Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-06-19
TOMMY ATKINS
LOVER OF SPORT
Holds Merry Muscular Carni-
walls Behind Lines While
CannonS Roar

For the first time in the history of
Merry England eight league baseball
clubs have been established there and
the games are drawing multituds of
spectators, who are gradually getting
fond of our national pastime. New
ertheless, the British soldier cIings to
his own and especially to certain un-
common novelties described recently
by man who spent some time along
the English lines. Wrestling on
mules, for example. is one of these.
team event, and It should be noted
that as the war continues the fact
becomes more and more pronounced
that one great difference between
the German youth and that of Amer
lea and England is that the latter
love good, wholesome. amusing ath-
letic sport. while the German has
never been player" confning him
self mostly to "duelling."
In the mule wrestling stunt four
stout men from the transport Sec
tion. stripped to the waist and
mounted on bareback mules, repre-
sent each battalion, and the team
which has the last survivor wins.
Beginning, each man singles out
an opponent from the other side and
makes for him. Four desperate
struggles ensue. and it is easy to see
that whichever side gains the hrst
victory is pretty sure to win. Thus
If Warwick unhorses-or, more
strictly, unmules-a Bedford, there
are four Warwicks left to three Bed
fords, so that. of the three battles
still in progress. one is a two-to-o -one
| affair. In the end 1t is likely to be
four-to-one, and an unhappy business
for the one.
Perhaps the most surprising thing
about it is the kindly way in which
the mules take it. Their opportuni-
ties for biting suitably placed bodies
are unlimited. but they seem more or
less Indifferent as to which side they
favor.
Pillow fighting in gas masks. seat
ed astriae pole. affords plenty of
sport for the spectators. The pole
may not be touched with the hands.
so that there is nothing to keep the
contestants on il but balance. AS
often as not the first blow finishes
the contest. If Soldier No. lands a
blow on his opponents head. over
goes the opponent. but if the head
of Soldier No. 2 is not there to take
the blow, the swing of the pillow is
quite likely to dispose of Soldier No.
l. Alternatively, both contestants
may hit, both miss and both disap-
pear together.
Mopfighting, in which, the contest
ant is mounted on the back of an
other man. also makes an amusing
number. The tug-of-war is always
popular and there is a good deal of
horseracing and jumping. A popular
form of horserace is one in which
the second horse under the tape wins
1t is difficult enough in an ordinary
race on horseback to be first past
the post. but It is said to be much
more difficult to be deliberately sec
ond.
1t is a race which demands from
the winner a good deal of judgment.
a certain amount of luck and prob
ably a self-sacrificing comrade in
the same battalion, who is prepared
to immediate himself on behalf of the
regiment. The horses, brought up to
the old-style racing. never get to un-
derstand the jockeying that goes on
in a race of this kind.
Sports carnivals behind the lines
are great holiday events, and the
crowds of spectators areas interest
ing as those at peace-time events of
the same character. In these holiday
crowds even generals become human,
and the clowns and Pierrots of the
:. a 4 Il. -
pense of staff officers with impun-
ity. There are always a few French
civilians from neighboring villages
and all the children from miles
around.
The guns roll family beyond the
hills. forgotten by the crowd for a
day at least.