The Washington times., 1938-01-01
.EX-TERP STAR
ATHLETIC HEAD
WITH MARINES.
By CHICK KENNY


One of the University of Mary
lands greatest athletes Of a by
gone day is back in town. He re-
Gently returned from China where,
as an officer in the United States
Marines, he dabbled rather exten,
sively in the sports the Marine
barracks at Shanghai supported
in the way of entertainment.
He is Capt. Joseph C. Burger,
fine football player; a sterling
lacrosse player; and a great baS
ketball player of another day. He
played tackle, point, and center
on the respective teams at Mary
land, and when he graduated in
1925, the old gang who were
dyed-in-the-wool Terrapin rooters
at the time, sighed a deep note Of
regret, at the passing of a great
athlete.
But Burger carried on. He
Joined the Marines following grad.
uation and was stationed at Quan,
tico, carrying with him the rank
of second lieutenant. He played
football with the Marine teams in
the fall of rs and '26, just as
tough a game as he did at Tech
High School here, and at College
Park.
He coached the Marines in 1928.
TRANSFERRED TO SHANGHAI
In 1885, Lieut.. Joseph c. Burger
was transferred to Shanghai with
a detachment of Marines and was
appointed officer in charge of the
Fourth Marines in the Interna-
tional Settlement.
Here football, the lieutenant's
pet diversion, was a predominant
part of the athletic program Of
the arracks. liberalization
games were played, and because
of the great amount of experience
Burger had achieved, was not per-
mitted to play with the team-but
instead was drafted as a referee.
The champion of the interbat-
talon football league was then
chosen to play an all-star team,
recruited from the International
Settlement of Shanghai and from
anywhere else player with Cor
without experience could be OBJ
tained. This game was, until this
year, played on Thanksgiving
Day. Naturally enough, on every
occasion the Marines won.
CAPTAINED TEAM
An outstanding player on the
1896 championship team was
Lieut.. Harvey L. Tschergi, former
Naval Academy halfback, who
not only captained the team, but
also was the best player in the
league.
AS for winter sports, the
Marines played basketball in the
North China League, made up Of
Chinese teams, and two Marine
floor outfits, one from Shanghai
and the other from Pekin. The
circuit was exceedingly fast, &C
cording to Burger. but the Marines
carried off the honors.
Two players in the league and
members of Chinese teams were
good enough to make" the Chi
nese Olympic basketball team,
which competed in the Olympic
games in Berlin two years ago.
JAPS PLAYED WELL
AS for baseball, the Marines re-
ceived plenty of tough competi-
ton, not from the Chinese, but
from the Japs. Meiji University
of Japan sent its diamond team
to Shanghai and easily defeated
the Americans. The Japs pre-
sented a fast outfit with an array
of heavy hitters, sparkling fielders
and excellent hurlers, with plenty
of Zip" on the ball.
Last June, Lieutenant Burger
received his commission of cap
tain and early in November this
year, was transferred back to
Quantico. One of his assignments
will be that of amusement officer,
which includes the sports
program.
But it is hardly likely, that the
Quantico Marines during the next
few months at least, will enter
tain college athletic teams in
baseball, basketball or football.
There apparently is other work
to be done.
But Capt. Joseph c. Burger re.
fused to commit himself.