The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-11-09
BIG LINERS EMPLOY
EXPERTS To PROVIDE
GAMES FOR TRAVELLERS
(From the Omaha Beel

tfTOm the Omdud B66) .
Devising amusements for trans-oce-
anic travellers is a serious business. 1t
is developing a commerce distinctly
its own which, although still in in
fancy, already affords manufacturers
of games and sport novelties rapidly
expanding market.
Among the larger steamship organi
cations in competition for high class
passenger patronage are now frequent
ly to be found men whose sole duty it
is to select or invent means of enter
tainment and diversion for the people
using their boats.
Amusing seafaring travellers is es-
sentially new business which has re-
ceived its greatest impetus and de
yelopment since the war. in fact since
the placing of the war-created Aher-
lean emergency fleet on the g.eat
trade routes of the Atlantic and tPa-
cific oceans.
Used to Be Poker.
Forty or fifty years ago, when GRIND
father and grandmother first cams to
this country, or went honeymooning
to Europe, or adventuring romantieal-
ly 10 the orient, poker was the pin
cipal and virtually the only amVke-
ment provided for him, while FOR
grandmother. apart from the narTj5w,
open promenade which she sha1ed
with him, there were tdtting, sm-
broidering and other mild diversions
approved by the fashion of the uid-
Victorian era. But that was wien
steamship companies merely sod
transportation and often in a manner
which suggested that they were roy-
ally comforting a favor. -
he
fic manager considers that for the
price of passage he sells not only
transportation, but the luxurious com
forts OF hotel life. plus all the facil-
tiles for amusement and entertainments
of the metropolitan theatre, the expen-
siye country club, the fashionable
bathing beach, the gymnasium and the
playfield.
other Games Played.
Golf baseball and basket ball are
among the field games now played
aboard ship. The latter two, adapted
especilly to the spacious, glass en-
closed promenades OF the newest lin
ers, were developed by the navy in
war time TO keep the crews of the bat
tie fleets in physical trim throughout
long periods OF constant sea duty
The baseballs used are of the kind
known as indoor. while the bats are
light, slender clubs. Basketball is
played in cages similar TO the training
cages employed in college gyms which
are usually set up on the lengthy and
wide boat decks above the promen-
AIDES on the latest shipping board yes
els.
Golf has been reduced to the com :
pass OF the ship deck accommodations
by means Of a swivel device. a cap
tive ball attached by cable to the swiv- /,
81 and meter which faithfully re-
cords the distance travelled by the ,
bali under the impetus of the golfers !
stroke.
Then there are the bathing pools, !
large tanks constructed of metal, glass
and heavy canvas, in the use of which, /
AZ least in Pacific service, there are
no restrictions against the one-piece Z
variety of bathing suit. Among the
other deck amusements are also to be /
found those two relics of the side /!
wheeled ocean greyhounds ''-shuffle- /
board and quoits.--which maintain ;
heir place because there still are
travellers who like exercise, but moth
ing strenuous.
Jazz Band and Theatres.
Many OF the American liners have
installed jazz bands, and more and
more of them are acquiring theatres ,
i'll which film features share the pro .
grams with vaudeville performers. /
These are some OF the results achiev- !
ed by some of the big operating com J
panies 10 which the shipping board
has allocated ships. in their efforts to
adapt the attractions of the metropoli- ,
ton theatre to trans-oceanic service. /
But in the category of indoor sports !
aboard ship poker and bridge. like !
their outdoor companions, Switchboard ,
and quoits, still hold place and prob 7,
ably always will. 4
II is the settled conviction of ship
stewards that any indoor game, to sue
coed with ocean travellers, must give
play 10 skill combined with a more or
less large element of chance.