The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1907-11-07

The President Of the I'm tied STATES
Ia q frm believer in out of door
sports and, at the same time, an
Garment advocate Of an efficient navy
with such Il Commander in-C Thief.
the men Of our navy have one III
many good reasons for being enthu-
slastic In their support OF athletics.
| When five Thousand men from the
ships of the feet go TO, sce, their
teams contest for the pennant of the
Battleship League, and return to
their floating homes hoarse from
cheering and roofing, 1t IN evident
that our Biuejackets are American
citizens with as whOlesoiie a love
for baseball as their brothers ashore
The Navy department realizes that
"all work and no play makes Jack n
dull boy" SO every encouragement
il offered to men who wish to take
part In athletic sports. For those
who desire TO take part In athletics,
baseball and football equipments,
fencing foils, boxing gloves. wrest-
ling mats, and so on are furnished;
teams are coached by officers who
have played ON the Naval Academy
or College teams and the result IL,
that our Battleship teams play good
baseball and good football, and are
not behind In other sports.
But baseball and football are not
the Bluejackets' only amusements,
nor even the principal ones. In ad-
dition to the regular ships boats for
work. the Navy Department has fur
nished each OF the larger ships with
Il specially designed racing cutter.
There IL always a ships boat crew
and frequently there are several
o ther boat crews In training Every
year u regatta IL held In which there
are rowing and sailing races In every
sort OF ships boats. One iavorite
form OF race is. the animation
rowing and sailing race. The boats
pull from the starting point across
the bow OF IL ship a mile away, then
step the masts and sail around II tri-
angular conrse hack to the flagship.
All the boats In the fleet, numbering
over one hund dred, take part In a
race Of this kind and 1t takes careful
observation Of the rules OF the road
to avoid collision, as we'll al ability
t. handle the boat under sail.
During the visit of the foreign
p ~ tn Hampton Roads last spril 4
International boat races were held.
| Our American crews proyei their
mettle by winning most of them.
Among their opponents were Brit.
tish, French, German and Italian
Inen-o'wars men. ,..
The Officers and one hundred rnen
from each ship are invited to Il Min.
strel SHOW ON board theIT. S. =. Ken.
tucky at eight O'Clock tonight-is tie
signal from the flagship. About
seven thirty, boats from all the ships
begin arriving alongside the Ken
tucKy. by eight the bridges. turret
and the foreeastle are filed with men
all In cisan white clothes; all eager
Tor she show to hegin. On the fore
castle stage is rigged up with cur.
tains and scenery. In the Minstrel
Troupe may he officers, seamen, coal.
passers and marines; each one chosen
for his ability to present one OF the
features OF a regular Minstrel Show
a song; a dance; Il amonolOgue; m usic
and etc. The hosts provide refresh
Ments for their guests from the Other
ships, and one evening of ship life Il
r not monOtnous.
Each Of the larger ships has a Min
strel Troupe. Last winter at Guam
ta namo. Cuba, where the fleet spen
three montha, elbows were giver
twice a week.
Each day there are band concert,
on board; the men choose their part
ners and waltz around the decks Will
each other to get In practice for tn,
> next annual ball which each shiy
gives.
Those to whom athelics and dane
ing have less fascination than quiete
amusements, may be seen during idl,
hours gathered around a chess boart
|. or playing high five or Backgammon
, Men On the vessels of our Navy
. are much like those whose lives ar,
: speut ON shore. Their work Is differ
Z lent, but when they are at play. the,
/ are much like other red-blOoded
. healthy American men.
With all their amusements, therl
|. is the WORK OF preparation for th'