Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-30
FORCED TO PLAY BALL.
Uncle SANS Jackies Have to Get Into
the Game. '

the Game.
BASEBALL may be the great American
game, and as such it may appeal to
an but to be Obliged to play ball
who Their one wants to do so or not
wen, that certainly Is q different mat
ter. And there are great many men
in this land Of the free who are forced
to play ball without regard to their
ability or their tastes. These unfortu-
mates are the sailors and marines OF tho
navy. The national game has been
made part Of the Setting up drill'' Of
the service. and the crews of the fight
Ing craft are expected to devote so
many hours to baseball, when the ship
Is in harbor, as n regular feature Of the
duties Of the day. On any fine after
noon, but particularly on Saturday.
the jackies and marines Of the war
ships can be seen marching to the ball
ground, carrying with them the
paraphernalia Of the great game. BY
the side Of the column marches the
buglcr.
1t is all done in military fashion. So
many men detailed to carry the bats,
masks, balls and gloves; one little
squad set apart as fielders. another as
pitchers and catchers. a third as UNI
pires. Nothing is left to be wrangled
over on the ball ground. Everything
is cut and dried az systematically and
carefully as though the national game
were one of the important features Of
the management Of great ship Of war.
To listen to the conversation Of the
jackies as they swing along toward the
ball ground one would think that some
OF them regard the compulsory playing
OF the national game as an unmitigated
nuisance. Not all of the men who en-
list on American ships Of war are ma
tive born, and some of the sailors have
never played baseball in their lives.
These find it decided hardship TO be
compelled to take their place at the bat
and tan the atmosphere in abOrtive
attempts to find the elusive ball. Said
a German sailor, who was vending his
way to the ball field at League Island
navy yard last Saturday:
'Vot for ISIS dis foolishiness. Shall
able to hit der base ball already? !
hit der target at gun practice better as
any one on board Why, den, must !
make sport for der oders by playing
ball ven l know not hOw?'
Whatever their feelings about it,
however, the sailors must play ball, so
to the grounds at the navy yard they
go when time for play comes. At the
grounds they are notified by signal
from the bugle when the games may
begin. The jackies are divided into
squads. so as to form as many mines
as possible. AS the grounds used for
the baseball setting up drill" at the
League Island navy yard are very COM
modulus. there is usually room for all
and plenty to spare. The sailors are
not allowed to remove their uniforms
As they go about the ship SO must they
go about the ball grounds during the
baseball drill" and the unusual sigh,
is presented of jackies flying around
the bases with their wide trousers
threatening to trip them up at every
step, of the pitcher performing gyra-
tons that were never meant for ankles
enveloped in flowing white duck, and
of men accustomed to hit a target at
five miles pcrspiring profusely in n
vain effort to hit a 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 be-
tween the rival teams for Saturday
afternoons. On these special occasions
j; ie not difficult to Gust the poo,
, layers from the teams on some pre-
tfyt. leaving only the crack men to
uphold the honors of the ship.
When the drill is over the bngIes are
sounded once moro ana the mon gather
M their belongings and fall into line
for TIL" march to the ships. Apart
from the small amount of grunnhlng
on the part of those who have never
played the game the compulsory base
bail is regarded as n great relief from
The monotony Of life aboard ship and
the meaningless exercises Of other
f"rrns of setting up drill" BY rlay-
ing baseball the jackics and marines
derive all the benefit of calisthenic
movements While enjoying the excite
ment of the national game
Baseball is made part of the set
ting up exercise whenever American
war ships are near enough to land for
boating parties to reach 4 convenient
ground. 1t Is curious drill but on
the whole the most popular of all the
exercises arranged for the setting up
Of the American Standardization
Sun.