Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-22
ATHLETICS PLAYING BIG PART IN LIFE
OF AMERICAN SOLDIERS THAT ARE OVER
THERE FIGHTING FOR AMERICAS HONOR

The following letter was sent
from France TO the national war work
council Of the Young Mems Christian
association by correspondent of
that organization:
Paris, Jan. Baseball, football
and the usual field and track events
are being pushed into the background
among the American troops in France.
They are still played and as popular
as ever, but there is not room enough
for all of the men who want to play.
To meet this need, mass athletics
has been invented by a group OF
Young Mems Christian association
workers including DR.. James H. Nc
Curdy Of Springfield. Mass, director
of Y. NJ. c. A. athletics in France; Pro-
fessor James Naismith, professor OF
physical education and hygiene at the
University of Kansas, Lawrence. Kan,
and inventor of basketball; DR.. George
L. Meylan, professor Of physical edu-
cation at Columbia university, and DR..
p. Y. Best, director Of physical educa-
ton of the Y. NJ. c. A. of Newark, N. J.
Not only whole companies but entire
regiments take part ana enter into
competition with other companies and
regiments.
The army heads demand that every
man shall be given a chance to take
part in the sports. This was impos-
sible with the older sports as compar-
atively few men may play at time
and considerable practice is required
to make good team.
1t will come as surprise to many
to know that the American troops
landing in France are now marched
directly from the transports to ath-
letic fields where they are put through
inter-regimental contests. These
games iron out the kinks acquired or
shipboard. Chauncey P. Hubert, The
writer, who was present when the first
games were played, gives a detailed
account of them as follows:
The great convoy had come into
port The official inspections ant
examinations had been made and Wis
its had been paid. The ships were
lined up along the docks. Great gang
ways and smoke-grey ladders were
lying ready for use.
The decks were damned with Amer
lean soldiers anxious to land and fol
the joy of unrestricted freedom o
bodily movement. A naval officer &C
companied by several soldiers came
aboard. There were few minutes o
parley and simultaneously the bands
on each ship began to play.
r1o IL,
marched the men as on parade. Fol
lowing it's own band each compan.
took up its allotted space in a grea
level field a short way from thu
docks. The schedule for the frs
hour called for ,440 men.
There they stood in columns 0
files, 20 men to a file, eight files to ;
company. Between company files wa
lane six feet wide.
; The men looked about curiously ant
with interest This certainly started
differently from any drill they had ha,
SO far experienced. Across the tiel
: 200 yards away stood line of stakes
each company's flag being attached t
the stake directly in front Of it.
The first man in each file was stand
ing behind rope pegged down in
small ditch. Six feet beyond and par
allel to it stretched another rope TIL
men became more and more curious a
they took in these details. A small
group of Y. NJ. c. A. men and officer
were consulting together in the mids
of the field. Suddenly whistle BILE,
and the little central groups scattere
, to all corners of the field. =, The com
handing officer of each company too
his place across the six-foot shallo,
, trench opposite his men.
An order rang out:
First man in each file-toe tn
, rope. On command do a standin
broad jump across the trench: ad
, vance three steps from where 20
! land and about-face. Next man i
.. each file do likewise, falling in be
, hind the first man. Each man clear
ing the ditch counts one point for hi
company"
Number One in each file looked mel
vously down the line at the other un
fortunate Number Ones. They cer
tainly were the goats this time.
Toe the rope" rang out the order
.. o-three-jump!"
The line of men sprang upward an
outward, landing with anxious cart
Everyone had cleared the ditch.
Number Two" came the order. an
the second man in each file did like