The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-01

z Uncle Sam has suddenly taken it into
his head that the soldiers and sailors
are suffering from too much drill and
play. In following out this idea, the
organization Of baseball league. at
the fort was followed by the announce
men that all sorts of athletics would
be taken up by the soldiers and that
the officers should find time for the
men to get in shape for the games and
should participate. .sz4
~
Close on the heels of this the navy
department. began to look into the Cos
pei Of good muscle and games between
Rear Admiral @Bob3' Evans nS"l who who
bears a reputation for fighting and YER
bal gymnastics of high degree, is one
Of the leading advocates Of athletics in
the navy, and points out wherein it
will help the men. He holds that even
if 1t does not improve them physically,
it will help them morally. He says
that an athlete must live a clean, tenn
perate life, and this counts for much
in the morale Of the navy.
The idea. has been well received by
the soldiers and sailors. The athletes
in the navy are found in the coalho1es
and at the guns. In the army the
rookie may outsprint or outjump his
superior officer. Division and ship
pride have been increased, and altho
tho movement is scarcely more than a
few weeks old, the beneficial results
| are already noted. =ea.- -
Those who have studied the welfare
Of the soldiers and sailors have point
| al ont tnof cf q hfof oh G
| to the service was too much routine
and not sufficient amount of diver
sion. The turning to athletics will an
swer this complaint in a short time
! The men in the army and navy must
be physically fit to gain admission
Athletic training under competent
guidance should make them such sol
diers and sailors as the world has not
| seen.
The move is intended to take in all
/ branches on sea and land, and should
have a still better effect in letting the
enlisted men know that their superiors
can unbend and meet them on foot
ing where it is man, to man, and not
i bring about a contempt for officers OF
4 discipline on the part Of the rank and
4 file. Tt should rather increase it. There
i is a free brotherhood about clean sports
I that increases the admiration of the de-
feated man for, the victor and the victor
i for the man who has pushed him Ghard
to win. IF the officers hold themselves
taloof, part of the value Of the new turn
Of affairs will be LOST The spirit Of
the entire move will be lost to the men
who will look upon it, in many in
stances, as a task imposed by their SUI
I periors. There is no caste or aristocra
i cy. in sport. It is to be hoped that the
officers will realize this early and BY
4 footing in field and track sports. make
4 the most Of an opportunity to do thei1
/ service a good turn. West Point ane
I Annapolis have turned out some splen
i did athletes and these should prove Of
tgreat help to the men who have never be
]. fore had the time or disposition to turI
to athletics. When the basic ideas o1
the move for athletics ii the army and
Il navy are better understood the public
4 will take a greater. interest in the eff
4 fort and encourage theesoldiers and sail
orsS in every way possible The frs
time series of games is bulletined al
1 the fort the attendance Should be large
i 1t would be a distinct encouragement
to the men in carrying out the new idea
i A trio of wrestlers, Max Wiley, Har
Il vey Parker and one Davis, said to BIZ
!. an athletic instructor from Yale sail
i ing under an assumed name, have beer
4 arrested at Rochester, N. Y, and the
& charge is made that there was & frame
j up in which an unknown Greek threw
Il Wiley, the lightweight champion The
slGreek told the story and the police die