Existing comment:
Camp Recreation:
For Fitness and Entertainment:
"We want you to learn how to row a boat and how to swim and play baseball and football."
-- Instructions of Commander Mark St. Claire Ellis, Commandant of the Naval Training Camp, Charleston Navy Yard 1918.
All the training camps in South Carolina, whether Army or Navy, made sure that their recruits had plenty of recreation. This kept them busy during idle periods, built up physical fitness, and developed comradeship among small units.
The most popular athletics were baseball, football, and boxing. Basketball and track also had a lot of participation. But these were not the only types of recreation. While many sports teams formed from companies in each camp might be lucky to have a former Major Leaguer or football star from civilian life, other recruits had skills in acting, play writing, and music. In addition, each facility had a library where men could check out books or read magazines and newspapers. |