Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-20
100000 BOXERS TRAINED
BEST BATTLERS IN GAME
GAVE SOLDIERS LESSONS
Al Many Camps sport WINS Mnde Com
puisOry to Get Men In
Shane.

WASHINGTON d. c.. May 10
Three million and more men were
trained in boxing in the nineteen
months the United States was in the
war. This total was disclosed when
the Commission on raining Camp Ac-
tivitics compiled the figures submitted
by their physical directors in the diff
fcrcnt camps. The compilation was
made at the request az the historical
arm of the War Department.
With many OF tho men in the camps
tho instruction in the simplest moves
beginning. Many of the regiments
had only ono or two men. proficient
in the sport and one regiment at Camp
Jackson WAS able to demonstrate that
not one man in the entire organization
had worn glove before coming to
the camp.
Men close to the boxing game are re-
sponsible for the guess that not more
than 5000 men before The war re-
sclf-defcnsc and onense as the 1000
COO have received in the last year and
a half.
Professionals Trimmed Men.
Boxing did not take hold so readily
in the camps. Most Of them were from
sections where the game o. boxing
WAS held in none too good rcputc
Also they did not see the use OF this
Guns as the quickest way OF dispatch
ing the Kaiser. Slowly the theories
OF an efficient army pcrcolatcd down
through the ranks.
Boring came into is own with
rush. when practically At the same
time the bayonet instructors from
moves in bayonet work were the same
As boxing moves and some OF the best
known and clevcreat OF the profess
sional boxers reported at the camps
In the hrst three or four months each
man worked out. his own program.
come. with exceptional success. Then
III u lntt tF,c 49,, 49,
was instituted at Camp Gordon and
tho work of all the men brought nearer
to the highest STANDARDS.
Compulsory In Mnny Camps.
In many OF the camps the work in
boxing was. compulsory. In Camp
EearncE. Cal. the camp most distant
from the scat OF trouble in Europe
every lighting man in camp was com
rounds every day At Camp sherman,
SO men were given special instruc.
siructors in the dineren, compan les
~ Camp Lewis. ~: men performed
similar mission. These enlisted in
structors continued on with the divi-
while the head instructor remained
IN camp to train the boxers Of new
OF men attained experience as boxing
tea cheers.
Probably the mos, FAR reaching CT
feet OF the work Of the men in boxing
IN the camp was the PRONUNCIATION OF
a new set OF rules. Former rules fail
cd TO hll tho need OF the camps for
aGgrcssiveucss in lighting.
New Rules Were Formulated.
Some OF the Instructors were iuclin-
Cd 10 favor a man in whom they saw
prospect OF future winner under
the former regulations; as against a
man who went 20 the mat" The
rev rules put premium on agrees
svoncss. They gave man who mix
ed II up" the advantage over the
hanger on"
These rules have been tried under
All OF tho conditions arising in the
camps and were the ones used In
selecting the champions of tho Ameri-
can cNpcditionary forces. SO we'll did
tNcsc rules work that several near
champions with tho American cNpedi-
tionary forces refused TO meet the
aggressive youngsters developed in
tho army and were therefore barred
from lighting under the name OF the
American cNpeditionary forces in the
time they remain in France.