Page:The history and achievements of the Fort Sheridan officers' training camps.djvu/360

 ��THE FORT SHERIDAN ASSOCIATION

���EVERY ONE GOT A PUNCH

��It is significant that with the coming of Roosevelt there should also come the period of "boxing." The introduction of mass boxing at Fort Sheridan for the first time in any large way in any American Army camp paved the way for its larger use throughout the whole army.

After a conference between Colonel Ryan, Major Bach and others, the Commanding Officer purchased two hundred sets of gloves, secured the serv- ices of Martin Delaney, Athletic Director of the Chicago Athletic Club, and gave orders that for three weeks every company in the Camp was to report daily for boxing practice.

It looked mild. It seemed like a soft game, the first morning the com- panies marched out and surrounded the reviewing stand. Some smiled and anticipated a restful lark. Then a man stood on the stand and began to walk around, leaning over the protecting rail. He talked and gesticulated in in such a way that the men knew he was there for business. Then four boys from the Great Lakes Training Station took their places on the stand — pro- fessionals who knew the game, both of them. They went through some simple maneuvers — then there was a rush of gloves. The stand was surrounded on four sides by men who looked like boxers. They were paired off. These were made to follow the simple movements of the boxers. Oh, my! — who doesn't remember what happened? Delaney let the rookies take the lid off and every man seemed to think that he was fighting in France. Did they go after each other. We'll say they did. Black eyes, broken noses and

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