New-York tribune., 1911-09-16
- AppHed Athletics" at Annapolis
PHYSICAL Exercises and Sports Important Part OF


leave Then it is that the new midshpman gets
his first real knowledge of what navy spirit on
the athletic field really is. The whole air on the
athletic field seems surcharged with the fight
ing spirit. Navy teams are taught never to
give up-to play it out to the finish, regardless
Of how long the odds against them are-and
there is hardly worse word in their vocabu-
larry than that OF gutter" 1t is foolshness to
say that midshipmen not imbued with the
strongest desire to win, for they are. The men
on the team are encouraged to play with that
| end in view. but not at the cost Of sportsman
like spirit and behavior.
OF course, the great object in view Of every
Navy football team is a victory over the Army.
To get football IN" Navy player must
play in the annual Army Navy game. No mat
ter whether he has played in every game of
the season, IL he does not play In that game the
Navy Athletic Association will not award him
his "N." This seems at first sight to work
hardship on some Of the men who may be
fortunate enough to be injured just before the
final game Of the season, but 1t enhances the
value Of the letter.
Playing football at Annapolis is more like
serious work than play. 1t takes up practically
al the spare time that a. midshipman has. 1t
pounding. 1t has been my experience that some
Of the very hardest games are those between
the first team and the ''hustlers," second
eleven The football candidate comes back
from practice in the evening bruised physically,
and very often mentally as well, and SO tired
that studying to him an impossibiIity
But to stay in the academy he has got to study,
and he willingly makes the sacrifices which
I'M he oP
the football field worth learning 1t teaches
self-control and rapidity of thought and action.
From physical point of view the work, In my
opinion. is unquestionably beneficial, for the
lasting Injuries are so few that they prove the
exception that establishes the rule
Right Spirit Cultivated.
Right here a word may be said about the
navy spirit The writer remembers well an in
cident which occurred during his 'plebe" year.
The Navy football team was playing one Of its
early season games and its opponents were
forcing II hard. Down near their own goal line,
when a touchdown seemed almost unavoidable,
the Navy braced and held twice, but on the
third attempt Of the opposing halfbacks
smashed his way across the line. There had
been holding. however and the referee penal
ICED the visitors giving the ball to the Navy
on their own 5-yard line. cheer from some Of
the midshipmen in the stand greeted the PEN
atty. The cheer leaders. who were senior class
men. gave those mdshipmen who had cheered
one Of the severcst calling downs" the writer
had ever heard: for Navy spirit denounces as
unsportsmanlike cheering penalties inflicted
upon its adyersaries by officials. II the Navy
had taken the ball on downs that would have
been a different matter and a proper occasion
for an outburst Of enthusiasm
The football season over. various other kinds
Of athletic exercises are INDUCED in-in fact,
there is always some sport going on at Annapo-
lis. which tends to keep the midshipmen- or
some of them--n tptop condition.
Army and Navy teams have made wonderful