Evening star., 1940-09-23
Elaborate Program
Of Sports Devised
Al Army Camps
100000 Distributed
By Morale Division
To Buy Equipment
.Assoclstcd Press.

q, the Associated Press.
rORT BENNING, Ga. Sept. 23.-
r1,or the first conScripts begin
1:ntl;np viii into training camp they'll
u, wv H Uncle Sans Army thinking
III. or,,s of entertainment and rec
,+ion III as we'll as the manual of
d. uere at the Army's largest in
..n+rv training school, and at forts
la nosts throughout the Nation,
s.t,Isfic an and recreation officers are
s s"sv with a diversified program Of
'p Tho program operates under a
.,r,v created morale division Of
!so l adm,ant generals office, and as
". .n ARMY is sWelled by National
omordsmrn cM and selective service
.ro,npes il will extend to every
.snt camp and cantonment of the
service. ,
Tho morale division has distributed
,o6o OOO to corps areas for purchase
~ recreational equipment for base
vii football Softball. badminton,
living and other sports. Additional
trnds-up 10 $4,000 year at some
NJ the larger units-are obtained
from cut in profits Of post ex-
changes and motion picture the
| orers Besides this. each troop and
bortev or company usually sup
| sor,s Team in each major sport,
and NAV contribute up to S400 a
wear 10 the athletic fund.
Big Attendance at Games.
Fort Benning'S post football team
nlayed nlne games last fall, with an
average attendance of 5000 per
rame-eQuiyalent at the time to so
ner cent Of the post population.
since then the post has been ex-
handed from 5000 to $4,000. with
corresponding participation in both
major and minor sports.
BoylnC rates tops with the soldiers
Las. wear 200 men participated
actively in the Fort Benning ring
nrocran. A total of IA cards were
drawn by Capt. A. T. Wilson, post
athletic and recreation officer, with
capacitv houses of $500 for each
one
Competition, for the most part, is
restricted to -reeimental COM
pe,tion. but few individual fight
ers are permitted to meet civilian
boxers
Civilians are admitted to all sports
events. usually on payment of from
Is TO 50 cents. The soldiers uni
form admits him free.
As a rule the Army classifes
sports according to the size of the
unit participating and the facilities
available.
Wide Participation Encouraged.
Company sports includes swim
ming, hunting. fishing. softball,
tumbling. tennis, horseshoe pitch
ing. boxing and touch-football
Company commanders are directed
to encourage as many men as posi-
bic to participate in these sports.
which are allotted four afternoons
each week.
In the next higher unit, baseball,
soccer and boxing are designated
as battalion sports.
The regimental sports are base
ball, basketball and boxing. with all
participants excused from after
noon duties for the period their
sport is active. Regimental boxers,
who undergo rigorous training
grind, usually are assigned military
duties in the morning only. with
afternoons and evenings left for
ring and road work.
Recently the morale division al
!otted $4,000 to Fort Benning for
construction of additional athletic
fields, bleachers, boxing rings and
purchase of athletic equipment. Be-
SIDES the regular sports facilities,
swimming pool-one Of the finest in
the South-is available to the en-
listed men from May 20 to Septem-
ber 90 This, like similar pools at
Fort Knox and elsewhere on large
reservations. was built by the post
athletic association.
At Fort Knox they tried six-man
football for a while, but dropped it
when the boys decided it was too
slssy Softball goes we'll on some
reservationS-as at Fort Benning.
Baseball gets a big hand every
where At Fort Benning 200 play
ers participated in the post intra-
nural league this summer, with
doubleheaders each Wednesday,
Saturday and Sunday. Crowds av-
eraeod 1000 for each game.
Golf Courses at Larger Posts.
A. the larger posts you'll likely
find an I8hole golf course. but you
might as we'll leave your clubs home
when YOUR number comes up. Dur
Ing your training period there'll be
50 much to learn about being a SOL