Getty150
Corporal
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2012
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Another reason why Baseball is America's favorite pastime:
"As hundreds of thousands of Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs enlisted in the Union and Confederate Armies during 1861 and 1862, military and civilian officials and journalists from both sides recognized that soldiers who trained for deadly combat would need relief from their endless drills and chores. Among other activities, people on both sides urged soldiers to take up the relatively new sport of baseball.
"The United States Sanitary Commission, a voluntary relief organization that raised funds and supplies for the Union Army, recommended that 'when practicable, amusements, sports, and gymnastic exercises should be favored amongst the men.' It listed baseball among the approved pastimes. The New York Clipper, a weekly sporting newspaper, endorsed games in camps, noting the 'beneficial effect they have on the spirits and health and how they tend to alleviate the monotony of camp life.' It added, 'They also lead to a wholesome rivalry between companies and regiments, and augment the esprit du corps of the same, to an extent that to those who have not witnessed it, it would appear marvelous.'"
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/hurry-up-and-wait-and-play-ball/
Dave
"As hundreds of thousands of Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs enlisted in the Union and Confederate Armies during 1861 and 1862, military and civilian officials and journalists from both sides recognized that soldiers who trained for deadly combat would need relief from their endless drills and chores. Among other activities, people on both sides urged soldiers to take up the relatively new sport of baseball.
"The United States Sanitary Commission, a voluntary relief organization that raised funds and supplies for the Union Army, recommended that 'when practicable, amusements, sports, and gymnastic exercises should be favored amongst the men.' It listed baseball among the approved pastimes. The New York Clipper, a weekly sporting newspaper, endorsed games in camps, noting the 'beneficial effect they have on the spirits and health and how they tend to alleviate the monotony of camp life.' It added, 'They also lead to a wholesome rivalry between companies and regiments, and augment the esprit du corps of the same, to an extent that to those who have not witnessed it, it would appear marvelous.'"
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/24/hurry-up-and-wait-and-play-ball/
Dave
Bringing the