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Georges Carpentier Is Glad of Chance to Serve His Couniry as an Aviator
Tells of Many Thrills Encountered While Bat
tling Among the Clouds: Hopes to Return
to Squared CireleeWhen War Is at an End.
—_—
By Georges Carpentier.
lF 1 had not been, as some say,
a born boxer, aviation would
have absorbed me even be
fore the war. My admiration for
the exploits of the birdmen goes
baCk.' it seems to me, almost to
my infancy; that is to say, to the
time when such exploits began,
since this aerial sport is in fact
younger than I am.
Long before 1 had made a little
reputation with four-ounce glove&.
{O:g"mgg B teats eotl the avia
no better, { .
Seven or elght years ago, when
my name as a novice was known
only to a few amateurs of my
own town, the first dollar I was
able to save was devoted to a
visit to the aerodrome of Bray
elle, near Doual, where a meeting
was held, the program of which
bore names so modest that I have
forgotten them.
That was the first time I ever
saw an aeroplane, except in the
~illustrated papers, and I was abso
lutely astounded.
To be frank, I envied the ath
letes of the air, and if anyone had
made me an offer to become one
of them 1 believe I would have
D.r‘omptly left the little pugllistic
ring for that other ring of infinite
size which is called space.
Fortunately, my mentor, Des
camps, was there to bring me
back to realities. With that strong
confidencé which always animated
him, he removed one after another
the many obstacles on the rough
road which I had to travel to at
tain success in the art which, a
long time before, he had declared
was born in me.
“This youngster has pugilism in
his blood,” he repeated to every
one who would listen, and to some
who would not.
DOES NOT REGRET
30ING IN FOR AVIATION.
It is curious that, having resist
ed the temptation to quit pugilism
for aviation, 1 eventually became
an aviator. From any point of
view, therefore, I have nothing to
re%ret. J
ertainly | have no cause for
complaint, because, in realizing
what was formerly my dream, |
am also conscious that | have,
within the scope of my modest
powers, rendered service to my
country and, at least, done my lit
tle turn of duty in the terrible
conditions which have nrevailed
for three years. .
This explains why and how I am
now found playing my part in the
great drama as an aviator, instead
of an infantryman, or in the ar
tillery, or cavalry, or as an auto
mobilist.
I have never completely forgot
ten my previous obsession for fly
ing, and I remember the day when
I presented myself at the recruit
ing station in Paris, coming
straight from London, where the
clap of thunder of August 1, 1914,
had caught me.
1 belonged to the class of 1914,
which, ordinarily, would not have
been called into service until the
following year, and enrollment was
many months away. 1 enlisted,
and my enlistment gave me the
right to wear a uniform after
August 6, 1914—the uniform of an
aviator. -
To be quite frank about it, I had
not yet become a real flyer, but
only a motor car driver in the
service of an officer at St. Cyr.
It may be believed that I was en
raged by this assignment. My
burning desire was to pilot an
aeroplane on the battle front, not
an automobile between Paris and
Versailles. It took me many
. months to realize my ambition.
On January 8, 1915, I was sent
to the camp at Avord as a stu
dent-pilct, and on May 21, after
serving an apprenticeship which
was quite satisfactory (only one
little collision, for which the blame
yested on others), I obtained the
long-desired brevet.
PROUD ON BECOMING
A REAL AVIATOR. ;
I felt that no king had anything
on me, to use a bit of slang, and
1 firmly believe that no victory in
the ring could have given me so
much pleasure. But I have no in
tention of inflicting upon my read
ers all the little details of my mil
itary career. However, the chief
items are as follows:
On May 21, 1915, I arrived at
Bourget, duly qualified as a pilot.
A month later I joined a bombard
ing squadron of airplanes at the
battle frcnt. In the regular course
of duty 1 was sent out on scouting
work, to make photographs of en
emy work and to observe the dis
positions of their troops, and to
make maps. Kventually I was or
dered to join the infantry in at
tacks.
It was in carrying out these or
ders, the most difficult and the
. most perilous in my experience,
that I obtained the citation which
brought me the military medal on
the occasion of the recapture of
¥ort Douaumont, on October 25,
1916. Thirteen months earlier,
on September 25, 1915, a former
citation, following the Champagne
offensive, earned for me the War
Cross, with a palm. :
As I have just said, an assign
ment to the infantry for an avi
ator means about the most trying
work which is demanded of the
flver, although the men who do
these feats remain obscure and
unknown, while all the glory goes
and very properly—to.the special
jsts who fight single combats and
thrilling duels in the alr.
The flyer who is assigned to the
infantry must furnish to his‘fltafl'
vnmo«-rrth(- most minute details on
the situation and position of our
own troops during a battle or oth
er action, whether offensive or de
fensive,
The aviator charged with this
» p
duty must, therefore, fly very low,
80 as to mafntain permanent con
tact with tha troops. He “con
verses” with them by means of
bombs or rockets, the number and
color of which carry well-defined
meanings.
On their part, the soldiers be
low mark out their lines in white
panels and make signals, which
are recorded by the observer with
the aviator.
DROP OBSERVATIONS
FROM AEROPLANE.
As soon as the required facts
are obtained they must be dropped
at once at the station of the com
mandant of the section in the
form of a card properly marked.
‘When this has been accomplish
ed the pilot sails on and descends
some distance beyond, perhaps 100
yards, sometimes more. And dur
ing all this time the enemy is pep
gering him with shells and rifle
re.
There {8 not much chance in all
this to play the grand role. Some
times an artist of the air, like
Pegoud, keeps right on, not com
ing down at all. As for me, I have
escaped unharmed In all my ex
peditions, but I have often re
turned with my machine riddled
by fragments of shells, and even
bullets.
During the battle of Verdun my
observer one day found on landing
that his helmet had heen pierced
by a bullet which passed through
it from side to side. However,
these are the risks of the trade,
and far be it from me to com
plain.
But to conclude with a note
more sportlike, more approprlate\
for an article like this, I shall re
ply to a question which doubtless
has arisep in the minds of some
of my readers, if [ may judge from
the number of those who have put
the questicn to me since the great
war transformed me from,a boxer
, into a fiyer. Where lies my pref
erence—m,\anterest, whether pa
triotic or ancial, being put to
one side?
Put in another way, the ques
tion is this: Were it possible to
go backward in time, which would
give me the greater pleasure, box
ing or aviation?
HEART IS STILL
IN BOXING RING.
1 shall prove false the old saying
that a man never loves the pro
fession which devolves upon him,
or into which he grows, and say
at once that my heart ig in the
ring, small as it seems after the
experiences I have had in the last
two years. *
I contend that boxing has in
finitely more of the spirit of gport,
is vastly more athletic, than avia
tion. N
Leaving aside the leaders in
each class, for they are always
the exceptions, and.taking the
average man, [ assert that the
boxer, looking at him solely from
the athletic side, is greatly su
perior to the aviator.
A man of mediocre value, in a
muscular sense, may be made into
a fair human bird, but he will
never make a’ boxer. The expla
nation of this apparent anomaly
lies in the fact that, contrary to
the view of those who do not un
derstand these things, it is easier
to learn to drive # airplane than
to shift and adjust one's guard
according to the rules of the ring.
That is why 1 am determined,
when this war is finighed, if Prov
idence permits it, to become again
a simple boxer. I may add that, if
such an outcome is not for me,
nothing eould give me such satis
faction as the knowledge that I
served my country as an aviator.
Swimming Stars in
Bi Dgetroit Meet
DETROIT, MICH., July 21.—1 f present
plans are realized, the four-mile De
troit river swim to be staged by the
local Y. M. C. A. July 28 will boast
cosiderable of a national aspect.
Tom Clemens, swimming director at
the "Y,” already has received the en
tries of Luis Grupp, of Pittsburg, and
Johnny Evers, of the lllinois A, C. In
vitations have been extended to all of
the aquatic stars of importance in the
United States, and it is hoped that such
well-known performers as Norman
Ross, Ludy I,:x{\gvr, Bud Walen, Perry
McGillivray and Herman Laubis will be
among the contestants.
A number of local business men have
contributed cups, medals and special
prizes for the first three to finish.
Big Stars Out of
Tennis Title Play
Eight of the ten high ranking play
ers of last year are in the service of the
Government because of the war and an
other is in Japan. With the absence of
these stars and with no championship
at stake this yaer, the United States
Lawn Tennls Association may have its
work cut out to make a success of the
patriotic tournament, which takes the
place of the national championships, at
the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills,
L. 1., the latter'part of August. The
committee is going ahead with its plans
and expects to stage a successful tour
nament.
Kilbane and Leonard
Get $555 a Minute
—
John Shibe, business manager of the
Philadelphia Athletics, is interested in
the plan to promote boxing contests on
the club’s grounds, at Twenty-first street
and Lehigh avenue. The biggest con
test arranged in the six-round bout be
tween Johnny Kilbane and Benny Leon
ard on July 25. A purse of $20,000 is to
be given the boxers, each receiving $lO.-
000, or at the rate of $1,666 a round for
eighteen minutes’ work, oL/$5566 a min
ute, or $9.25 a second, It will be a no
decision contest,
HEARST'S SUNDAY AMERICAN —‘A, Newspa,per for People Who Think — SUNDAY, JULY 22, 1917.
owimming: Mect at °Y' Monday Night
Many Interesting Events Are Billed
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Leading Aquatic Stars Will At
tempt to Lower Records—Pub
lic Invited to Attend.
By G. W. Mackey.
OWN &t the T. M C. A
D Building"un Luckie street,
there is a hole in the
ground 6) feet long, 25 sect wide
and from 4 to 10 feet deep. This
hole fa the ground is lined with
white tile and filled with pure
filtered water, and it is the scene
of the busiest spot in Atlanta
every afte'noon from 4 o'clock
until the last call for’ supper is
sounded by many a patient
houcewife.
Interest in swimming and aqua
tic stunts at the “Y" is greater
this summer than at any other
time in the association’s history.
Mr, Howard Holt has charge of
the swimming pools, and many
men are profiting by his series of
lessons. -
Tomorrow night will see a
splendid exhibition of swimming
staged, and some of the best tal
ent in the association will be lined
up In the different events. The
meet is a home affair for the
members of the association, and
all are invited to attend and
bring their friends along. The
ladies are especially invited to be
present, and they will be treated
to the beat exhibition of swim
ming and fancy stunts that has
been uncovered in many days.
The entry list is a large one and
will no dcubt be increased before
the setting of tomorrow’s sun. The
contestants to date include H. O.
Rogers, Morris Sullivan, Steve
Hartney, Rae Neville, Thec Ab
bey, W. H, Lee, E. E. Elrod, Phil
Schoneck, Ed Jarvis, J. J. Single
ton, E. M. Jones, Jr., J. L. Har
grave, Julian Youmans, George
Manning, L.. J. Anderson, W. H.
Wickham, Norman Fudge and
Howard Holt.
The program will begin with a
20-yard swim, and in this event
a splendid exhibition of the fast
crawl stroke will be shown. At
present four men hold the asso
ciation record of ten seconds in
this event, and an effort will be
made to put this record in the
realm of ancient history. The
plunge for distance will be close
ly contested. Several of the men
who will enter this event have
tried on several occasions to
knock the end out of the pool,
they having plunged the entire
length of the big basin.
The running broad dive is an
event in which the association
record will probably be broken.
In this event much depends upon
the springboard, and as a new
board has recently been placed
in the pool, with 2mphasis on the
spring, the men are almost sure
to lower the former record. The
60-yard swim is long enough to
bring forth some good efforts on
the part of the contestants. The
20-yard underwater swim al
ways proves an attractive event,
and in this contest the men will
glide under the water in true sub
n*gl{h'ir}e style.
exhibition of fancy diving
to follow will be the star event
of the program. No attempt will
be made to elaborate on this
event, as some of the best form
divers in the city will take part
in it, and their efforts will be
well worth seeing by those who
appreciate this attractive form of
aquatic sport.
After the diving contest, several
novelty events will be held, in
cluding an obstacle relay race, It
is planned to have two barrels
1d in place along the course,
%d also a pole stretched across
the water. In the course of the
relay the men will erawl over
and circle the pole, swim through
the barrels and then touch off
their teammate, This is sure to
call for lots of fun. The meet
will close with a fast 20-yard re
lay. The men will be lined up
in two evenly matched teams,
and each man will swim a dis
tance of 20 yards. Thig should
prove an exciting event all the
way through,
With such a program of events
and a splendid list of contesting
swimmers, it ie hoped that many
will take advantage of witnessing
the exhibition. The hour set is
8:15, and all are asked to be in
their seats at that time. Plenty
of seats will be arranged for the
visitors.
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| ABOVE ARE SOME OF THE BEST Y. M. C. A. SWIMMERS
‘““SNAPPED’’ IN ACTION WHILE PRACTICING THEIR
EVENTS AT LAKEWOOD DURING THE PAST WEEK.
S rtville
By WILLIAM F. KIRK.
Soanets of a Shortstop.
I.
| had eleven chances yesterday
And took 'em all without a skip—just so!
| guess the guys who said that | would blow
Will think It over now, but what do they '
Know about baseball? Every half-baked jay
That has the price to sit in Knockers’ Row
Is there to show how much he doesn’t know
And shows it plenty when he has his say.
Eleven chances! That was all | had!
Seven assists—four put-outs—clean and slick!
His Nibs, the manager, says I'm the lad
And now | know for sure I'm there to stick.
| plped a little queen up in the stand
And once or twice | seen her wave her hand.
I,
You get tough breaks in baseball—that's a cinch!
It ain’t all easy sailing for a guy.
You kinda lose your goat—you don't know why
And flooey! goes a ball you ought to clinch
An easy chance, that looked like apple pie—
And then the boneheads holler “Where's yer eye?”
And pan you like some crowd that’s out to lynch.
Today a grounder took a rotten bound
And got me on the beezer, and the stands
Began to knock me like | was a hound
And ask “Why don’t you make 'em hit your hand=""
| got an error from the Official Scorer
And now my nose is sore and | am sorer!
Health Hints for Bleacherites.
NEVER TRY TO HOLD TWO SEATS for tardy friends on a big
day. If your friends can not get there when you do, they will come too
late to save you.
Never pick a quarrel with a man who is rooting for the home team.
Do not slide about nervously on your seat in the bleachers.
Never take your best girl to the bleachers even when she wants
you to save money. Buy her a seat in the stand and walt for her
after the game,
\ Childhood Dreams.
'Mid war’'s relentless rumors
I sit alone and dream
! Of the dear old Boston Bloomers,
A Ladies’ Baseball Team.
They had no airs and graces
To captivate a gent;
Their fortunes were their faces
And they never had a cent
How well do I remember
Each village lady's frown
When one day in September
The Bloomers came to town
The village husbands hurried
To see the game that day
And all the wives were worried,
Though why | can not say.
\h, these are drab and prose days
So of the past I sing,
For girls were girls in those days
And had their little fling.
Has life lost all its humor?
Indeed it looks that way,
For ne'er a Boston Bloomer
1# in our midst today!'
-
As Ed Smith
R Seeslt R
At PPN I
HERE'S no way of getting
I away from the fact, even
though certain wrestling
men would like to do so, that Joe
Stecher is still a big factor in the
heavyweight game. Whatever
may be your opinion of the resuit
of the April mateh in which Earl
Caddock defeated him, the fact
remains that Joe is liable to come
back at any time and while we
wouldn’t predict that he would
ever be able to beat (‘addock, he
I 8 quite liable to beat any of the
others,
Stecher was in an unfortunate
position, He went through a lot
of old-timers with such speed and
accuracy that the public was led
to believe by overenthusiastic
press agents of an amateur type
that he was utterly unbeatable.
Joe was only a kid and didn't
have the poise and acumen of a
seasoned athlete. 1 firmly believe
that was the basis of a lot of his
troubles.
+ 4
Stecher lost to John Olin in a
queer manner that was entirely
honest, then couldn’'t defeat Ed
Lewis. On top of that Earl Cad
dock came along and defeated
him cleanly. Then it was that the
public seemed to get the idea that
Stecher was through. Fancy that,
and Joe not yet 23 years old!
oo o
To my notion, Joe is still ambi
tious and wants to continue in the
game that he is only starting. He
did wonders, far more than a
thoroughly seasoned athlete,
which Joe was not, could have
been expected to do. He beat all
of the old-timers and f.fld the job
up thoroughly and decisively. To
ask more of a mere kid was ridic
ulous.
Caddock, like Stecher, is a
wrestler of rather limited expe
rience any way you take it. He is
a mere junior, as wrestlers run. It
is known that a wrestler does not
attain his athletic majority until
he Is up around 28 or so. But
Cafldock is a great wrestler—one
of the greatest—but that does not
invalidate the prediction that
Stecher is liable to yet give him a
lot of trouble,
Tpwn Raises Coin to
.
Send Star to Mich.
SAGINAW, MICH., July 21.—Resid
ents of Saginaw, who have taken
pride in the athletic achievements of
thelr high school star, Earl Brooks, re
cently held a public demonstration to ob
tain funds to send him to the Univer
sity of Michigan. Brooks is generally
considered the greatest all around ath
lete ever developed in Saginaw valley.
ims father is dead. His mother is an
invalid, Brooks worked his way
’lhrough high school @nd his record at
interscholastic meets has been sensa
'tlnnaL He won his high school letter
for four years in baseball, foolball, bas
lke!bfl]l and track athletics. As a pitch
er his work has attracted the attention
‘of matjor league scouts and his friends
believe Michigan will have another
| George Sisler.
] SRR oG L |
; }
!
Batters Delay Game
-~ Stepping Out of Box
The attention of umplires 1s called to
the fact that a growing practice on the
part of batters is one reason why base
hall game sometimes are longer than
they need be. ‘
The habit of batters stepping out of
the box for little or no cause is gpread
ing and there is no good reason why it
- should be allowed. What 9' meant is
| batters, in a moment of phtulance at
real or famcled dellberateness on the |
- part of the pltcher, stepping out of the
' box and thus wasting more time, i
At the least sign of slowness or hesi
tancy by the pitcher, out of the box
stn’m the batter, much as a peevish
'child might be expected to do. It's a
childish thing to do, any way. ‘
' R —— e e -
Ted Meredith Write ]
! For Running Sh
~ For hunning oes‘
|
| - "AT
| James E. (“Ted') Meredith, the
world's middle-distance champion run
ner, who is at present with an aviation
corps at Ithaca, recently wrote to Sam
uel J. Dallas, secretary of the Meadow
brook Club, to send a pair of 7% K
sprinting shoes to the aviators’ camp.
Meredith can not resist the temptation
to again get into spiked shoes, and for
this reason advised Dallag to send him
a palr at once. Meredith will in the
near future have Saturday afternoons to
himself, and it is his plan to enter some
meets, He intends to get into condition
for the national championghips which
have been planned for Philadelphia next
month,
's Speed
|
‘Omaha’s Speedway
| .
'
- To Be Dismantled
‘ OMAHA, NEBR., July 21.—The Omaha
motor speedway, sald by many expert
automobile drivers to be one of the fast
' est mile tracks in the world, will be dis
mantled,
Several world's records were made on
the board oval, lincluding the twenty-five
mile mark established by Eddie erken-‘
bacher; the flve-mile record by lmrio‘
Resta, and the local lap record by Ralph
- Mulford. Two men were killed while
racing on the track, Dan Colombo,
mechanician for Alvo Franchi, was killed
by a fall of 100 feet from the top of the
track, and Red Milburn, a motorcyele
rider, died from injurieg receiyved when
his front wheel collapsed.
COACHES TO BECOME TRAINERS,
It 18 probable that many of the expert
coaches who have been instructing col
lege and club teams In track and other
sportg, as well as physical directors of
the leading colleges, will be taken into
| the Government service, They will be
| glven churlile of the men in the various
camps a 8 pl yl"hal tralners for the army.
1 BRI
‘College Directors Meet in August
! . .
to Decide Fate of Gridiron
Sport for the Coming Season,
HE question of what is in store
for gridiron 1-nthu§§nm.~x during
the present war crisis will be
answered the latter part of this mnnlhl
when the chief moguls of the inter
collegfate world gather at their
scheduled convention in \\'ualnngton,:
D. C, on August 2.
It is most difficult to make pre
dictions at this time as to just what
action these college officials wmi
take. However, it may be sald that|
their decigion in the matter will
voice the sentiment of a majority of
gridiron fans.
The coming conference of the rep
resentatives of the National Inter
-Icullcgiutfl Athletic Association should
prove the most important in the his
tory of sports in this country. Dele
gates from every college, preparatory
‘and high schoel of the country have
!hm-n invited to attend. |
~ In fact, every individual who nas
any intergst whatsoever in intercol
}lum:no happenings is to be made wel
come at the coming gathering of
moguls, true test of the sentiment
of the athletic world is to be made
On the decision of this monster gath
ering hinges the continuation of ail
mtercollegiate sports.
| Should the delegates at the confer
ence vote for the restoration of ath
letics there is little question but that
each and every school of learning will
adjust its strongest and most power
il‘ul shoulder to the wheels of their
respective athletic band wagon, while,
on the other hand, should the senti
ment of the assembled delegates
prove to be opposed to the revival
of athletics, ilntercollegiaté sports
will suffer a sudden death,
On the final voting of the delegates
hangs the question of whether ath
letics shall form part of the daily
life of Uncle Sam's future fighters or
not.
Difficult to Predict.
It is most difficult for anyone to
predict the coming action of the Na
tional Intercollegiate Athletic Asso
ciation. No canvass, no matter how
thorough it may be, could possibly
gauge the coming action of the as
sembled delegates. In fact, every at
tempt to uncover the sentiment of
the intercollegiate world as to the
restoration of athletics has been met
with a rebuff. Only one or two of the
chief moguls have expressed them
selves on the subject. A majority af
firm that their minds are open fto
reasoning, but when questioned as
to whether it's an argument for or
against the revival of sports, they
are hoping to hear, they reply, “Let
us hear both sides.”
It is safe to say, however, that al
majority of our Western seats of
learning will send their delegates
fully instructed on this point. Alon
-20 A, Stagg, a gridiron and diamond
gtar at Yale some 256 years ago, and
recognized as one of the brainlest
coaches of the athletic world, 1s one
who is firmly behind the movement
for a restoration of all branches of
sport. |
The Chicago mentor has pointed out ‘
the great benefits to be deprived from
an athletic training. Also, he is sure
to offer much argument as to why
such training will help to prepare the
youths of this country to face a for
eiga foe.
He has tabulated a long list of the
athletic champions who have joined
Unecle Sam’s fighting forces, and is
ready to convince all hands that men
of this type are the ones most wanted
in the United States army and navy.
Also, the fact that all branches of
gports are being indulged in by the
eoldier candidates at our concentra
tion camps is another factor which is
sure to add much welght to his argu
ments. Then again, the fact that he
himself has been aceepted by the Gov
ernment as an athletic instructor at
the Pacific Coast student officers’
training camp is another thing which
is sure to add force to his plea for the
revival of sports,
Stagg Strong for Athletics.
It was the determined fight of Coach
Stage which eaused a majority of our
Middle Western colleges to retain
athletics since the outbreak of war,
The same spirit which made his grid
{ron elevens the most consistent per
formers of all teams west of the
Alleghenies has proved the stumbling
block for the hysteria that invaded
Eastern athletic fields,
Stagg is the indlvidual who refused
to abandon athletics upon the decla
ratlon of war. He held steadfast to
the opinion that athletics were the
most important asset of a soldier's
makeup. He is sure to come Kast to
the meeting in Washington reinforced
with abundance of arguments,
Major A. J. Pickering, of the ath
letic board of the University of Penn
gylvania, is another who is open to
his declarations that athletics should
bhe revived. In fact, it was princi
pally to the stand taken by Major
Pickering that the Keystone State
collegians continued all sports during
the past scholastic term.
Hold Big Regatt
old Big Regatta,
Is Official's Advice
MINNEAPOLIS, July 21.—The regatia
of the American Power Boat Assoclation,
scheduled to be held here on August
23-25, will not be called off on account
of the war, according to George Mowry,
chairman of the committee in charge of
the re%mm. Mowry received a telegram
from Franklin D). Roosevelt, Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, urging that all
scheduled regattas be held.
“Should it become apparent later that
the men, especially those employed on
the engines of power boats, would be
more useful in the service, regattas can
then he called off,” Roosevelt advised.
Preparations for this year's meeting
are going forward rapidly and local en
thusiasts hope to have a large field of
entries. Six boats, including Miss Min
neapolis, holder of the world's record,
have been erntered.
|
Alumni May Pledge Sums and In«
. .
sure Support—Material Wilf
Not Be Lacking for 1917,
—— 1
By Lawrence Perry.
ALTER CAMP has studied the
\X/ intercollegiate sitnation as re<d
lates to football and has dew
cided that the game is not altogethem
out of the question for any colleg®
or university next fall. Mr. Camp'sf
findings are herewlth presented: ..
“Thcre are three distinet points fl‘
be taken note of in the considerationg
of whether the important football ine
situations will be represented hfl
teams next fall, ‘
“These tnree are:
“(1) The possibility of sutflolon'
time for practice.
“(2) The question of material.
“(3) The question of sentiment.
“Taking these up In order, ag to th
first—the possibility of sufficient tim:
for practice. At almost all the uni
versities and colleges, the curriculuJ
proper will be carried on as usualy
At most of them military drill and'
instruction will be added to the cur
riculum. This will naturally fall intos
the hours formerly *-vutr'd to ath
letics. But as ‘all work and no play*
makes Jack a dull boy,’ the chances
are that two out of the six afternoons’
might be (with the consent of the
military instructors and the desire 03
the men) devoted to football pracs,
tice, A certain gain would also co
from military drill on the condltl.om
ing side so that it would be fair tor
‘l‘;li.\‘l‘ this practice ratio from 3311
per cent-—the ratio of two days out o
BixX—to 50 per cent, or equivalent oy
three days out of six.”
Material Not Scarce.
“As to the second question—that off
material. The larger part of the two
upper classes will undoubtedly have
lent themselves to the service of the
country, so that the two lower classes
are the only ones to he counted upon.
This would mean freshman material
of last year with perhaps some
sprinkling of the scrub teams. A team
made up from such material with the
above 50 per cent of practice should
be, as far as the standard and va
riety of play is concerned, at the end
of November very nearly where a
'varsity team would be at the begin
ning of the first week in November,
with possibly a little advanced phys
ical condition. Would two such teams
meeting in the place of the usual
'varsity teams render a good account
of themselves before one of our crit
ical and typical foothall ecrowds? Per
sonally, T believe they would. I think
the usual tactics would be acquired
and the physical condition would not
'be bad. I believe our trainers at the
colleges could accomplish this.
- “Now, t 6 take up the last question
—sentiment. Under this heading
‘would come the practical problem of
adjusting expense to receipts. Would
people care enough about such a con
test to attend in considerable nume«
bere? Secondly, would the probability
of such a contest detract frem any
one’s rendering service to the greatelr
cause of country? The easiest way
to attack this problem at the larger
colleges would be to send out, at once,
just as in the fall application blanx
are distributed, pledges for signatur
reading somewhat as foliows: 1 here
by apply for seats” for the——
game, to be played on, November ——,
it being understood that conditions
may prevent such a contest, in which
case this amount inclosed is to go te
the general university fund for the
contination of teachers’' salaries. This
application blank must be returned toy
the university treasurer on or beforef
July 1’
Would Be Prepared.
“By adopting this means, the unf<
versity authorities would know posi<
tively what they can afford to expené
in preparation, and in time to act unfi
derstandingly, and their word would
be accepted loyally if they deter~
mined that conditions in the fall made
it inadvisable to have football. Ne
one is desirous of forgetting the ga
rious business at hand, but a clearer
understanding of the situation would
help on all sides. The chances are
that sueh a course would clear the
way for football and general athletics’
of a character less dependent upon
large expenditures, but quite enough
to furnish Interest and relaxation
from what would otherwise be tod¥
much depressing influences.”
Fencing Benefited
One sport that has undoubtedly ben
efited immensely through the war is
fencing. Here and there throughout the
United States. where the men are wont
to use the folls, duelling sword and
saber for their exercise, has been noted
a tremendous increase in interest in the
anclent art of fencing, ‘
The war is, of courge, responsible :xz
this conditlon, and this is a remarkable,
thing, in view of the fact that the sword '
has become completely obsolete in mod
ern warfare. True, the bayonet still:
plays an lmrortnnt part in fighting, and
right here is where fencing becomes
worth while from the soldier's views
point. Fenelng trains the eye and arm
and makes the soldier quicker of foot. -
In speaking of the benefits derived
from fencing, a French master.of the
folls says:
“Fencing for centuries has been, and
is today, a recognized factor as a sport
and an exceedingly worthy and interest
ing exercise. Moreover, it has been sald
that a fencer can learn more of a ffl"
son in a 15-minute bout than he m lh%
in years of acquaintance-—whether loya
in his acknowledgment, gentle, severe or
antagonistic In his manner and speech,
wise in judgment, quick in actlen and
execution.
“Net only is every muscle in the body
brought into play by fencing, but the
powers of the braln and eye are quick
ened.”
S. AMERICA COLD TO HARNESS.
Running horse racing is pop\l’u in
South American cities. - The light hare
ness sport dias few if any supporters.
5C