THE QUESTION: Has Los Angeles replaced New York as a sports center?

JACK DEMPSEY
Former heavyweight champion
New York and Los Angeles
After losing the National League New York was well on its way to being a dead sports center, and I said so. The sports-writers took me apart for my statement. The town woke up and these same writers now have something to write about.

ROBERT F. WAGNER JR.
Mayor of New York City
The loss of the Dodgers and Giants started that rumor. When sports people want to put on something really big they come to New York. The Patterson and Johansson fight, West Point and the Air Force Academy football game are cases in point.

BETTY SKELTON
Racing car driver
Detroit
Hardly, but I'm inclined to give the edge to Los Angeles because of the tremendous sports crowds. In Los Angeles I go to athletic events often but hardly ever in New York because there are so many other wonderful things to do.

VICE-ADMIRAL THOMAS S. COMBS
Commander
Eastern Sea Frontier
No. I've been to a good many places in my naval career, and I've never seen a city that was a greater sports center than New York. However, among the millions here in New York it's a pity there aren't more sports facilities. As an example, why doesn't New York have a stadium like Philadelphia?

GEORGE MURPHY
Vice-president, Desilu Productions Inc.
Beverly Hills, Calif.
As a transplanted New Yorker who has lived in California for 25 years, I fully realize the potential of Los Angeles. But New York is not finished as a sports center by any means. It's still tops even though the town has lost two baseball teams. It will get another major league club in time.

ARTHUR ROSENBAUM
Executive sports editor
San Francisco Chronicle
No, but I'd give Los Angeles the edge. There is a moving center of sports in the United States. No one city is the center. There are times when it's New York, Chicago or San Francisco, depending on what's doing. This is a big country. More times than not in recent years, Los Angeles is the sports center.

NORRIS POULSON
Mayor of Los Angeles
Yes, not only sports but almost everything else is moving west. As an example, ocean-going ships will now go as far as Chicago. People are only now beginning to appreciate the wisdom attributed to Horace Greeley, "Go west, young man." We have the biggest attractions in football, baseball and track.

EIGHT PHOTOS