Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-26
FORCED TO PLAY BALL.
Uncle Sans Jaches Have to Get Into
the Game.
From the Baltimore Sun.

From the Baltimore Sun.
Rase ball may be the great American
game, and as such it may appeal 10 an Dut
to be Obliged to play ball whether one wants
to do so or not-well. that certainly Is Off
ferent matter And there are great many
men in this land of the free who are forceo
to play ball without regard to their ABILITY
or their tastes These unfortunates are the
sailors and marines Of the navy. The natioh-
al game has been made part OF the setung
up drill" of the service. and the crews Oh
tho fighting craft are expected to devote so
MANY hours to base ball. when the ship is
in harbor, as a regular feature OF the ou-
ties of the day ON any nhe ait tanioa a uu
no rticularIy on Saturday, the 1ackles ana
ma rines of the warships can be seen marcn-
ing to the ball ground, carrying with them
the naraphernalia Of the great game BY
the side of the column marches the pusier.
II ia all done in military fashion. So many
mon detailed to carry the bats. masks. pals
and gloves; one little squad set apart as
feeders, another as pitchers AND catcners'
third as umpires. Nothing is ie1t 10 De
wraneled over on the ball ground Every
thing is cut and dried as Systematically and
carefully as though the national game were
one of the important features OF the man
aeement Of great ship OF war
lea as they swing along toward the ball
ground one would think that some or them
regard the compulsory playing OF the ma
tional game an unm1t1gateo nuisance.
Not all of the men who enlist on American
shins of war are native born. and some OF
the sailors have never played base pail IN
their lives These find II. a decided hardsm MP
to be compelled to take their place at the
hat and fan the atmosphere In aborttve
ATTEMPTS to find the elusive ball. Said a
German sailor, who was vending his way
to the ball field at League Island navy yaro
last Saturday: ,
make a worse gunner for not being able to
hit der base ball already? hit der target
at gun practice better as any one on board
Why, den must / make sport Tor der oders
by playtng ball ven I know not hOw?'
Whatever their feelings about 1t. how
ever, the sailors must play ball. so 10 tne
grounds at the navy yard they go when
time for play comes. AT the GROUNDS they
the games may begin. The jackies are d.
vided into squads as to form as many
mines as possible. AS the grounds USED lol
the base ball setting up drill at tine
League Island navy yard are very comma
dious, there is usually room for all ano
plenty to spare. The sailors are not al
lowed to remove their uniforms AS they
go about the ship so must they go apou,
the ball grounds during the base bal
drill" and the unusual sight is presented
of tackles flying around the bases WITT
their wide trousers threatening to triI
them up at every step. of the pitcher per-
for ankles enveloped in flowing white duck
and Of men accustomed to hit a target al
FIVE miles perspiring profusely in vain
effort to hit small sphere at as many
yards.
There Is great rivalry among the men Of
the various ships to surpass each other In
the scores, and SO far as is possible games
are arranged between the rival teams FOL
Saturday afternoons. On these special Oc
casions 1t is not dlficult to GUST the poor
players from the teams on some pretext
leaving only the crack men to uphold the
honors of the ship.
When the ''drill' is over the bugles are
sounded once more and the men gather VI
their belongings and fall into line for the
march to the ships. Apart from the small
amount of grumbling on the part of those
| who have never played the game the com
| pulsory base ball Is regarded as a great re.
| lief from the mOnotOny Of life aboard ship
| and the meaningless exercises OF other
| forms of setting up drili.'' BY playing
| base ball the tackles and marines derive al
| the benefit of calisthenic movements while
| enjoying the excitement of the national
game.
Base ball is made part of the setting VI
| exercise whenever American warships are
| near enough to land for boating parties to
| reach a convenient ground. 1t Is curious
| drill. but on the whole the most popular OF
| all the exercises arranged for the ''settine
| up of the American sailor.