The sun., 1919-09-02
LOSES CRUTCH, HOPS
TO TAPE WINNER
Plucky Sergeant Sets Record
at War Cripples' Meet at
Hospital No. al.
VISITORS GET SURPRISE
One Legged and One Armed
Heroes Race and Play
Baseball.

The one-legged 1fty-yard champion
ship and all the honors attached thereto
90 to Sergeant Harry Gray of the So7th
Pioneer Infantry.
Harry's perseverance and ingenuity
s,a Il. for he was but half way to the
finish tape when one OF his crutches
slipped from his hand and bounded oct
NJ reach. The big crowd that was
watching the war cripplee' contests out
side of U. S. A. General Hospital No. Al
thought that his chances Of victory had
bounded with II. But Harry merely
threw away the other crutch and hoped
ahead on the other foot that wasn't
shot up in the Argonne. Miss Handley.
the nurse who was detailed to accom-
pany him in the race. couldn't keep up
With him. Neither could any Of the
other contestants. each hobbling along
on a pair of crutches with a nurse at
his side.
Harry's achievement was the crown
ing feature of a day of marvels when
the battle manned boys that Uncle Sam
is quartering at Fox Hills, Staten Is
land. bombarded their Labor day visitors
with surprise, and showed the crowd
the although the Medical Corps of the
u. S. Army can't give nan back the
legs and arms he has lost, 1t can do
the next best thing by training him
to use what he has left. They also
showed the folks what they showed the
poilus that the American soldiers
never lose their ability to smile and
make merry, for from the parade of
- i.,t- - hof ~ a ~ al
ceremonies to the baseball game be-
tween the nurses and their aids that
wound up the afternoon the affair was
one Of general festivity.
All Take Hand in Games.
It went Off so we'll that the one armed
and one legged boys who had no place
on the official programme took 1t upon
themselves to demonstrate their abilities
BY batting and fielding practice on the
ball diamond. Fellows with one Of their
arms in a formidable looking iron frame
stepped to the plate and swung at fast
curves put over by pitcher with an ar
thcial leg. They showed they could do
more with a bat in one hand than some
Of the big league stars can do at times
with both.
In the outfield men hopping about with
the aid of canes judged flies with
nice accuracy, and got under them every
time. Others with the crutch's showed
that they could steal bases FRI a pinch.
One fellow that had left his right leg on
the Hindenburg line, covered short with
speed and agility, and stopped several
hot grounders with his new cork shin.
When 1t came to throwing, Sergeant
Frank Stockman of Buffalo showed that
he was there with a heave from deep
centre field which was rivallei by a nice
peg made by Private Patrick f. Shannon
u the 353d Infantry.
PrivatesG. ". Corners of tfle a15th In
fantry, who got his IN the Alrgonne last
October. won the football kicking con-
test by lining the spheroid past the place
where Lieut. F. w. Thomas's spectacles
adjoined his nose.
In the shoe race, which was partici-
pated in by two legged patients only.
the lads with the wrapped puttees
looked to be at a distinct disadvantage
and their friends protested. To have
1t perfectly square Capt. Gillickson OF
the Red Cross. who had charge of the
programme. had them all race without
their puttees, so that chances in getting
in and out OF the shoes In the middle of
the course were even.
Girls In Tug of War.
For the medical detachment men and
others who had the use OF all of their
members there were such sports as run
ming high jumps, relay races and shot
puts, and for the men whose legs were
In no condition for athletic competition
there were wrist wrestling matcehs.
There was also a wheel chair potato
race.
One of the biggest joy producers of the
day was the tug of war In which the girl
aids beat the nurses, thereby demon
suating the advantages of French heels
Tor digging In and their superiority over
the rubber soles Of the losing side.
The ether big event that delighted
all OF the boys who sat about In their
wheel chairs or on the grass was the
ball game between the same girl aids
and nurses Just how it finished can
not be related here because the score
last night and was the subject of several
Debates There was some dispute over
TWO Of the innings with the opinion OF
spectators varying as to whether two,
hree or four had been retired before
me jumps called the next side to bat,
and the detailed account of the game
Whlch We were going to print was cut
OUT or the story by order OF the censor.
Anyway, neither the boys at the hos
ptal nor their holiday guests could have
got any more enjoyment out of a big
league championship contest. When
they have their next field day, the date
OF which will be announced through
The American Red Cross. they boys hope
70 pull off nine inning battle between
The armless marvels and the Iegless
WnUhlru ss4E,G a -