Mass, Games

BOSTON-Saying more Massachusetts residents should participate in athletics, state officials announced creation yesterday of the Bay State Games, designed to get thousands of people involved in amatear sports starting next year.

The annual sports festival will by patterned after the Empire State Games, which involve 75,000 New York state residents annually, Gov. Edward J. King said in announcing the event.

Amateur athletes will be urged to compete in early March in winter Olympic events such as sking and skating and then in late August in a full slate of summer games such as baseball, soccer, track and field.