The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-28
DODGE men WON
Funston Athletes Also Covered
Themselves With Glory.
Officers Made Great Showing in
Bayonet Drill at X. c.

II ndtIefeQ lltIle 10 the 0,UUV per
sons attracted to Convention hall here
actual competitive exhibition ever
staged by national army men that
Camp Dodge won seven of the thlr-
teen contests and was awarded $3.50
breaks in two others. Camp Funston,
in defeat, drew it's glory All for
Uncle SAM
To the spectators, the marvellous
development of men; the change that
has been worked in the boy plucked
from the corn field; the upheaval in
the lad called from the bank: the Won
derful results of training-all these
greedily were applauded by the audi
ence. Competition brought applause
But the lightning speed of the bayonet
thrust, the bulls eyes" hung up by
the hand grenade hurlers and the evil
dence that Americas young manhood
in the training camps is in the pink
of condition was forced to realization.
Dodge Men Took Lead.
The men of Dodge started a ram
page in the win column in the initial
contest when Private Jack Burke,
cousin of the eminent Mike Gibbons,
boxing instructor at Dodge and the
worlds premier middleweight, pum-
melled Billy Rice of Funston and for
merly of Kansas City thru four rounds
to a decision. Dodge continued sue
cessfully in the win column from Fun
Private Earl Caddock, claimant OF
the worlds wrestling title and ma
tional army member wearing the
Dodge colors, was the 1um1nary OF the
ring events. Caddock won from his
Funston opponent in lis and later
grappled thru a ten-minute exhibition
with Joe Cuneen, a Kansas City Atm
letic club mat artist A surprise OF
the ring events was the exhloltloh
staged by : Private Tyler Weltmer'
eff
who boxed in local circles under the
moniker of Tyler Thomas, and Sergt-
Billy Roach of Dodge. The fracas re-
suited in a draw, according to Referee
Harry Brewer and the spectators ana
pleased all except few Weitmer ao-
lI.irers.
The ring contests and those on the
padded mat, however, failed to meas
ure up to the standard set by sixteen
Funstonites stepping thru bayonet
exhibition under direction OF Lieut..
B. Baumber. a British army bayonet
expert Many of the men wore en-
bIems of commissions on their shirt
collars and the manner in which they
sped thru the difficult series of ex-
ercises bespoke the labor spent in
gaining their spurs"
Was Wonderful Exhibition
The sixteen sprinted from one sec
ton of floor to another. They shot
glistening steel into imaginary foes
and the spectators drew mental pic
lures of victims and even gore. But
the only gore spilled was lost by
husky boxer when he walked into the
hefty poke of padded fist. Never
theless, kansas City received men
tai taste of the experiences it's native
sons are going thru. And Kansas City,
or that portion that sat in Conven-
ton hall. shuddered at the sight and
the thoughts.
Bill Sherman put it right. The
Boches, too, know a few tricks about
this game Bill Sherman cussed, but
the allies are acquiring the linden
burg education and a few additional
tricks and are not taking quite so long
to assimilate the knowledge as did the
men of Kaiser Bill.
Perhaps, there might have been
few stunts that the spectators failed
to witness-but this wassthe fault of
Uncle Sam himself. The fuel COM
mission ordered taps for IL bells
and at 1850 Tommy Cannon, the sill
yer toned announcer, explained. His
words were cheered, but not thru dis
on the part of the spec
tators over the exhibition, for the
final stunt was a thriller.
Teams from Funston and Dodge
were hurting the hand grenades thru
the ozone at an imaginry Hun trench.
The steel pills spiraled high and fell
on a target. Corporal Malone. 353rd
infantry, Camp Funston, was the stel-
lar performer with a pair of bulls
eyes" on his first two attempts. The
were trained by Lieut.. A.
Boucher and Lieut.. H. Pourchod,
French army officers detailed to train
in new war arts.
There were calls of speech" when
Jess Willard, worlds heavyweight
champion fighter, and Mrs. Willard
entered. the hall. Jess entered the
ring late, as usual, it might be said,
but Mrs. Willard led the way and re-
fused to permit her big hubby to talk.
The Results.
Summary
Boxing, 135-pound class-Private
Jack Burke. Camp eDodge, defeated
Private Billy Rice, Camp Funston, 4
decision.
Boxing, 145-pouGd class-Draw be-
tween Private Tyler Wetmer, Camp
Icpnston. and Sergt. Billie Roach,
&mp Dodge, rounds.
Boxing, 160-pound class--Private
Uvick, Camp Funston, defeated Pri-
vate Kiltie, Camp Dodge. rounds,
decision.
Boxing, light heavyweight class
Draw between Private Daley, Camp
Funston, and Private Anderson, Camp
Dodge.
Boxing exhibition, 4 rounds-Mike
Camp Funston boxing direc-
tor, and Private Jack Burke, Camp
Dodge.
Wrestling. t40-pound class-Jsck
McGin, Camp Dodge. won decision
from Private Vath, Camp Funston, 1 5 |
minutes.
Wrestling, light heavyweight class
Private Eselum, Camp Funston, de-
ieated Private Sharkey, Camp Dodge. |
1 minutes, 20 seconds.
Wrestling. heavyweight class-Pri- |
Fate Earl Caddock. Camp Dodge. de- |
.eated Private Cana. Camp Funston