Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-24
PH|[A. navy YARD
BIG SPORT Center
v. s. Officials Here Wide Awake
to Encourage Athletics
! for Sailors
BOOST MASS ATHLETICS

The United States Navy Depart.
ment IL wide awake to the fact thnt
athletics play, a very important part
In the young sailors life. Not only
are they n means for the bluejacket,
but they are means. to an end. IN
that they give him that alertness OF
mind and body that IL so essential fos
the hest tyne OF sailor.
This was clearly demonstrated dur.
ing the late war. when speed. clear.
sishtedness and endurance were some
Of the biggest factors in victory. Prsc-
tically every one realizes that whole
some sport is one Of the best mediums
for increasing vitality and for the
preservation OF health. w Co.,. . =
The authorities at the Philadelphia
Navy Yard are great believers In mass
athletics and do everything to encour.
age the men to take UP some branch
during their spare hours. Lieut.. y.
Gulbranson. United states Navy. ass,s:
tant to the morale ofncer, is IN direct
charge Of all the athletic activities.
Assisting him IL an athletic director.
Every shin in the yard and all stations
have an athletic officer. These CO.
operate with the morale officer and in
this way many teams are organized
In most Of the sports. In football.
baseball and basketball leagues are
formed and regular schedules played.
Excellent Athletic Field
The Navy Yard boasts an excel
lent athletic field. which is used for
football. baseball and track. 1t also
has large gymnasium for basketball.
boxing and gymnastics. A swimming
pool adjoins the gym and Is very
popular during the summer. a.. ;.
In front Of the gymnasium there IL
n recreation center, which is in direct
charge of the chaplain Of the yard.
Here the snilorman may take lighter
forms Of exercise. such as bowling. pool
or billiards. There are also ten tennis
cSuIts. which arc used by both ofhccrs
and enlisted men. -,
Two of the courts. located on the
water tower. are made Of concrete. and
NAV be used all year. From this 1t
NAV be seen that the facilities are
on a par with the average university.
During the 1921 baseball season there
were twenty three different teams IN
action. During the first half double ant!
trirle headers were played regularly and
the games had to be limited to seven
innings.
All the men were fully equipped
phcrnalio which is necessary for sue
cessful team. The majority Of the games
were close and interesting. In addition,
a number Of the teams boasted Of some
unusual players. The total number oi
scheduled games. excluding the practice
games, numbered about $50.
Big Basketball Court
Basketball is played in the spacious
gymnasium, which permits six teams to
practice at one time. Usually there are
from ten to twelve teams in the League,
and this sport holds sway for the winter
months.
The swimming pool is very popular,
Not only was the pool used by men
capable of swimming. but corps oi
instructors was on hand daily to teach
the non swimmers the fundamental
ideas Of staying above water. This in.
struction was compulsory to all sailors
stationed at the receiving station who
could not swim. An average of fifty
men was instructed daily.
Last but not least is football. Last
fall there were seven teams in action.
The games aroused the greatest of en-
thusiasm and the sidelines were crowded
with officers, enlisted men and civilians
An average Of eight games were played
by the different clevens on the yard
| gridiron.
All were hard fought until The
whistle blew ending the contest. The
average player was we'll versed in the
rules and played accordingly.
In addition to the yard games. a
number of outside contests were played
with strong teams. the season endins
! with big victory over the strong Camp
Dix eleven. The L. s. s. Michigan won