Monday, January 8, 2017 Last Update: 4:41 PM ET
Schofield Barracks, HI
"Great Army Ball Game. - Schofield Barracks, Hawaiian Territory, September 23. - One of the most exciting games of baseball in the annals of army life was played at the Athletic baseball park of this far away Hawaiian post yesterday afternoon. The game was between the First U.S. Infantry (white) and the Twenty-fifth U.S. Infantry (colored). The game was the last of the series in the post league, so far as the Twenty-fifth Infantry was concerned, and in any event it meant that the victors would be the champions of the post and the department for the next twelve months although the First Regiment has two more games to play. (That is, did have, but will not play them now - useless.) Considering the fact that the members of our regimental teams are soldiers and have to perform all the duties incidental to soldier life, their record as amateur ball players is a remarkable one. During the past three years since the regimental teams are soldiers and have to perform all the duties incidental to soldier life, their record as amateur ball players is a remarkable one. During the past three years since the regiment has been in these islands the team has played 54 games for the post championship series. In 1913 played 21 games, lost one, won 20; in 1914 played 21 games, won 20, lost one; in 1915 played 12 games, won 11, lost one. It will be readily seen by this that the regiment has won the banner for the three years since its arrival in the islands, and out of 54 games played in the regular series it has lost only three. Can this record be beaten by any amateur team anywhere in the country, or in the world? the personnel of the team has changed almost completely since 1913, but still we have gone right on producing new pitchers and star batters, until today there is little doubt but that we lead the army in first class baseball material, this is spite of the strenuous duties of these islands. But I started out to tell your readers about the game of September 22. There was a crowd aggregating about 7,000 in attendance at the game, and of all the rooting, yelling, blowing of trumpets and making of noises on all sorts of instruments, backed up by the regimental trumpet and drum corps, and the 7,000 throats of the spectators, this was perhaps the limit. The game was called at 2 p.m. It was a fast game from the start. In the first inning the First Infantry got home again for the first time until the ninth. The Twenty-fifth did not score in the next two innings, but began to pile up scores from the fourth inning on, until at the end of the game the board showed 7 to 3 in favor of the colored boys. All of the scores made by the First Infnatry were won on errors of the Twenty-fifth. It should have been a shutout game. But the men played remarkably well, and with Sergeant Jasper of Company A in the pitcher's box and the great Rogan of Company B behind the home plate, Old Swinton on first base; Woods, center; Willis, third base; Crafton, left field; O. Johnson, right field; Fagan, second base, and the fast and wonderful Smith at shortstop, we were bound to win. But there were about as many good players left back on the bench as there were on the diamond - men who were just aching to get a swat at the First Infantry's goat. The star plays were made by Johnson when he knocked a home run so far to center that he hurtled around the diamond, sat down, fanned himself and had drunk a bottle of soda water before the ball had been found and thrown to home plate. The other play was when Woods of Company F made almost a back hand spring catch of Buckland's fly to center and thus ended the most sensational game ever played in these islands. But the play that made ye scribe sob for joy was when dear old Daddy Swinton laid down the prettiest bunt that ever rolled off a bat - laid it down right at his feet and then beat it like hell for first, got there and scored his man to boot. It would have made an angel weep for more ecstacy. The Twenty-fifth are still the champions. For three years they have been in the lead, and it looks as if they have a monopoly on the cups and banners in this part of the world. The colonel's office at headquarters is one riot of banners and great silver and gold loving cups. We shall have to get a special train to keep away our trophies if this thing keeps up."
Schofield Barracks, HI
"Homeless Recruits to Have Athletic Games - Special Star-Bulletin Correspondence - Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, September 25. - The 25th Infantry camp out on the target range where 300 recruits are housed in pyramidal tents has turned into a real little city, with all the comforts of home, including mess halls, an athletic field, and the latest magazines and periodicals. What is to become of these 300 men is still a question that cannot be answered. The 25th Infantry has its full compliment of men and there is no room in the barracks for these additional 300. One hundred and fourteen were originally assigned to the 24th Infantry and were en route to the Phillipines when the 24th was ordered back to the mainland so these men were taken off the transport at Honolulul and assigned to the 25th. The camp is under the command of 1st Lieutenant Charles Wyman, 25th Infantry, who has 25 concommissioned officers and cooks from the regiment to help him. The men are making excellent progress in their military instructions and when it comes to sports they are more enthusiastic that any other organizations at the garrison. - A Baseball League - Each of the two recruit companies has two baseball teams and these four teams have been organized into a league with Colonel Thomas Cargill of D Company as President. There have been some excellent games played, and the interst that has been taken in the games has been attested to by the noise that comes from the direction of the recruit camp every afternoon and can often be heard as far away as Castner. The Royal Giants and the A.B.C.'s started out to lead the league, but now the Nashvilles have forged ahead and are several game in the lead. The team known as the Columbus Whiffs is playing the roll of rear guard. Lieutenant Wyman has planned to organize a recruit team to play games with the various organization teams of Schofield that are still playing baseball. He has ordered baseball suits of a blue gray with blue trimmings that are expected to arrive next Tuesday. Two players stand out as promising candidates for the 25th Infantry regimental team. They are both excellent fielders and good stickers. One is J.J. Bradley, a shortstop, the other Gentry Smith, a third baseman. - Some Good Boxers, Too. - Now that the ban on boxing has been raised, boxing gloves are making their appearance at the camp and some of those who have had previous ring experience are getting into training. Rufus Williams went out Wednesday evening to look over Frederick Freeman, who came here with a boxing reputation from New York where he was known as Young Brown. They put on the gloves and went through some sparring. He is fast and handy with his mitts, said Rufus and I think we can put on a high class exhibition some time in the near future. Freeman's fighting weight is 158, just two pounds heavier than Williams. Freeman claims to have taken part in 27 bouts and never to have been knocked out. Coming over on the transport Thomas, Freeman twice got the decision on Bert Taylor, the champion middleweight of the 24th Infantry. Another man at the recruit camp who wants to don the glove is Dick Silvester, a bantam weight who will go into the ring at 110 pounds. Silvester claims to have been staged in a four-round go at the Paixx Casino in New York City."