The San Francisco call., 1908-05-06
All Ready for Day OF Glory
SPORTS SCHEDULED
FOR MEN OF FLEET
Boat Racing and Boxing Have
Chief Places in Hearts
of Sailors
By RIA. Sn1yfh

The fleet which viii steam majestic
ally into the harbor today, while Of
ficially designated the United States
called the United States athletic fleet"
because of the universal interest shown
both by the officers and by the enlisted
men in all the manly sports and pas
times.
These run the gamut from golf to
boxing, and the men are given every
encouragement TO take part in COM
petition whenever opportunity presents
itself. Officers are charged with the
advancement of sports and are specially
detailed to assist in arranging the de-
tails of competition and in developing
the physical condition of the men VINO
take part in the more strenuous of the
contests.
Lieutenant Weaver, aid to Admiral
Evans is the athletic officer of the fleet,
with general supervision over all these
activities on land or water. Acting
with him is an officer from each of the
cruisers. When a big football match
is on, men who have represented the
navy on the powerful Annapolis team
are detailed to coach the players who
make the team. Some of these men
have national regulations won in COM
ward, Princeton and other elevens of
the big eastern colleges.
BACK THEIR BOATMEN
Nearest to the hearts of the men of
the feet from the admiral to the
humblest seaman, are the boat races
which are held whenever opportunity
presents itself. Workmanship might
/ properly be called the profession of the
officers and the trade of the men, hence
the interest which is shown throughout
| the fleet whenever a race is on the
| cards 1t is on these occasions that the
sporting blood of the men courses more
swiftly through their veins and they
back their favorites with the usual
prodigality of the big hearted sailor.
When the crew of the Maryland meets
! the crew of the Louisiana, the former
representing the Pacific fleet and the
latter the Atlantic, it is estimated that
500, 900 will change hands on the re-
suit.
cruisers are in training the year round.
They have a training table such as the
J big colleges provide for their football
heroes, and they are provided with
| everything the market affords. They
are allowed special hours for their
practice and are carefully coached in
the art of rowing as applied to their
large boats These are provided by the
government and are of a standard type.
At one time each ship could provide its
own racing boat and the result was
that the competition was uneven. as the
extreme type of racing boat was being
used.
COURSE BETWEEN CRUISERS
Once the boat is received, however,
the men work on 1t with sandpaper and
other articles shaving off the excess
wood and making it as light as possible
! in a boat which has to stand such a
strain. After each race the members
of the crew are allowed extra liberty
in appreciation of their work. The
finishes of the races are always great
spectacles as the course is laid between
the cruisers represented in the race.
If the men were asked their second
choice in athletics they would un-
doubtedly vote for boxing. Here again
the interfieet rivalry presents itself
and ship is pitteds against ship. There
are a number of clever boxers on the
/ cruisers and some of them will be seer
in competition here, probably against
men representing the other arm of the
service.
Wrestling will be the first of the
strenuous sports presented under the
direction of the athletic committee OF
the Olympic club for the entertainment
of the men, championship bouts be-
tween the cleverest amateurs on the
coast being scheduled for tomorrow
night and Friday at the naval pavilion
Market and Eighth streets. There will
also be some men representing both
the army and the navy.
The boxing, also under the direction
of the Olympic club. will be held on
the nights of May IL and 13, the first
night being devoted to the preliminary
bouts and the second night to the
semifinals and the all important finals
On the 18th the men of the two arms
of the service will be pitted against
one another, each sending its best rep
resentstive in the various classes.
FIVE DAYS OF BASEBALL
Five days of next week will be de-
voted to baseball. all the games being
played at the Presidio. The finals fol
the championship Of the fleet will bt
held on the 18th, at which time the
weaker teams will have been elimin.
ated.
Besides these various sports there
will be basket ball games at the sta.
dium in the park, where also the tug
of-war teams will pit their brawny
muscles against one another.
Some of the officers go in strongly
for tennis and they will be given the
freedom of both the club and the publ,
, courts Then the golfers will be made
welcome on the Presidio links, where
a number of matches will be played
In addition to all these the runners
jumpers, hurdlers and weight putter.
will be afforded opportunities to show
their skill and speed. Some of tn,
men are expected to compete at TIL,
games of the Irish-American athleti,
club at Ingleside race course on Sun.
day. More of them will be present al
spectators to witness the work of For
rest Smithson. the American champion
hurdler; Ralph Rose, the worlds great