Chapter NINE: Athletics

A shortage of some mine parts that had encountered difficulty in manufacture now delayed the preparation for a second excursion, and the respite came opportunely, for we had been driving hard for some time.

Though the minelayers were comfortable enough to live in when empty, it was quite different with mines on board. Then only a few of the men could swing their hammocks, the others having to lie on the decks. Crowding the mess tables together, horns and sharp corners ever ready to tear the clothes, mines were constantly at one’s elbow, and everywhere were mine tracks, half-knee high, or turntables, to trip the unwary or bark his shin. No smoking was allowed below decks, and the space above decks was very limited for crews so numerous. The men made no complaint—such men will not complain of discomfort which seems temporary and unavoidable, when incident to an undertaking that interests them—but since the discomfort could not be alleviated but, on the contrary, would increase with the frequency of excursions and with inclement weather, sufficient diversion was imperative to maintain the fine, cheerful spirit which had characterized the work so far.

Let the report on squadron athletics, written at the end of September by Ensign Walter P. Hanson, U.S.N.R.F., editor of our _Athletic Bulletin_, tell what was done, in true sporting page style:

The situation was new, practically unparalleled, and called for
immediate action. With the exception of the _San Francisco_ and
_Baltimore_, none of the ships had the traditional atmosphere
of a man-of-war, so essential to the building up of _esprit
de corps_. It was a new squadron, manned largely by new men,
performing a new operation in strange waters. Something was
needed to weld this war-sprouted organization into a solid,
indissoluble unit, to build up ship spirit and a high squadron
spirit, recalling old traditions and laying the foundation for
new ones, to fire the men’s enthusiasm to a pitch that would
insure the success of the gigantic operation in hand and spell
defeat for the German submarine forces.

There were other just as important reasons why an athletic
organization was necessary. Minelaying in contested waters is
not the easiest nor the least dangerous of duties. To eat,
sleep and work in close proximity to tons of the deadliest
explosive known, and then to cruise day and night in submarine
infested waters with this same explosive for cargo—knowing that
one well-aimed torpedo, a well-placed mine, or a few enemy
shells, would wipe out an entire ship’s company, and possibly
the whole squadron—is not exactly the sort of recreation a
worn-out business man would seek as a cure for “nerves.” And
blue-jackets, despite a common fallacy in America, are no more
than human. Numerous mining excursions, with no intervening
periods of recreation, were bound to tell on the men.

Relaxation and amusement they would get in one form or another.
Where were they to turn for it? To the theaters and amusement
centers of two Scotch, war-stricken villages? They were almost
a myth and couldn’t hold a man-sized blue-jacket’s attention
for half an hour a week. What then—the Y.M.C.A.? Yes, to some
extent, but even those faithful workers couldn’t solve the
problem. Active amusement the men wanted, excitement, thrills,
anything to take their minds off their work for a few hours
several times a week when they went ashore.

Obviously there was but one answer to the question and that was
the healthful recreation of organized, competitive athletics.
Athletics of all sorts and forms, teams organized on each
ship, and an officially recognized and governed organization
to direct the activities of the entire squadron. Spirited
competition and clean sportsmanship was to be the keynote of
the movement, with one directing head, under the supervision of
the Squadron Commander.

The official “season” was formally opened on July 4, at both
bases, with eight teams competing. The initial success was most
gratifying. The spirit shown by the townspeople gave the day
all the ear-marks of a regular league opening in the states.
The games were closely contested and the players, cheered on by
the rooting of hundreds of loyal “fans,” displayed an excellent
brand of ball. Business houses had declared a holiday in honor
of our Independence Day and apparently the natives decided to
attend the festivities in a body, for at Inverness more than
three thousand of them were present, eagerly attempting to
learn the intricacies of the game.

From then on, the success of athletics in the squadron was
assured. When the ships were in port and the weather permitted,
not a day passed without one or more games played. Each team
was loyally supported by its own ship’s company, even the
officers forgetting their dignity long enough to root long
and loudly. In these demonstrations the men were moderate,
considerate of the neighbors, realizing that local custom did
not favor such noise, though indulged now with perfect good
humor, since we appeared to need it.

Athletic activities were not confined to baseball. Boat-racing,
track, tug-of-war teams, boxing and wrestling, were all taken
up and encouraged. On July 4, the entire morning was given
over to boat racing. Excellent time was made over the mile
course and good seamanlike qualities were displayed. The
afternoon track events developed into a spirited contest, in
which the marks made would have done justice to any first-class
American university. Again on Labor Day a similar athletic meet
was arranged and once more the same measure of success was
attained, thousands of townspeople in attendance.

Boxing and wrestling were taken up by the individual ships and,
generally speaking, one evening each week was given over to
“happy hours,” for bouts in the ring and on the mat. Ambitious
youngsters would send forth bristling challenges, which were
immediately snapped up by rivals in other ships and the
resulting encounter was the equivalent—seldom bloodless—of a
naval engagement in building up _esprit de corps_.

Excellent golf courses and tennis courts lay convenient to both
bases, and many a day the Squadron Commander returned from the
Nigg links with 18 officers crowding the barge. The squadron
surgeon, Dr. Rhoades, secured many recruits for the ancient and
honorable game, with the result that upward of 50 officers out
of 200 entered the tournament played in September.

From the start the good effect on the men was noticeable. A
consistently winning baseball team made that ship’s company
the envy of all others, and fostered a spirit that could not
confine itself to athletics alone but was injected into drills,
mining excursions and all forms of ship’s work. Indeed, it
would not be overshooting the mark to state that the success of
the operation as a whole was due in large part to the spirit
of enthusiasm aroused among the men by organized competitive
athletics.

The men and officers were benefited from a mental and moral,
as well as physical, standpoint. They had something really
interesting to go to see on shore and to talk about on
returning aboard. Their minds were taken absolutely away from
war while the games were in progress, their nerves relaxed
and the tension removed. Their activities were directed into
healthful channels, whereas, thrown upon their own resources,
they might have sought amusement in some harmful form.

Not only did athletics benefit the men, it also played its part
from an international aspect, especially baseball. Essentially
an American sport, it typifies everything American—rapid
thinking, quickness of action, and purely American
individualism, coupled with the keenest alertness in teamwork.
These traits the British admire in the “Yanks.” At any of
our baseball games, hundreds of British soldiers and sailors
could always be seen, wearing broad grins of appreciation and
admiration of the cleverness of their comrades in arms. So much
were they taken up with the sport that on some British ships
they began to organize baseball teams, with the hope in the
near future to compete with their American cousins. And the
small boys in the towns were quick to take up playing ball with
a stick and an old string ball. All this helped in creating a
spirit of coöperation and good feeling between the British and
the Americans, so important to both present and future common
aims.