ODDS AND ENDS

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12406, 27 March 1926, Page 17

ODDS AND ENDS

Sport enjoyed a record year in America in 1925. In every field of athletic endeavour, indoors and out, public interest was greater, attendances were larger and records fell with more regularity than the oldest American sporting fan can remember. The American passion for the thrills derived only from competitive endeavour found unrestricted outlet, so that the twelve months just brought to a close saw a nation almost literally sport mad. Two features 6tood out in bold relief when a survey of the sporting year was made. One was the visit of Paavo Nurmi, Finland’s running marvel, when he captured the American imagination completely and left behind him a long string of distance records, and the other was the tremendous advance irt' popular favour achieved by American football, both as a college attraction and professionally, culminating in the enthronement of Harold “Red” Grange, oT Illinois University, as undisputed monarch of the gridiron, with a fortune dumped at his feet. . The story of “Red” Grange’s rise to fortune is hard to believe. The idol of the crowds, he was paid fabulous sums to appear, on the professional field, and in addition he has gained a big income from various manufacturing concerns in return for “endorsing” their wares. -It is' estimated that he has earned about £IOO,OOO (no, not dollars), and he can Collect £60,000 when lie finds time to go to Los Angeles to appear in film romance-