The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-25
FRENCH PICKING UP
IN NATIONAL GAME
~, Il ~
by y. ". COLyER.

by y. N. COLyER.
Paris, March 29.--The presentation
TO The games committee of the first
trophies FOR the great Olympiad to be
held about June at Join-le- Point,
near Paris, brings up the very peril
nent questions; VIII the French army
he Americas most dangerous rival In
the competition? Will the Briton
lose his customary second position to
the Gaul in this meet? Will the
Ana lean be able to hold his wide
margin over the European
These are. questions which IL might
be timely to bring to the respectful
attention OF the A. f. r We are the
organizers Of this meet Cur presi-
dent is the host. HIS gift is the tro-
ply for the nation f1ose athletes
trophy comes from Ie commander
ir-chief of the A. z. F.---4ncidentaiiy,
II is significant that IL IS a purely mil
itary git. trophy for the winning
rife team--but are our teams going to
win these trophies
French basketball teams have fire.
quentiy beaten the Americans: French
soccer teams are quite generally cas-
lily superior to the Americans; French
boxers are holding their own: French
tennis players have scored over Amer
leans. These facts and others, In
Guiding the result Of the relay race
Last July and Labor day, in which
our great Ted Meredith was a con-
testsnt, all bear evidence OF the
growth of athletics among the French,
who herct ofore have not figured heav-
lily in International contests. particu-
larry where Americans were contest
ants.
Theses points are douhIy interesting.
for The fact that the French have
learned their Lessons from America,
the host nation in the meet. Not
small part OF the Frenchman's great
showing is due TO the Y, NJ c. AS
careful and systematic work with the
French army in the foyer du soldat
activity.
The Y NJ. c. A. foyer du soIdat has
firmly established the program Of
American spor's among the French
soldiers and sailors. These are play
Ing basketball. voIieyhall. many mass
games and even baseball The latter
game is really enjoying rapid spread
Of favor. There Is as uprising de-
mand for baseball supplies from the
French youth. Paris sporting goods
houses report, and. It may be only
another decade until the French are
meeting us on the diamond
: All these American games seem to
he I'm France ~ stay. A most certain
evidence Is the recent baseball order
Of General Cottez, director of infantry
and physical training at the depart
Iuent of war. This orders all com
handing ofriTrs of army units to take
steps 10 introduce baseball among the
French soldiers and authorizes the
introduction Of an American into each
camp for the period OF at least one
week 10 teach the fundam entails OF the
game.
Later, realizing that it was an affair
of more than one week, a request was
made that the Y. NJ. c. A. loan eight
American athletic directors TO the
eight schools of physical training con-
Quoted by the French department OF
war for an indefinite period to teach
the American games TO the men who
are to be the future teachers OF ply
steal training in France. These
schools have the same relation to the
youth of France that the Y. NJ. c. A.
has TO the youth of America Tho
pupils passing through them for the
course of physical training are to be
demobilzed and return to their peace
time occupation Of teaching school. In
this way vast number OF French
school children will be reached with
A request has also been made that
the Y. M G. A. foyer du soldat aid
the French government In an even
more ambitious scheme which aims
to establish permanent Fairgrounds
and athletic fields all over France for
the children. for the older boys and
men in the Industrial centers. for
worLnen, The government has asked
that an American director OF athletics
be appointed to work in each Of the
twenty regions OF France with the
French officer supervising the physi-
cal training.
Thus from "A modest start made AT
tho front with the army units during
the war the program of American ath-
letics and Fames has come to be uni
versaily recognized as OF value by
French officers and government off,
Gals,