Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-01-29
NATIONAL ARMY
CHAMP P|ONSH|PS
Countrywide Events to be Staged
in May on Franklin Field
for Soldiers.
Special dispatch 20 Every Evening

Camp Dix Wrightstown, n. j., Jan.
po-Tho sporting world will be treated
to a srcctaclo of the countrys best
athletes. now in army and navy service IN
tapps or at stations cast of the Missls-
sipri. in competition for Intcr-division
championshins at Franklin Field, Phil
adelphia. if plans launched ny Sol Metz
rer. camp athletic director OF Major
General Scott s division. here. arc carried
through There Is now every evidence
that the proposed carnival will bc IN
dorscd by nj least a dozen camps. Col
oncl Wait G. johnson, division athletic
officer, has taken up the matter with the
athletic officers of other divisions and rs
enthusiastic over the outlook.
Ii is proposed 10 have the meet along
in May. Hundreds of school and college
athletes arc now with the colors and will
get no opportunity to participate In the
annual intercollegiate events at Franklin
Field but Mctzgor and Colonel johnson
aim 10 give them an even bigger oppor-
tunitv In the mtcr-dIvIsIon meet. II is
understood here that authorities OF the
University of Pennsylvania are willing
and ANXIOUS TO have tho meet in Philadel-
phia, which is the most central spot for the
carnival.
There is much call in modern army
service for speedy runners and hurdlerS,
especially III one of the new branches OF
the lason department. And army au-
thorities have decided there is nothing
like athletic competitlon to put spirit into
the physical work upon which the oilcerS
reply To keep their men IN prime con
dition Director Sol Metzgcr figures
that the prospect Of Inter-devohOnal
tDf "a
stimulant To interest Of the soldiers IN
athletics than local camp meets. And
incidentlv he EXPRESSES his loyalty for the
18th Division by declaring that Camp DIX
will be in the forefront of the competition
to pull down another Of the athletic
championships similar to those that have
already come To this camp.
Arrangements have been completed by
Director Netzger for the opening OF the
trapshooting tournament for officers OF
Camp Dix early in February. The du
Points have donated fine OUTFIT OF traps
for the use Of the gunners. here and the
range will have q capacity OF 2,4O0 birds
per hour. Several of the best wing shots
in the country are To be found among the
officers, here There will be various
class competitions for novices and pro-
fessionals among the 200 officers who have
already signed up for the trapshootlne
carnival.
Although quarantine regulations have
put damper on mass competition IN the
various sports, have blocked the division
basketball schedule and caused postpone
ment of the boxing carnlyals, the athletic
director finds that in way the quarantine
Is Il benefit as it Is creating necessity
for each company to produce ITS owl
athletic entertainment and Is IN thu;
wav bringing out much new material
Metzger Is running boxing and wrestling
contests In an average OF twenty barracks
each evening with the assistance oI
regimental and company athletic officer
and the athletic secretaries Of the various
Y NJ. c. A. huts.
The work of JEFF Smith, division boxing
instructor, has given hundreds of mer
who never before wore a set Of gloves
an insight into the manly art and is re
sponsible for the ease with which bouts
are being arranged The material that il
developing among New York, New
Jersey and Delaware boys In the division
the various sports leaders figure, vii
permit the organization of some of th'
best athletic carnivals ever witnessed II
the United States.