tremendous ; popularity in Europe. The Bicyc-1 le Institute of America estimates j there are 22 million cyclists In America today. i What about the stay-near- i home sports? Croquet, shuffle-1 board, table tennis, alley bowl-! ing. roller skating, horseshoe j pitching, bowling on the green, golfing. Take golfing. In the early 1936's there ware almost 6.000 courses in America; today there are about 5,000 but nonethe less, many more people engage in golf. It is no longer a rich man's game. Figures of players are unavailable but the sales of golf balls during the past four years have averaged 28 per cent higher than during the years when there were more golf cours es. It is estimated that there are more than 3 million golfers playing 10 rounds or more every year. . I As for table tennis, it Is estim- , ted that there are 20 million players; bowling claims an equal number of participants with over 2V4 million members in the American Bowling Congress: and some 4 thousand roller-skat-ink rinks have about 17 million men, women and children skat ers. This Isn't the whole picture, according to a recent issue of Harper's magazine. Some sport? ! teem tor be falling off. Notably, tennis, squash, and indoor bad minton. The only racket game which Is Increasing is badminton largely played by casual play ers. In team sports, Softball claims to have 20 million players: and of the school sports, basketball . has grown fastest where the tale of baseballs and footballs has remained fairly constant from 500.000 to more than 2 mil lion In 1955. Maybe it's because more peo ple have more time what with long week ends, vacations with pay. more holidays, and short- r er hours of work. Add to that, a longer, life span which together with retirement and pension plans have placed many on the leisure market. (Cooyrioht, 1956. br (Released b McClure Newspaper Syndicate) Tree: By special arraneement with the editors of the Encyclo pedia Americana, my panel of judges will award each week to reader who sends me the best true-life nature adventure, the .best nature observation, or the best question on nature and wild life, a comolete 30-volume set of this w.orld-famous reference ; work in a handsome Sealcraft bindings. Each week new sub missions will be considered. Sorry, I simply can't answer your many friendly letters. Please address your letter to: Is That So! co Mail Tribune. Box 575. Sausalito, Calif. GETS EVEN London 0J.R) Cyril Fluck. 73. said today he "got even" with London transport author ities for approving a half-penny increase in bus fares. He paid for his three-penny bus ride by , check. i No Northern Stamps Given On Sale Merchandise Hurry to Our Great Store-wide Clearance of Fine Nationally Adver tised Men's Clothing & Furnishings.. Well Known Brands at Bargain Prices. All Sales Final . . No Refunds or Exchanges on Sale Merchandise. All Wool Regular to $35.00 SALE $fl(5)88 PRICE U JACKETS Many Styles ... All Wool Cruisers, Wool Plaids, Covert Cloth, etc. Regular to $24.95 SALE $Ha95 PRICE IJ Topper JACKETS Wool Plaids Many Colors and Patterns Regular to $15.95 SALE $0)98 PRICE T-SHIRTS white tRoe!,uloo SALE PRICE 69 HATQ SLIPPER HEU QAM ALL FUR FELTS ' V A Famout Brand ALL WOOL Reg. to $12.95 Reg. to $3.35 Sale Price Sale Price $L98 $88 SLACKS Crease Resistant Some Washable Reg. to $9.95 Sale Price SM.98 DENIM SLACKS Colors: Blue, Grey, Wheat and Green REG. $4.95 Sale Price 549 WASHABLE SHIRTS Wools ONE GROUP REG. to $14.95 REG. to $11.95 Sale Price Sale Price 98 $698 Cash izBuA Talks MEN'S I SUITS WOOL SOX rg T' SWEATER SHIRTS Short and sleeveless . . . 100 orlon. Lots of col ors. Sizes S-M-L. REG. $7.95 VALUE SALE $3 98 1 IT? I -JJ 'm price - '. fcfi. v 1 kWmfi KEk SALE S1 vMWMm PRICE Za lv-vl. IMS- rsi.r; V 5 3 f SPORT SHIRTS One group Plaids, Stripes, Checks and Solid Colors. Washable. REG. to $$4.95 SALE $1.98 PRICE 2 PAJAMAS REG. to $5.00 SALE $J98 PRICE Jk SALE $98 REG. to $5.95 PRICE Group All Wool Finely Tailored Coats, Regular to $55.00 50&S Neckwear One Group REG. to $1.50 SALE QQ PRICE OO $2.; T Reg. to $2.50 SALE $29 PRICE One Group Wool SHIRTS Fine Australian Wool REG. to $13.95 SALE PRICE SO 8 8 SLEEVELESS SWEATERS All Wool Slip-over and Button Front Styles REGULAR TO $5.00 SALE $J98 PRICE REGULAR to $7.95 SALE $l 98 PRICE V COAT SWEATERS ALL WOOL REGULAR to $8.95 SALE $E98 PRICE 3 REGULAR to $10.95 SALE $JT9t PRICE ALL WOOL GABARDINE SHIRTS REGULAR to $16.95 SALE $98 PRICE j? FINE ALL WOOL SUITS . . . WORSTEDS AND FLANNELS . . . ONE GROUP REGULAR TO $69.50 Sale $3088 Price Sport Shirts One Group Custom Tailored with Single Needle Tailoring . . . Fine Shirts In Every Detail REGULAR TO $10.00 SALE SK98 PRICE )i Sport Shirts ONE GROUP WASHABLE REGULAR TO $7.95 SALE $ PRICE 398 HANDKERCHIEFS Package containing from 3 to 6 Hand kerchiefs. Re. S1.00 Each. Sale Price 69 n 1 M v n 229 East Main St. Medford
