The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-01-25

Paris, Jan. 22.-Baseball, football,
and the usual field and track events
are being pushed into the background
among the American troops in France.
They are still played and as popular
as ever, but there is not room enough
for all of the men who want to play.
To meet this need, mass athletics
has been invented by group of Y. M.
C. A. workers. Not only whole COM
panies but entire regiments take part
and enter into competition with other
companies and regiments.
| The Army heads demand that every
man shall be given chance to take
part in the sports. This was impos-
| sibIe with the older sports as COM
lparatively few men may play at
time and considerable practice is re-
duired to make a good team.
1t will come as surprise to many
to know that the American troops
le nding in France are now marched
directly from the transports to athlet-
ic fields where they are put through
inter-regimental contests. These games
iron out tie kinks acquired on ship
board. Chauncey P. Hubert, the
writer, who was present when the
first games were played, gives de-
tailed account of them as follows:
The great convoy had come into
FORT. The official inspections and ex-
aminations had been made and visits
had been paid. The ships were lined
up along the docks. Great gangways
ard smoke-grey ladders were lying
ready for use.
The decks were damned with Amer
lean soldiers anxious to land and for
1.-THE joy of unrestricted freedom of
bodily movement. A naval officer ac-
companied by several soldiers came
aboard. There were a few minutes of
parley and simultaneously the bands
on each ship began to play.
| Down the fore and aft gangplaRks
marched the men as on parade. Fol
loving its own band each company
took up it's allotted space in great
level field a short way from the docks.
The schedule for the first hour call
ed for 1440 men.
There they stood in columns of files,
twenty men to a file, eight files to
a company. Between company files
was a lane six feet wide.
The men looked about curious1y and
with interest. This certainly started
differently from any drill they had
had so far experienced. Across the
field two hundred yards away stood
a line of stakes; each company's flag
being attached to the stake directly in
front of it.
The first man in each file was
standing behind a rope pegged down
in a small ditch. Six feet beyond and
parallel to it stretched another rope.
The men became more and more cur
ious as they took in these details. A
small group of Y. NJ. C. A. men and
Officers were consulting together in
the midst of the field. Suddenly a
whistle blew and the little central
groups scattered to all corners of the
I field. The commanding officer of each
company took his place across the six
foot shallow trench opposite his men.
An order rang out:
First man in each fiIe-toe the
rope On command do a standing
broad jump across the trench; ad-
vance three steps from where you
land and about-face. Next man in
each file do likewise, failing in be-
hind the first man. Each man clear
ing the ditch counts one point for his
company.
Number one in each file looked ner-
vously down the line at the other I'M
fortunate Number Ones. They GER
tainly we-e the goats this time
TOE the rope!'' rang out tn order.
wo-three-jump!"
The limo of men sprang upward and
outward, landing with anxious care.
Everyone had cleared the ditch.
Number Two." came the order,
and the second man in each file did
: likewise. Four men landed in the
$ ditch, much to their embarrassment.
The officers were busi1y keeping