Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-29
EVERY SOLDIER
TOBE EATHLETE
Amazing Report of Camp
Lewis Tells of Great Sports
Interest in the Army

One unexpected result of the great
world-war will be that America from
now on will produce not hundreds
of famous athletes, but many thou
sands of them. The let-up in base
ball means nothing serious. being
ordered to carry out the letter of the
law. Meantime the Army camps are
turned into vast athletic fields and
to-day the most significant message
was sent broadcast by Captain T. G.
Cook, director at Camp Lewis for
the War Department Commission on
Training Camp Activities.
His report gives a clear idea of
what the mission is endeavoring to
accomplish through the athletic pro-
gram it has introduced in the prin-
cipal Camps of the country. Com
menting on the success of this pro-
gram at Camp Lewis, Major General
III. A. Greene has declared he is
thoroughly convinced that athletics
is almost essential part of the SOL
diers education.
One has only to compare the ap-
pearance of this command to-day
with that presented at the time they
reported for duty here to be con-
linced of the value of athletic train
ing in developing fighting men," said
General Greene. II cannot too
strongly endorse the policy of intelli-
gently conducted training of the
body in developing the fighting effici-
ency of these men. No matter how
willing and patriotic a man may be
he accomplishes little as a soldier
unless he has a vigorous, sound,
athletic body"
According to Captain Cooks re-
port there are between forty and
fifty baseball diamonds in various
parts of the camp, and 1913 base
ball teams representing various COM
panies use them daily. There are
two baseball leagues, containing ten
regimental teams each, which play
every week The Three Hundred
and Sixty-first Regiment has seven
teen teams completely equipped
from cleats to gloves; fifteen COM
pany teams, officers teams and the
regimental team. The Camp Lewis
baseball team, which is composed
largely of ex-major league players,
and is a divisional organization,
plays two games weekly with teams
from the Pacific International Coast
League.
Willie Ritchie, representing the
Training Camp Commission, is in
charge of boxing at Camp Lewis.
He has approximately 500 assistant
instructors who have been trained
in the fistic art for the past six
months. These men in turn teach
boxing to groups of men from fifty
to seventy-five in number. At the
Camp Lewis boxing championship,
held to the first week I'm June, fifty
seven bouts were staged.
Football also comes in for a great
deal of attention at Camp Lewis.
Last fall sixteen teams participated
in the sport and each regiment and
a large number of company units
were represented. Two hundred and
twenty-five basketball teams also
were organized in the camp. Track
meets are popular among the SOL
diers. In June, a meet was held on
which 785 soldiers took part before
an audience estimated at more than
10000.
Through the Training Camp Com
mission. Camp Lewis field has been
equipped with a grandstand and
bleachers and a club house with
lockers, shower baths. etc. The
Camp Nevis arena has a one-third
mile track and seating capacity of
10000. At the present time there
are ten tennis courts and several
more are to be erected within a
short time.
Various impromptu games are en-
gagged in at all times, the report
concludes. General Greene, whose
slogan is, Athletics For Every
Man" set aside one hour daily
$50 to 4.30-for recreative athletics
and 1t is a wonderful sight, accord
ing to Captain Cook. to pass along
the parade grounds at this hour and
see from $4,000 to 10000 men en-
gagged in various forms of athletics.