Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-03-06
ATHLETICS BENEFIT MEN
MENTALLY AND MORALITY
AS WELL AS PHYSICALLY

men IN the thirty-tWo National Army
and Guard camps and forecast OF
its plans for further promoting this
vast work are contained in state
ment Issued by DR.. Joseph e. Ray
croft, athletic supervisor of the Com
mission, who has moved his head
quarters from Princeton to Washing
ton for the duration OF the war.
The keen relationship between ac-
tuaI warfare and the various sports
that have been fostered in the canton
ments is emphasized in the statement.
The sports included In the camp cur
riculum, such as boxing, football and
soccer" DR.. Raycroft declares, "have
been selected not only as means of
amusement but to prepare the men
flor the struggle to come, and the val
lue Of the athletic training they have
receive will be fully realized when
they go over the top"
Uniform Doesn't Mako Soldier
when the Commission first began
Hts work in this direction there was
Iwell-defined belief prevalent that
lsoldier was made by putting man in
Ia uniform and teaching him the man
lual of arms" DR.. Raycroft states.
1--WE have proved the utter faliacy of
this theory by showing that athletics
increase mans fighting efficiency as
well as providing him with wholesome
recreation during his leisure hours.
Some idea of the scope of the
work we are doing can be obtained by
lyfsua1iZing the fact that at one west
fern cantonment IS baseball diamonds
have been laid out in one great field
land games have been in simultaneous
progress on each, while at another &c
gridirons, with goal-posts and bleach
lers having seating capacity of
$4,000, were In use last fall.
with this picture ID mind, it can
be readily seen that the various sports
have been promoted on a scale I'M
Iparalleled in history, The old order
I0f things has been banished and in its
Iplace new rules and regulations have
been formulated to govern conditions
lattendant to the participation of hun,
ldreds of men in single game. For
instance, the player limit on football
teams in most camps has been raised
from II to is, while in soccer games
in which 400 men have taken part,
with as many as eight to ten balls in
use at once, have occurred frequently.
Nothing like it has ever been at
tempted before. Experience has
Taught AAA4O0 OlNCAS RAO SISdS 4ISAp
ia good athletic training renders a
imam in battle, but it has remained for
the United States to give sports O
definite place in the military program
land make It plain that thorough
lathletfc training is vital adjunct in
fthe equipment of every American SOL
|dier.
Soccer Highly Valuable
Dwelling on the part that athletics
win play In the conflict, DR.. Raycroft
points out that the training they have
lreceived In such sports as boxing and
lgoccer will be OF inestinable value.
l"WhiIe playing soccer" he explains,
l''a man must be ready constantly to
lstrfke at the ball with either foot In
this way he naturally acquires a short
Igait and balance that will serve him
Iin good stead IN traversing the
lchurned and furrowed surface of No
MANS land.
"In boxing" DR.. Raycroft contin-
lues, nearly every blow and position
has its counterpart in bayoneting.
Where man now starts left hook
for the head of his opponent in a
friendly camp bout, he will soon be
using the same movements in sending
lis bayonet slashing at the throat OF
Ian armed antagonist, while a right
hook to the jaw will be duplicated
when he swings the butt of his gun
Jon the jaw OF q disarmed foe.
DR.. Raycroft has been greatly Ella
tied by the fashion in which the SOL
oilers have taken to soccer. His state
1ment says:
"It is a highly celebrating game,
combining the maximum of exercise
land recreation with training that
Twill be mighty useful to the men
when they meet the enemy. Then,
too, any number can participate in al
game and 1t can be played in the COM
Ipany streets, as no special equip,
ment or field are needed. These ad-
lvantages make it an ideal sport for.
the camps.
''PIans are now being worked out"
lDr. Raycroft says, whereby prizes
and medals will be given companies.