Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-10
RECRUIT " DIRECTORS
FROM ALL WALKS or LIFE
One Result OF War Will BE 10 Make
America Great "Play"
Nation.
REDUCE CLASS OF "sToUTs'
Middlc-Agcd Men Who Run to Stom.
acE aud Fat Will BE Given Oppor-
tunity to Timber Up After Epi-
dcmic OF "Charley Horse"

NEW YORK, November e.-Whcn lJr.
George J. Fisher. director of physical
education in tho y. NJ c.. predicted
last spring that one result Of the
war would be the making of tho
United States into a great play ma
ton he based his prediction on the
sports program that had been set UP
by tho y. NJ. G. 4. for the recreation
Of American soldiers. program In
which the Knights OF Columbus and
are nov cooperating. lie took
account at that time of the tremendous
revival of interest In active. healthy
country among the men OF the last
This revival of interest is empha-
investigation of the types OF men who
are being recruited to go overseas AS
sports leaders. When DR.. Fiber
ers were called physical dtTsetors. ari
such men as Plat Adams: the Olympic
champion jumner; Jaci. Masee trainer
pert on athletic field construction and
newspaper writer. and numerous uni
versfty and 4. a. Z. athletes of other
days went overseas in the advance
guard.
Hundreds OF thousands OF dollars
have been spent for eQuiRment and
for the cnm ing year the y. NJ. G. a.
has appropriated more than a million
dollars to keen the fighting men SIP
piled with baseballs. footballs, soccer
bai!s. gloves. initts. bats. boxing gloves
and so on almost without limit.
ARMY FIGHTS BETTER
BECAUSE 1T CAN PLAY
Thus far tho story OF the athletic
program designed to mako the Ameri-
can army q better fighting army through
making it n better playing army fol-
lows the original specifications. But
there the analogy halts and n discus
sion of the personnel or the men who
"a n frfs tod st-s1
for the carrying out Of the program
reveals how great may become the in
terest In sports among men OF all ages
College, in Springfield. Mass. where
all the men are trained for their
duties overseas. recent conference
from twenty-five States and forty-Hve
feasicnal niS o. business anu pro-
). Only four Of them have made a,h-
Of the others. all OF them are over
military age, as the ''Y" may recruit
no other. nineteen wero statesmen. nine
were teachers and two more gave UP
positions as superlntendents Of schools:
there were five newspapermen. six
lawyers. an exporter and an importer
estate men. three printers. three
theatrical men. n photographer. dent
list. decorator. pharmacist. an organ
manufacturers. man who said that he
was in the. granite business and
another. who deals in marble. William
RI. Bau: in charge of recruiting. is
careful to state that the men OF marble
and granite were not selected because
OF any feeling that the men who would
come under their supervision were not
smart athletes.
parent!y evaded the recruiting COM
mittee. which seeks song leaders who
are filling. a new and important role
in the making of singing army and
in the making of more efficient work
men In the industrial plants at home
In the same way an automobile man
at time when the "Y" motor transport
department needs 100 men a month 10
drive and repair the more than COO
the distribution OF the millions OF
dollars worth OF comforts which are
supplied to the army.
HOW SPRINGFIELD'S
"STOUTS" ARE REDUCED
After a month at Springfield the
fat OF the forties and fifties has be-
gun to disappear and ten years has
been removed from the lives of these
fight. but are not too old to feel the
inspiration of patriotism. and get into
the war game with their sons and
younger brothers.
But these ten years have not been
removed painlessly. Under the stiff
driii OF the first week charley horse
becomes general. Soon. however FAB
-
who ran around the campus putting
NE porpoises get back some OF their
old-time wind Appeti;es such as they
nave not had I'm years make inroads
in the plain fare set before them by the
c,ommissary that plunges that culinary
lisnitary into the depths OF despair.
The candidates are now ready to learn
and take part in nearly ninety dif-
terent games. ranging from baseball.
soccer; basi etball and vollny ball 10
the elementary swat tag and Other
childhood sports which are capable OF
being adapted to the need of mass
ath!etlcs. One OF the fundamentals OF
the "" program in the army is that
soldiers obtain greater benefits from
taxing part in sports than in watch
And thus the men who wear the
uniform OF the Y. M. c. A. and tho
Knights OF Columbus. by reviving Their
own athletic activities and impartins
their keen Interest TO the fiehtinr mon.
arc doing their par. toward winning
me war. And when tie war is won
old and Young will conc bnc' iogether
70 justify DR.. Fishers prediction that
the United States IS destined TO be-
come great PLAY nation: as play has
ne!peH II make better fighters out Of
raw recruits. SO will play make NOR"