Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-05
OUR ARMY AN ARMY
OF BASEBALL FANS
In Every Camp Teams and
Leagues Are Competing Daily
on Diamonds For the Honor
of "Pennant Winner"

Washington, D. c.-Men of the national
army have become so enthusiastic over
the sports provided at the camps by the
Commission on Training Camp Activi-
ties that the war department has decided
to enlarge and increase the number of
athletic fields. Reports received from
all camps show that thousands of men
take part in the games, with baseball of
course, in the lead.
More than 10000 basebails and 5000
bats have been sent to the camps, with
gloves. masks and chest protectors. New
| baseball diamonds have been laid out in
nearly eyry camp. Camp Lewis. in Wash
ington. probably heads the list of base
ball fans, The soldiers in this camp have
siXten diamonds and are clearing space
for others. Exhibition games have been
staged, with the cooperation of the ma
jor leagues, which have brought in con-
siderable gate receipts.
The commissions athletic directors
have organized company, battalion, regi-
mental and interregimental leagues, and
and plans have been completed to have
the various classes meet in the fall in
lpost-seasonal games to decide who are
"penant winners"
Next to baseball, boxing is proving the
most popular sport. So great has be-
come the demand for instruction that in
one camp alone more than 500 assistant
boxing instructors are kept busy Six
thousand sets of boxing gloves have been
sent to the camps and orders have been
placed for thousands more. Matches are
frequently staged between company, reg-
ment and camp champions, which al
ways draw capacity audiences. Instruc-
ton in the finer points of the sport are
given by professional boxers. who wear
the army uniform.
Track athletics probably rank third in
popularity. Competitions have been ar
ranged with athletic organizations In
cities near the camps and as many as
four track ..teets have taken place at one
| n nc
men have taken part in divisional champ
ionships. and the meets have been wit
messed by more than 10000 spectators
Tennis courts have been built in ry
camp, and the spotr is gainging in popu-
larity, Forty courts have been built in
one camp, and the number Is to be
trebled. Through the cooperation of the
United States Lawn Tennis Association,
the commission has been able to meet
the immediate tennis needs of the camps.
The officers are particularly keen for this
game.
Swimming. golf, polo volley ball, bas-
ket ball, pushball and even cross coun-
try running. generally engaged in by
the men in all camps in the early part of
the evening, are all in great favor, but
the commission is being pushed to the
limit to supply all the demands coming in
for baseball equipment.
The commission made public here today
the following statement by President VIII
son:
EVERY endeavor is being made to sur
round our fighting men with the kind OF
environment which a democracy owes to
those fighting in its behalf. | do not be-
lieve it is an exaggeration to say that
no army ever before assembled in his
tory has had more conscientious and
panstaking thought give ntO the protec-
ton and stimulation of it's mental. moral
and physical manhood. In this work
the Commission on Training Camp Ac-
tivities have represented the government
and the governments solicitude that the
AF En VA
ton should be modified behind the
troops"