Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-03-16

Greater by far than all the major
and minor leagues, together with the
semi professional and amateur base
ball organizations throughput the
country, a BIAS eball league vaster than
any athletic movement in the history
of sport-Urc,e SANS League-has al
ready started the spring training sea-
son. Little did the pioneers of the bat
and ball game ever imagine when they
evolved the national pastime from the
crude application of "one old cat
that the day would ever come when
. 600 900 men. located over two CONT
rents. would be banded together I'M
der governmental control in the most
universal pastime the world has ever
known.
Just as soon as the, backbone OF
winter was broken and the bright
spring sun started TO warm the shell
SCARED battle areas of France oOV,-
600 soldiers -eioiced at return 10 the
invigorating pastime which they had
played from the time they were lads
on the schoolyard. No sooner had the
snow disappeared at the numerous
environments throughout the Unlted
States than 1900, 600 American youths
training fo- the stern duties OF the
arrny and navy threw themselves threw.
themselves into the thrilling fun Of
baseball
Before another two weeks have
passed every Yankee soldier and sailor
in these camps will be having his
share of fun ard play in a game which
has such tremendous appeal that be-
fore the gri1n war IS ended will have
spread throughout the ranks OF all the
allied armies Realizing the value OF /
baseball in the physical development
Of the men il training the war ana
navy departments have encouraged
the sport.
PLAY Game for Sports Sake.
Athletic theorists have at last seen
the dav when a branch Of sport has
reached tina: Point of amateur perfec-
ton. when 100000" men participate
in a spor, for sports sake. The wide
spread enthusiasm for baseball in the
army and navy marks Utopia in attn
letic erdeavor that pioneers Of phys
ical education have dreamed OF, out
never believed would be realized.
Every bare space berind the battle
lines in France will be converted into
a baseball diamond Baseball equip
rnent IS being rushed overseas 10
meet the demand of the soldiers who
spend their spare moments al base
ball. The game will be played every
where the Yankees are stationed, and
it will not be long before the oe|!ld-
cred soldiers OF the other allied IA
tons who look on and see our soldiers
al play vii! take up the sport, for the
game is spreading like wildtire.
There are more than 100000 men
under military training in the couA-
try today and the commissioners
on training camp activities o. the war
and navy departments want every
single one Of these men to play base
ball. The season is already under way
in most Of the camps. The soldiers
and sailors waited for no official in
auguration and the snow had barely
left the ground before games were in
progress on camp athletic feds and
parade grounds. In fact in places ia
vored with a mild climate the men
have PLAYED throughput the winter.
Plans for the organization OF camp
teams and camp leagues are being for
INFLATED by Dr.. Joseph A. Baycroft
general director of athletics IN the
camps.
Similar plans for the naval stations
are being made by Walter Camp, VINO
is general director OF naval athletics
Each station Will have representative
team, which will be selected by elini-
nation and play out schedules that
are being drawn up with the ANA
teur professional and college mines
from adjacent cities
Need 10000 BaseaaIs.
Il is estimated that approximately
50. 900 balls w!ll be used UP Officially
in the camp games in the course OF
the season This figure is arrived at
by estimating that there are 1900 COM
panies in training in the various
camps. and multiplying this number
By twelve, which is the number OF
baseballs the training camp commits
sion is planning 10 furnish each unit,
IN addition TO gloves and bats. Many
more, of course, will De supplied by the
men themselves, and this Will bring
the number nearer 10000. il is believed.
Any number Of baseball celebrities
have joined the colors since war was
declared and and a nine Of which any
major league city might well be
proud could be picked from either the
army or navy. Among the diamond
stars now in the service are rabbit
Maranville. Ernie Shore, Dell Gamer
Chick Shorten, Herb Penneck and
John Barry Of the Red Sox; Jack
IIeary Of the ST Louis Americans and
Jim Scott of the Chicago White Sox