Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-10-20
LONDON TIMES
TELLS Of YANK
GAMES. IN PARK
American Games Amuse Lon
doners Who Are Initiated
to "Down in 'FRONT.'"
Play Base Ball.

ne following account OF an
American athletic meet in Hyde
park. London, was printed in the
London Times on September %:
Several thousands OF people
gathered on Saturday afternoon
round that part of Hyde park which
has been devoted to American base
ball. But other American games
and not base ball were the chief at
traction. They were those which
have been adopted, adapted, or in
vented for the amusement of the
men in rest and other camps. a
hundred selected American soldiers,
including 20 negroes. came to DEM
onstrate them to a British audience.
when base ball was first played
in the park it was considered an in
novation worthy of emphatic re-
mark. 1t was mere nothing, how
ever. compared with the sight of big
Americans (somc OF them very big
indeed behaving more like school
boys than school boys themselves.
Most human boys assume with long
trousers all air of dignity and de-
corum for which they keep some re-
gaid even in their play; whereas the
United States soldier possesses a
beautiful faculty for letting his fun
defy his years. The negroes, too.
with their wide grins, delighted
chuckles, and gurgllng incantations,
helped manfully to make the whole
assembly. performer. and spectators
alike, realize that, after all, folks are
only as old as they feel.
Negroes Box Embodied.
"The negroes passed from boxing
blindfolded to chasing toy balloons;
and it would be hard to say which
was the more diverting to look on.
perhaps the boxing, since that
had a comical climax. After the box
ers had been thinned out and the
ring was held by one huge fellow
alone, his white comrades baited him
as bullhghters the bull. They tapped
him on the shoulder, ,trailed their
greatcoats against his knees and
elbows: anything to make him sup
pose his rivals were still before or
behind his blinded eyes. Finally one
ingenious tormentor placed a box
ing glove on the end of long stick
and gently tapped the pugilist in the
face with it. But the glove must
lave left empty, for the black man at
asst realized that. like Don Quixote,
ne was sparring at fictitious foes.
But he may not have read Don
Quixote."
The white Americans played a
arger variety Of games than can be
,asily remembered. They ran races
with one another much less
comfortably than the Siamese twins.
They gave capital limitations of the
lassic military tortoise, only. in-
tead of bearing shields on their
they pushed a foot ball
lown the long line of their extend
d legs. They reminded one of the
ate of the two blackguards in
Huckleberry Finn" by riding on a
all. They ran relay races with
clasped hands. They play.
d composite leapfrog by piling
more on the frogs back than he
ould bear, and laughed with delight
s both came to the ground to-
ether. And they did other intricate
eats, rollicking and un-Parklike.
The U. S. officers Way.
1.-THE sole trouble of the spectators
,as to persuade men inside the
quare to sit or crouch down, in Of
er that the view might not be obs
This led to another dem.
nstration--of the American way
18th such people. 1t was an Amer
an officer. on a seat, who appeal
to an English officer, standing
p, to have a heart" for those be-
ind him, and. who, when his cry
as unheeded or unheard, shouted,
Eth. King George, sit DOWN.
hich, of course, there was no r..
sting.
THE games over, the game began.
wo teams met in an exhibition
atch at base bali; and, to every
ody's surprise, these teams were
OF American, but English; SOLE
ers from Knightsbridge Barracks,
no had been instructed in the art
I'd science Of base ball by a mem-
IF of the American Y. M. c. A.
blue and red. they looked the
.rts they were playing: and they
aged admirably, considering that
ey never even saw base ball be-
re last July. Their batting seem-
especially good; the fielding not
good; and the pitching, though
equate, as critics say, was possi-
v undeserving of more than $l0,-
0 a year. No man on the ground
as better pleased than the Ameri-
n instructor, who considers that
5 pupils have made wonderful
ogress in short time. An
nerican sailor umpired; and an
her American sailor. with two
,unded Canadian soldiers in the
CHEST spirits, did alt that was nee
sarv in the way of advice and
ooting" for both sides impartial-
IAN unrehearsed incident Of the
v which might have had serious
suits, was the behaviour OF a pony
ring an exhibition OF roughriding.
le animal got out of control, and
shed at the oniookers seated
md the enclosure. Jumping right
er the chairs, it got among the
ople standing behind and scatter. y
them in all directions. A SOLE
r was knocked down and badly
Used, and a boy was slightly In