Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-30
ATHLETICS IN THE
MILITARY CAMPS
Wonderful Success Attends Eff
forts Of c commission on Train
ing Camp Activities.

Statements Indicative of the part
athletics plays in the life of the average
soldier are contained in n report that has
been made to the War Department Com
mission on Training Camp Activities by
Capt. + G. Cook, the commission 8
athletic director at Camp Lewis, American
Lake, Wash
The report gives n clear idea of what the
Training Camp Commission is endeavoring
to accomplish through the athletic pro-
gram 1T has introduced in the principal
camps of the country. Commenting on
the success of this program ut Camplewis,
MaJor-General II. A. Greene has declar-
ed he is throughly convinced that ath-
letics are a most essential part of the
soldiers education.
''One has only to compare the appear
ance of this command today with that
presented at the time they reported for
duty here to be convinced of the value of
athletic training in developing fighting
IN N, said General Greene. Il cannot
too strongly endorse the policy of intclli-
gently conducted training of the body in
developing the fighting efficiency of these
men No matter how willing and patri-
otic man may be- he acoomplishes little
as soldier unless he has vigorous,
sound, athletic body.
According to Captain Cooks report
there are between 40 and 80 baseball
diamonds in various parts of the camp,
and 1913 baseball teams representing vari-
Gus companies use them daily. There
are two baseball leagues, containing ten
regimental teams each, which play every
! week The 361st Regiment has IL teams
completely equipped from cleats to gloves
| Is company teams, officers teams and the
| regimental team. The Camp Lewis base
ball team, which is composed largely OF
ex-major league players and is q division
| nj organization, plays two games weekly
with teams from the Pacific international
al Coast League.
Willie RItchle, representing the Training
| Camp Commission, Is III charge Of boxing
at Camp Lewis lie has approximately
| 500 assistant instructors who have been
! trained in the fistic art for the past SLY
| months These men in turn teach boxing
To groups Of men from 50 to rs IN number.
At the Camp Lewis boxing champion
| ship, held TO the first week in 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 largo number of
company units were represented Two
/ hundred and twenty-five basketball
teams also were organized in the camp
Track meets arc popular among tho sol
diers In June meet was held in which
7S5 soldiers took part before an audience
estimated at moro than 80 900.
Through the Training Camp Commits
sion Camp Lewis field has bccn equ ippcd
with a grandstand and blcachers and n
club house with lockers, shower baths,
etc. Tho Camp Lewis Arena has q one
third mile track and seating caps city Of
5000, At the present time there ar G
ten tennis courts and several more are TO
he erected within short time.
Various impromptu games are engaged
ia at all times, the report concludes
General Greene whose slogan is "Ath-
letics for Every Man, set aside one hour
daily 2 2n 70 4 30-f for recreativo at :