The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-07-09
BALL PLAYERS ARE
 EMBRYO BOMBERS
Their Good Arms Are En- vied By European Gren-
 ade ThrOwers
By PHILIP H. PATCHIN

London, June 24-(Special.) )-Bomb
 throwing has become one of the most irn-
 portant features of the kind of warfare
 that is going on on the western front
 This business of hurling bombs and hand
 grenades into the enemy trench is new;
 it has come in with the unprecedented trench warfare. It has become such vital thing that vast numbers of men are
 specially picked to become bombers. Bombing schools have been established behind the lines and men are trained to throw the deadly missiles, taught to get great distance and accurately to time bomb or grenade so that it will burst in the most effective manner As much at- tention is given to teaching man how to us bombs as to teaching him how to use a rifle. A bomber is a specialist and it isn't everyone that can become one. Fine physique is the first requisite
 If America ever goes to war she will have to have her bombing squads, and all ready there is fertile field for recruit ing. It would be among the professional baseball players of the country. In the British army the cricket players have taken the lead in bombing. Until the Canadians introduced a new system Of throwing hand grenades the British army's method was that of the cricket player, who throws the ball in man. ner quite different from that of base ball player As a matter of regulation the Canadians were required to use the same method, but the Canadians found that they could get better results by throwing in the way they were accus- toned to, which was like they throw baseball There is keen rivalry in the l~@ ,.,to fiaor fN which proves most effcacous. The result, however, is likely to be that the cricket method is best for the Englishman, while the baseball way is best for the Cana dian.
 A man bowling" cricket ball does not bend his arm, the elbow remaining rigid, Before hurling the ball toward the batsman he runs a couple of steps, brings up his arm from behind, a long, stiff-armed sweep, and lets the ball go, putting the twist" on with his wrist and fingers when his hand and arm are perpendicular He gets great speed that way and accuracy, but perhaps not IS much as that of the baseball player. competition between the best of the Canadians and the best of the English bomb throwers would be an interesting thing.
 The bomb thrower must be a good judge of distance and time. hand grenade has attached to it a device which starts the fuse going just before the bomb is thsawn. The grenade, which is about the size of baseball, but which weighs three times as much, is a globe of thin metals, packed with high ex- posve. A bomber in a trench takes a grenade in hand, adjusts the pin which sets the fuse going and at the proper second throws his bomb. Ordinarily the fuses are set to explode the bomb in five or seven seconds. Otter bombers are so expert that they wait until fraction of a second before throwing so that they will get the burst of the bomb in air just as it enters the enemy trench. It is ticklish 1 business, and those who are too good at it are source of irritation to their com | rades. Too much time, however, cannot be given. It is on record that many bombs have fallen into a trench, been picked up and thrown back where they came from before expioding. ball play | CT would be good at that, to- being quick of eye, hand and foot