Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-27
OUR ATHLETIC
SOLDIER BOYS
They Have More Physical
Training Than Those of
Other Lands.
Work Of Track Teams, EIevens
and Mines ExceIIent-MoraI
Effect Is Good,

The United States soldier is tougher and
stronger-physically tougher-than he wal
before the Spanish war. It Is not the war
which Is to be thanked for Il. Athletic
training has done the work.
It Is said by Army and Navy Life thai
this country gives far more attention to
the physical culture Of its soldiers than
does Great Britain. France or Germany.
While they require a daily setting-up exer.
else similar to our own, these gun calls
themes and other prescribed forms of mus
ole-stretching are supplemented In this
country by athletic sports.
Every Post Has Its Teams.
These are not compulsory. They do not
need to be. They have been entered into 40
heartily that every post Of any size has its
organization which backs Its track team.
its foot ball eleven or its base bah nine
This is just what the War Department
wants them to do. as It has organized a
bureau Tor the encouragement OF athletics
Nearly every garrison has its COMMITTEES
consisting of at least one commissioned
officer In addition to non-commissIoned ofn
GERS GERS ana privates. to arrange programs for
neio Gays, organize teams and pick out the
star men Of the command to represent II in
the various events.
The soldiers themselves have so willingly
fallen in with the idea that they have con-
tributed to paying for the outfit needed. and
some or the garrisons support gymnasiums
which are equipped with the latest designs
OF chest weights. rowing machines and
horses. as we'll as bars, torpedoes. rings
and supply of foils and boxing gloves,
II the post is too small to allow an In
dependent athletic field It is laid out ON
the drill ground, with diamond, a run
ming track and supports for basket ball.
When the pigskin season opens the field be-
comes foot ball oval.
Fond of Base Ball. .
The average soldier would not be much
OF an American If he were not fond of base
baIi while he makes flrst-class man on
the foot ball team. because the daily rou-
tine keeps him hard, yet why and supple.
ana gives him plenty Of wind. Within the
last two years college elevens have sought
matches with military teams because they
get such fine practice" to quote the
trainer. but the practice has ended more
than once In the soldiers scoring every
point.
But the garrison bets its money on other.
besides Its nine and eleven. It has its
high jumper. its ong-distance runner and
sprinter: Its strong men. who can put the
shot and throw the hammer while its team
In the relay race Ii carefully selected for
feetness and endurance. The athletic COM
mfttee often has its hands full to select en-.
tries for field day-not from lack of ma
terial. but because there are 30 many coed
men from whom to choose.
Storming q Fortress.
Ono OF the most spectacular exercises
sometimes included in the events In tho
west 10 the storming of an imaginary for
tress, whose apparently impregnable walls
must be scaled without any artificial aid
whatever. The rampant of the fort Is q
fence Of smooth boards. thirteen feet high.
1t would be impossible for single athlete
| to leap over It or to ascend 1t by pressing
against its surface with hands and feet.
but squad of men can surmount 1t In less
| than half a minute.
The attack Is made in a column with four
abreast. the front rank men far enough In
advance to have time to brace their backs
against the wall before the next file reaches
| 1t. Each Of the second four jumps with one
foot upon the clasped hands Of q soldier in
| the first file. who forms human spring,
pushing the other man up until he can
catch the top Of the wall with his fingers.
pull himself up and drop down on the other
| side. .-. .... -'-- ..-l-...
Up comes the next fle and the movement
| is repeated until the Nfters alone remain.
Two Of the four go up with the aid Of their
/ top. lean over to catch the hands Of the
pair below. who reach them by q running
jump, and are pulled up by main strength.
Perhaps the most remarkable feat In this
rying dead and wounded men over the wall.
The soldier who Ia supposed to be killed or
MANNED is taken up on a human platform,
composed of twelve men.
Two suspended from the top keep the Sec
ond tier OF men from falling. while two be-
tween them are ready to pull up the VIC
tim. He Is lifted from the ground by four
others. who in turn are supported on the
backs Of the first tier. After the body Is
carried over the others follow, using the
same method as before "A man can be
lifted from the ground and deposited on the
other side Of the wall in less than q minute
in this manner.
While this interest in physical culture has
already had a notable effect in making the
plain private stronger and harder 1t is of
great importance in other ways