Timber!
(Signal Corps pi.oto irom NEA). K9
1811 Sf/3c William (Tiny) Taylor, Hf
pa| right, of Lexington, N. C„ appears Hr
pm to be falling, too, but isn t, as he HT
W stops Pvt. George Barbour of U
SkI Omaha two seconds before end of Hi
BeH fifth and final round to win Pa
MB Cific Sector title. At 274, Taylor Hg
LB outweighs Barbour by 90 pounds. H|
§JBB He retained Panama Canal De
i partment heavyweight champion- ^P
Ipgf ship by winning decision from H|
HI Cpl. Elwood Lorman of North ■■
flB Hollywood, Calif., in five rounds H|
• 1 m final of two-month long tourna- ^B
ment in Balboa Stadium.
6 iHB§»Sfc ^
The Sports Trail
By WHITNEY MARTIN
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.—'2P1—
Johnny snuggled the gun a little
closer and gave it a couple ol
reassurang pats as of consoling a
child whimpering with a cold.
The silent display of affection
was instinctive. After all. the
gun was his pal, his friend in need
and had noisily helped him out ol
many a tight spot since it was
handed to him four years ago.
It was just another cunningly
designed implement of wood and
steel at that time, different from
the 12-gauge scattergun he used
to bag ducks in the cold grey
dawns of fall, of course, but oth
erwise just another gun, utterly
devoid of personality.
He quickl}' had learned to use
it, though as he was a typical
American kid who. when the cards
are down, can spot these auto
matic soldiers he was fighting af
ter years of training in the sordid
art of killing, and beat them at
their ow'n game.
And now the gun had become
quite human, something to be pet
ted and protected as he sat there
hunched in -he shallow little pit
he had hacked out of the frozen
ground. He wiggled his toes in
side the heavy boots to keep up
circulation „nd tried to pull his
neck still ft -ther into the collar
of his overcoat.
Odd how still it was. Just the
faint rustle of the w'ind as it sift
ed through the underbrush to pick
up little handfulls of snow' and
toss them playfully down his col
lar. A few minutes ago it seemed
the w’orld was coming to a crash
ing, deafening end and to raise
his head an inch or two would
have meant the end of the world
for him. Suddenly it was still, so
still.
He felt so lonely and forsaken,
but he consoled himself with the
thought that there was a buddy
on either side of him, and buddies
beyond them, and on and on.
About five yards apart, he guess
ed, or about the distance he
plunged for that touchdown to win
the big high school game.
Funny how a fellow would think
of such a comparison, but the
mind is ful1 "'f tricks. He won
dered vaguely if he ever again
would put on cleated shoes and
helmet and pads and experience
the joy of rugged bodily contact
in healthy, American sport. Prob
ably not. But maybe he and his
buddies could make it possible
for his kid brother and other kid
brothers to have their clean fun
free from oppression.
Jonnnv shifted ms cramped body
He peered upward. The sky was
slightly, and started to hum soft
ly. It was the tune of his old high
school song, and he followed that
with the tunes of all the college
victory songs he could remember.
Anchors Aweigh, and Cheer, Cheer
For Old Notre Dame, and Roar,
Lion Roar and others he couldn't
identify exactly but had heard.
He peered upward. The sky was
clear, and there was that one,
very bright star he had noticed
just a year ago. The Star of Beth
lehem. Sure, it was Christmas
Eve and the star made him think
of the little church, and the can
dlelight service and the choir
singing reverently: “Silent Night.”
He started to hum the tune and
soon, because it made him feel
better, to sing. Softly at first,
then a little louder. From nearby
a voice joined in: “Holy Night
. . . ” and then through the still,
cold air came other voices, pick
ing up the thread of words: “All
Is Calm”.
The song ended and again the
only sound was the faint rustle
of the wind. Then a voice,
hoarse, possibly from the cold,
stage-whispered: “Merry Christ
mas.” **
And down that long, thin line
until the sound became only an
indistinguishable murmur came
the echo:
“Merry Christmas.”
;-V
Iron filings spread on magne
tized plane propeller blades reveal
hidden flaws.
Sportsmen Jeopardized
By Draft Board Review
By TOM MEIER
NEW YORK, Dec. 24.—(jT*)— The
status of wartime professional
sports, in the United States was
thrown into jeopardy on Saturday
by a government order directing
race tracks to shut down by Jan. 3
and calling upon draft boards to
review immediately the classifica
tion of men engaged in profession
al athletics
The double directive that caused
consternation in the sports world
was issued by War Mobilization Di
rector James F. Byrnes. He asked
racing, a billion dollar industry in
1944, including flat, harness : nd
dog racing, that contributed more
than $56,000,000 in state taxes to
close up to ‘ 'pi event the use of
critical ma‘erials, services and
transportation-until war condi
tions permit.”
Declaring that he had the appro
val of President Roosevelt, Byrnes
asserted that in view of the "ex
isting war situation” it was dif-i
cult for him and for the public to
understand how men can be physi
cally unfit for military service nd
“yet be able to compete with the
greatest athletes of the nation in
games demanding physical fit
ness.”
In a letter to Lewis B. Hershey,
selective service d: / tor, Byrres
said that because of tne manpower
shortage serious consideration
should be given to ‘recalling these
men into the armed services or
where they have not heretofo-J
been inducted, calling them for an
other physical examination.” Her
shey replied he had directed local
draft boards to review the status
of all pro athletes.
(Neither Byrnes nor Hershey
mentioned ’n'le-e sports and it
-p uncertain how their futurt
would be ailecitui.
Tropical Park Begins
Shortest Track Season
MIAMI, Fla., Dec. 24.—W—
Tropical Park will stage its clas
siest inaugural program tomorrow
_to open its shortest horse race
meeting.
A card featuring two $7,500
events was arranged yesterday be
fore the Federal Government
cracked down on racing with a
request that all tracks close by
January 3.
Deciding to beat the ban by
squeezing in eight days of ac
tivity, the track stood fast on the
elaborate inaugural plans which
attracted the speediest sprinters
now in training.
Twenty - seven thoroughbreds
were named for the $7,500 inau
gural handicap, causing the six
furlong event to be split into two
divisions and the prize money to
be doubled.
Apheim stable’s Okapi Lancer,
which established a track record
while winning during the Gulf
stream Park meeting that ended
yesterday probably will be the pub
lic favorite in the first division.
The competition will include
Woolford Farm's fast-stepping
Grey Mare, Silvestra, and Chal
lenge Me, winner of last year's
Arkansas derby and one of the
advance favorites in the Kentucky
derby.
In the second divis:on, Mrs. M
J. Wolfson’s Smart Bet will go af
ter his 18th victory of 1944, and
no doubt will be the heaviest
backed horse in the field of 13.
Smart Bet’s winning record is
the best established by any racer
this year.
The classy Signator may dispute
the i»sue with Smart Bet, while
there is sure to be support for
Harvard Square and Sophocles,
the latter a winner at Gulfstream.
Still stunned by the news that
the sport will be closed until war
conditions brighten, most of the
owners, trainers and handlers of
the 2,000 horses stranded in the
Miami area had not decided yet
on their plans.
In deciding to go ahead with
only eight program" of a sched
uled 20-day meeting, Tropical Park
officials said they did so in order
to help the horsemen as much as
possible.
Albert Sabath and Joseph Mur
phy, representatives of the Horse
men’s Benevolent Association, will
meet track officers tomorrow to
decide whether an extra race might
be conducted each day with all
proceeds going toward relief.
ALL-STARS DIG
TO WIN CLASSIC
Rebels Took Three Of Five
Games Beginning With
1939 Series
MONTGOMERY, Ala., Dec. 24 —
iiP)—A power-packed team of nor
thern all-stars dug in for heavy
practice today determined to even
the score witn the south in next
Saturday’s renewal of the annual
Blue-Gray football classic.
The Rebels have won three of
the five games in the series which
began in 1939, end the other two
decisions went to the Northerners.
War conditions interfered with last
year's contest, and fans saw in
stead a battle between Boys’ High
school of Atlanta and Meridian.
Miss., high The Georgians won,
13- 0.
The North drew first blood when
the series was inaugurated on Jan.
2, 1939, walking off with a 7-0 vic
tory. The Southern team bounced
back on Dec. 30 of the same year
and evened the count with a 33-20
decision
The Yankee team squeezed by a
14- 12 verdict in 1940, and has not
won, or even scored, since. e
Southerners gained a 16-0 victory
in 1941 and won 24-0 the following
year.
Two of the three coaches who
have guided the North team since
the start of the series -Carl Snave
ly of Cornell and Lynn Waldorf of
Northwestern—are back this year.
Third member of their staff is
Indiana’s Bo McMillan, who
placed Bert Ingwersen of Not h
westem. Ingwersen is now athletic
director of the North Carolina Navy
Preflight school.
The southern squad, however,
has changed •-oaches each year and
for the 1944 game will have Wally
Butts of Georgia, Claude (Little
Monk) Simons of Tulane and Carl
Voyles of Auburn.
Fishing And Hunting
Ordered For Veterans
WASHINGTON Dec. 24. — VP) —
Fishing and hunting are precisely
what the doctor ordered for “ “
frayed nerves of returning war vet
erans, and a congressional g oup
intends to see Utst they get plent*
of X>th. - •/ |B
A house con n ' < e on Const .
tion of wildlife has just completed
a two-year study and will intro
duce legislation next month.
“Our immediate objective will
be to help ease the nerve strain
of about 10.000,000 fighting men
who must oe rehabilitated inside
as well as outside." Chairman “>
berison (D-Va) told a reporter
today.
After the first world war, interest
in hunting and fishing increased 30
percent, and Robertson anticipates
a jump as high as 50 percent this
time.
USO SCHEDULES
YULE FESTIVITY
A Christmas program for all
civilian and military personnel in
Wilmington will be presented by
the USO clubs of the city in the
auditorium of the club at Second 1
and Orange streets at 7:30 p. m.
today.
Included will be Christmas carols
by the children's choral group of
St. Mary’s school, a reading, "Why
the Chimes Rang," by Mrs. C. J.
Chenworth, and a solo, "Holy
Night,” by Walter Kelly.
Also to be presented will be two
Christmas dances by students of
the Belcher school of dancings
community singing, directed by
Walter Kelly, with E. A. Munson
and Mrs. Rose Pecoe accompany
ing.
Dancers will be Patricia Merritt,
Betty Tienken, who will appear in
the "Rageddy Ann and Andy,”
doll dance; Mary Cox, Lenora Sid
bury. Hazel Swart, Jay Batts,
Carol Bunch, Emily Hasty, Mari
zane Birmingham, and Caroline
Walker will be dancing dolls.
The planning committee was
composed of representatives of the
staff of each USO club.
At 9 a. m. there will be an in
formal dance with music furnish
ed by a Marine band from Camp
Lejeune.
-V
Admiral Nimitz Gives
Greetings To The Navy
GUAM, Dec. 24.— UPI —Adm
Chester W. Nimitz, commander ol
the Pacific fleet, today sent the
following message to Navy men !
at this forward base.
“First of all I wish to send you
Christmas greetings. I have the j
utmost admiration for the exer- j
tions and successes of our forces
ashore and afloat everywhere in
the Pacific. They have met ev- j
ery expectation. I have only ad- !
miration for their courage and j
resourcefulness.”
The message was printed in :
base and ship papers and broad- |
cast by radio. _ I
HOOP SEASON
HITS ITS PEAK
NTTT P>RK, Dec. 24. — (/P) -
Th itrsity of Kentucky, which
sta .n eastern holiday tour
daj; yjmped into the college bas
ketball limelignt over the Christ
mas weekend.
The undefeated southerners bowl
ed over the previously unbeaten
Ohio State Buckeyes, Dig Ten
ehampipns, 53 to 48 in an overtime
fray, thus stamping themselves as
one of the outstanding buintets f
the season Ohio State earli< in
the week had swamped Utah, rec
ognized as national champions.
Kentucky plays Wyoming a Buf
falo on Tuesday, Temple at Phila
delphia Saturday and Long Island
at New York on Jan. 1.
Iowa, Micnigan. Brooklyn St.
John’s, and DePaul kept pace with
the Lexington quintet. Iowa
swamped Notre Dame, 63-46. Mich
igan swept aside Wyoming, 38-33,
St. John’s deieated the University
of Puerto Rico, 41-35, while '
Paul, upset only by Illinois, won
its eighth of i ine starts by over
whelming Long Island, 74-47, before
18,196 at Madison Square Garden.
Yale and Holv Cross turned in
upsets in a twin bill at Boston.
whipped Dartmouth, 45-52, whil*
the Crusaders nicked DePauw, 41
35. Sampson (NY) Naval also pro
duced a surprise, downing Cornell.
ao on
In other Saturday night games
Valparaiso walloped Drake, 66-41; 1
Wisconsin humbled Marquette, 46
39; Great Lakes ran over Minne
sota. 63-44; Missouri beat Kans .s
48- 39; Kansas State took Nebraska
49- 46: Northwestern dumped Wes
tern Michigan 68-54; and the Nor
man (Oklat Navy whipped Texes
Christian, 53-22
jyxo/ning. Tenne-^ee. Oh o Uni
versity, Texas Christian. Woste n
Kentucky, and Ilamline ah invade
the east this week to play in twin
bills in New York. Buffalo and Phi
ladelphia.
Durazzo, Albania, flourished 2,
500 years ago as Epidamnus of the
Greeks, and was renamed Dyrra
chium when it passed into the
hands of the Romans.
r—■
DINING
DANCING
Every Night Except Monday
PLANTATION CLUB
ORCHESTRA
N© luxury tax on checks paid before
9 p.m. No cover charge until 9 p.m.
The Plantation Cluli
CAROLINA BEACH ROAD
Dial County 11G and ask for 4602 for
reservations.
Make yonr New Xear’i reserva
tion now.
GUARANTEED
WATCH REPAIRING
; Quick Service
We Teach Watchea To Tel)
The Truth
The Jewel Box
_
CHRISTMAS DANCE!
MONDAY. DEC. 25th, 9 P. M. 'TIL
Cape Fear Armory
814 Market Street
I ^®mnty H®ftdl orchestra
I Featuring
Tke Lovely Voice oi BETTY CALLACHEB
TABLES — S0FT DRINKS — ALWAYS COMFORTABLE
For reservations dial 9344 Monday after One P. M.
j; Admission $1.50 per person (tax included). Couples or parties.
New Year’s Eve Dance Saturday Dec. 30th. To assure reservations mail
order now to Cape Fear Armory, Box 242, Wilmington.
J A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
St. John’s Tavern
114 Oranfe St*
Dial 2-808a
DELICIOUS POOI
Chicken In The
Roach — Friday
Just Received
8 oz. Boxing Glover
PICKARDS
209 Market St. Dial 2-32
M \ \ o II
THEATRE
Today and Tuesday
His Greatest Role!
James Gagney
In
"GREAT GUY"
LATE SHOW TONITE!
First Run
"MACHINE
GUN MAMA" r
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND
REST WISHES TO ALL!
Open Today 10:45 A. M.
Mill ITHPnppilB
■ || I | I I 1 V ■BImCOH
B Today ^
Tax ”
:k!
a
HOW”
i
Today
lous!
any!
r!
[TAN”
y
II T.^~Cas‘ s*d«*Kids in f
BOWERY CHAMPS” J|
Jk with Leo Goreey Jl
■"^““^=====fcl‘ T »
j * M5 rT°d‘>^
Wf The Kings of Fnn IS
|| Back Again ffl
|l Bud Abbott I
1 Lou Costello in Jl
A . “IN SOCIETY" M
Wk A^trr Treacher JA
CLEARANCE SALE
The greatest store-wide clearance sale of the year and
one that brings to you the very finest values in coats and
dresses and all types of accessories that you can use
right now and for many months to come at prices that
run from one half to one third of their original selling
tag. The actual selection of any one style and color in any
of these items is limited, so be here early Tuesday morn
ing for the best choice.
$R.oo _ $7.00
Regular 19.98 to 38.98 values f
SUITS
$£.oo _ $Q.oo
Regular 28.98 values
0 resses
$2-°° - $3.°°
Regular 10.98 to 12.9S values
SKIRTS
$2-00 _ $4-00
, Formerly lold lor 6.35 to
Sweaters
Formerly sold for 3.98 to 5.98
BLOUSES
$2-00 _ $4.00
Formerly sold lor up to 6.95