Military Sports

[billrunnels]

I have always been interested in sports, not as a fan but as a participant. I took advantage of every opportunity during my WWII Service time to fulfill my interest. While in CTD(College Training Detachment) Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, in addition to playing in the Base Band, I was on the basketball team for a time which I enjoyed. However, I had to make a choice due to conflicting schedules. I chose band because it offered more perks.
Photo from "Angels Without Wings" publication. I am second from left front row.

 

[Hansie Bloeckmann]

I have always been interested in sports, not as a fan but as a participant. I took advantage of every opportunity during my WWII Service time to fulfill my interest. While in CTD(College Training Detachment) Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana, in addition to playing in the Base Band, I was on the basketball team for a time which I enjoyed. However, I had to make a choice due to conflicting schedules. I chose band because it offered more perks.
Photo from "Angels Without Wings" publication. I am second from left front row.View attachment 503543

Looks like all the lads are wearing white gym shorts, except the one lad, back row far left-- he's wearing black shorts--just wondering is all!! Hansie

 

[billrunnels]

Looks like all the lads are wearing white gym shorts, except the one lad, back row far left-- he's wearing black shorts--just wondering is all!! Hansie

Good observation. I have no idea why

 

[Peter Gunn]

Uh Bill... those are some pretty strange "Band" uniforms...

Just sayin'...



*EDIT*
Just an observation, but you guys look to be in pretty good shape, I don't think I'd want to throw down with any of you at the local bar.

 

[Torch]

Thats because the troops hadn't gone to Gunny Highways bar yet to find out what he's going to wear that day..

 

[billrunnels]

Uh Bill... those are some pretty strange "Band" uniforms...

Just sayin'...



*EDIT*
Just an observation, but you guys look to be in pretty good shape, I don't think I'd want to throw down with any of you at the local bar.

Looks can be deceiving.

 

[mikewint]

In those Olden Times children/teens actually played OUTDOORS!! and TV was rare not to mention most channels didn't begin broadcasting until late AM and ceased before midnight. "Smartphones" were undreamed of and a telephone IF you had one were invariably party-lines. Oh yea, we actually walked or rode a bike most of the time. A car was generally reserved for serous travel except maybe on Sundays as a treat

 

[Zipper730]

I think my generation was the last to play outside

 

[billrunnels]

In those Olden Times children/teens actually played OUTDOORS!! and TV was rare not to mention most channels didn't begin broadcasting until late AM and ceased before midnight. "Smartphones" were undreamed of and a telephone IF you had one were invariably party-lines. Oh yea, we actually walked or rode a bike most of the time. A car was generally reserved for serous travel except maybe on Sundays as a treat

I recognize everything you say for I grew up in the same environment. At this stage in life I value it a blessing.

 

[Torch]

Rule was we had to be on the front stoops by 9 pm, spent every moment possible outside..

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff Bill!

 

[mikewint]

Rule was we had to be on the front stoops by 9 pm, spent every moment possible outside..

Oh yea. Mom would turn the front porch light on to signal the homecoming. We could run around the front or back but had either to be within calling distance or at a friends house. Mom had a 175dB two-finger whistle that carried for miles. My humpy-butt had best be in the house within 10-minutes of that final signal.
I suspect that we spent so much time outside because it was cooler. No one had home air conditioning and you were lucky to have a fan. Remember the movie theaters with "Refrigerated Air". They were a true wonder. For a dime I was cool all afternoon

 

[fastmongrel]

Played a lot of Rugby when I was in the Army though sometimes it was more of a way to build up a thirst than actual competitive sport. Rugby has been called a drinking game occasionally interrupted by 80mins of running about chasing a funny shaped ball.

 

[Hansie Bloeckmann]

Good observation. I have no idea why

Thanks, Bill- no big deal, just paying attention to detail--Glad you found sports to your liking, teamwork wins, whether in HS or in the Military. Hansie

 

[billrunnels]

Thanks, Bill- no big deal, just paying attention to detail--Glad you found sports to your liking, teamwork wins, whether in HS or in the Military. Hansie

I agree, teamwork wins.

 

[ODonovan]

"Smartphones" were undreamed of and a telephone IF you had one were invariably party-lines.

Arrrrgh! Party lines, nooooo! I still remember one neighbor on a two-party line with us. We never found out who it was, but they lived near us. They would stay on the phone for HOURS in the evenings, and we would miss any number of calls. No such thing as call waiting or voicemail back then. Finally, I found a code which was a phone company "test" for the line. I believe it was 11960. If I dialed it, then quickly hung up before it rang, it would ring the other line on the circuit. Instead of a regular ring, though, it was a fast ring which was very unusual for the time. When the person picked up the phone, all they would get was a buzzing sound. Since we could never use our phone in the evenings, I started dialing the test code at about midnight every night. Within a few days, the offending neighbor had gotten a private line and we had our phone back.

Mom had a 175dB two-finger whistle that carried for miles.

My mom had a bell, like a loud dinner bell. We also had a dog, a German shepherd/boxer mix. He was VERY smart and had the run of the neighborhood. He started coming home when he heard the bell because he knew I would be coming home. One day, we saw each other, him from about a block from our house and me about a half block, in opposite directions. We both started walking faster, then broke into trots, then finally each broke into a run. We were both going flat out. He got to the corner of the house JUST before me and shoulder blocked me out of his way to get to the back door first. I swear he was laughing at me for the rest of the evening. A few weeks later, I hurried home to the sound of the bell, just to have my mother say, "Oh, I didn't want you. It was time to feed the dog." *sigh* And so I was put forever in second place to my fur-bearing younger brother.



-Irish

 

[ODonovan]

Looks like all the lads are wearing white gym shorts, except the one lad, back row far left-- he's wearing black shorts--just wondering is all!! Hansie

The guy next to him is wearing dark/black shorts too. Maybe their white ones were in the wash.



-Irish

 

[billrunnels]

Arrrrgh! Party lines, nooooo! I still remember one neighbor on a two-party line with us. We never found out who it was, but they lived near us. They would stay on the phone for HOURS in the evenings, and we would miss any number of calls. No such thing as call waiting or voicemail back then. Finally, I found a code which was a phone company "test" for the line. I believe it was 11960. If I dialed it, then quickly hung up before it rang, it would ring the other line on the circuit. Instead of a regular ring, though, it was a fast ring which was very unusual for the time. When the person picked up the phone, all they would get was a buzzing sound. Since we could never use our phone in the evenings, I started dialing the test code at about midnight every night. Within a few days, the offending neighbor had gotten a private line and we had our phone back.



My mom had a bell, like a loud dinner bell. We also had a dog, a German shepherd/boxer mix. He was VERY smart and had the run of the neighborhood. He started coming home when he heard the bell because he knew I would be coming home. One day, we saw each other, him from about a block from our house and me about a half block, in opposite directions. We both started walking faster, then broke into trots, then finally each broke into a run. We were both going flat out. He got to the corner of the house JUST before me and shoulder blocked me out of his way to get to the back door first. I swear he was laughing at me for the rest of the evening. A few weeks later, I hurried home to the sound of the bell, just to have my mother say, "Oh, I didn't want you. It was time to feed the dog." *sigh* And so I was put forever in second place to my fur-bearing younger brother.



-Irish

One thing about the party line you could keep up on the gossip. My mother used a bell as well. Thanks for sharing.
.

 

[billrunnels]

Oh yea. Mom would turn the front porch light on to signal the homecoming. We could run around the front or back but had either to be within calling distance or at a friends house. Mom had a 175dB two-finger whistle that carried for miles. My humpy-butt had best be in the house within 10-minutes of that final signal.
I suspect that we spent so much time outside because it was cooler. No one had home air conditioning and you were lucky to have a fan. Remember the movie theaters with "Refrigerated Air". They were a true wonder. For a dime I was cool all afternoon

The theater was the only air conditioned building in town. Some times you needed a jacket

 

[billrunnels]

Arrrrgh! Party lines, nooooo! I still remember one neighbor on a two-party line with us. We never found out who it was, but they lived near us. They would stay on the phone for HOURS in the evenings, and we would miss any number of calls. No such thing as call waiting or voicemail back then. Finally, I found a code which was a phone company "test" for the line. I believe it was 11960. If I dialed it, then quickly hung up before it rang, it would ring the other line on the circuit. Instead of a regular ring, though, it was a fast ring which was very unusual for the time. When the person picked up the phone, all they would get was a buzzing sound. Since we could never use our phone in the evenings, I started dialing the test code at about midnight every night. Within a few days, the offending neighbor had gotten a private line and we had our phone back.



My mom had a bell, like a loud dinner bell. We also had a dog, a German shepherd/boxer mix. He was VERY smart and had the run of the neighborhood. He started coming home when he heard the bell because he knew I would be coming home. One day, we saw each other, him from about a block from our house and me about a half block, in opposite directions. We both started walking faster, then broke into trots, then finally each broke into a run. We were both going flat out. He got to the corner of the house JUST before me and shoulder blocked me out of his way to get to the back door first. I swear he was laughing at me for the rest of the evening. A few weeks later, I hurried home to the sound of the bell, just to have my mother say, "Oh, I didn't want you. It was time to feed the dog." *sigh* And so I was put forever in second place to my fur-bearing younger brother.



-Irish

My pal was a goat "billy whiskers" no less. An uncle made a harness and two wheel cart. He would drive like a horse. Also played "hide and seek". Unfortunately, he ate part of the neighbors sheet off the close line and some of her flowers. "Billy Whiskers" disappeared one day.