The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-29
ATHLETICS BIG PART
|. OF SOLDIERS LIFE
Major General Fl. A. Greene. at Camp
Lewis. Dec1aUes That Sports Are
Most Essential.

Washington. July 2s.--Statements
indicative of the part athletics plays
In the life of the average soldier are
contained In a report that has been
made TO tho war department COM
mission on training camp activities by
Captain T. g. Cook, the commission
athletic director at Camp Lewis
American Lake, Wash.
The report gives a clear idea OF
what the training camp com mission
is endeavoring to accomplish through
tho athletic program II has introduce
ed in the principal camps OF the coun-
try. Comm rtins on the success OF
this program at Camp Lewis, Major
General II. A. Greene has declared he
is thoroughly convinced that athletics
lie a most essential part of the sol
diers' education.
"One has only to compare the ap-
pearance OF this command today with
that presented at the time they re-
ported for duty here to be convinced
Of the value of athletic training in de-
veloping fighting men" said General
Greene Il cannot too strongly en-
dorse the policy of intelligently con-
Quoted training Of the body in de-
veioping the fighting efficiency OF
these men. No matter how willing
and patriotic a man may be he &C.
composites little as a soldier unless
he has q vigorous, sound, athletic
body"
According to Captain Cooks report
there are between forty and fifty base
ball diamonds In various part of the
camp, and 1a3 baseball teams repre-
senting various companies use them
daily. There are two baseball
leagues. containing ten regimenta
teams each, which play every week
The Three Hundred and Sixty first
regiment has seventeen teams COM
pletely equipped from cleats 20 gloves;
fifteen company teams. officers teams
and the regfmental team. The Camp
Lewis baseball team. which In com
posed largely OF ex-major league play
ers. and is divisional organization
plays two games weekly with teams
from the Pacific International Coast
lea que.
Richie Doing His Bit.
Willie Richie. representing the
training camp commission. is In
charge of boxing at Camp Lewis. He
has approximately 500 assistant in.
structors who have been trained in
khe fsstic art for the past six months
These men in turn teach boxing u
groups of men from Atty 20 seventy.
five in number At the Camp Lewis
boxing championship. held the first
week in June. nfty-seven bouts were
staged
desl Of attention at Camp Lewis. Last
Football also comes In for great
fall sixteen teams participated in the
sport and each regiment and a large
number of company units were rep
resented, Two hundred and twenty
Ave basketball teams also were or.
ganized In the camp. Track meets are
popular among the soldiers. In June
"a meet was held in which Tsa soldiers
took part before an audience es.i-
mated at more than 10000
Through the training camp commits
sion, Camp Lewis field has beer
equipped with a grandstand and
hleachers and clubhouse with
lockers. shower baths. etc. The
Camp Lewis arena has a one-thirt
mile track and seating capacity oil
10000. At the present time there are
ten tennis courts, and several more
are to be erected within short time
Various impromptu games are en-.
gagged In at all times. the report con.
cludcs. General Greene. whose
slogan Is Athletics for Every Man,
set aside one hour daily-3:30 to 4 80
for recreative athletics, and IL Is A
woude#fai sight. according to Captain
Cook. TO pass along the parade grounds
at this hour and see from 10000 to
10000 men engaged In various forms
OF athletics