Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
FINDS MANY STAR
ATHLETES IN ARMY
Mel Sheppard Discovers En-
bryo Champions Wearing
Khaki at Camp Selby.

Mel Sheppard, the former olympic
middle distance champion. who is down
In Missouri looking after the athletic
work of the 1900 soldiers stationed at
Camp Seiby. near Hattiesburg. declares
that he could develop a first-c1ass ma
tiona1 championship team from the ath
letic material that he has observed in
the various regiments forming his d.
vision.
I'm all my connection with track and
field sports have never seen a more
promising bunch OF diamonds in the
rough than a number Of the men in
this division" says Sheppard. III these
men had nothing to do but prepare Tor
athletic events and had the proper IA
cilities, 1 have no doubt that we'd turn
out a whole flock of real champions
down here in no time. The athletic
events, which were only fairly well
patronixed by the soldiers at frst. are
now crowded with the boys, who are
anxious to keep At for the big test.
These fellows are going in Tor the
games with a determination that means
more than the actual desire to play ana
excel at it. / believe that four-n,ths
Of the men who are running ano p,as
ing foot ball at this camp have their
ultimate condition for tie big game
over there in view.
Favors Compulsory Athletics.
"The more I see OF army life with its
near -compulsion IN the matter OF Sports
the flrmer / am in the belfef tnat com
pulsory athletics should be institateu ~.
both schools and colleges throoghou.
I'D
better. All Of tie men who have come
here benefited wonderfully through
their life in the open, but OF All cness
the most fit are those, who nave hiChe"
the foot ball about or run DIT.
ticipation in sports not only behents
the nonscr,ar system, but it develops
spirit of self-reliance and a knach %
making snap judgments unaer nre,
which are bound to be Of beneht TO the
soldiers in the fighting that they VIII
see in Europe .,r,,. Of
athletic events here since arrived; "a !
fr.t / feared that too much atnielc
work would find the soldiers wearying
OF II ALL because Of the rather stiH Wor n
they get at drilling and prepar ligy '" the
boys stale, / find that athletic conpet
tions tone them up. Officers nave toio
me that their men have not sho~H
trace of WEAKNESS in their work on me
days following Jul VIE A0oe --
and track meets.
s.The old saying that there are, ten
GOOD ball players in the grandstand for
every one on the diamond 1 believe now
to be perfectly true" continued Shep-
pard, Among the thousands OF young
men that the draft has brought here
there are dozens who would have made
great athletic champions had they tried.
In the more or less horseplay athletic
events that we hold one can spot here
and there a really great athlete who
never will wear the laurel, because ne
has never gone out to- try for; athletic
honors. This Is especially true OF run
ming It is q genuine regret, to me that
I cannot take some of these boys and
work them on a good track for num-
Der of months, but my job is not to
develop few world-beaters. but to fur
nish recreation. IL possible. for every
one Of the $4,000 soldiers in this divi-
sion. "a ~.
ct never want to tackle more self
satisfying job than .this4oue THE work
is both strenuous and interesting. and
every night when 1 turn in ! feel that
have done just little to help in the
task of making Americas National
Army At for the great task that it will
soon tackle