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
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229 East
Main St.
Medford