Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 307, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1918 — GERMANS NOW KNOW BETTER [ARTICLE]

GERMANS NOW KNOW BETTER

'Wouldn’t Believe Players Were Anything but Canadians or English Until Game Was Played. Germans held prisoners in France wouldn’t believe the American soldiers now behind the frpnt were anything else but Canadians or perhaps British until they saw them play ball. Now they know better. A writing from the front tells the story thus: The Sammies used to meet German prisoners on the road every day. Once in a while they would strike one who .could speak English—and the story was always the same. ■> “You can’t tell us you’re American,” said one German spokesman. “You’re Englishmen in American uniforms. The Americans can’t bring over troops because the U-boats are sinking their transports.” One day when the Sammies had an afternoon off two ball teams fought out the regimental championship on a typical old sand lot. Working in a distant field the German prisoners “stalled” on the job watching the game. One of the ball players met a German on his way back. “Who won?” asked the prisoner in English. “We did, 6 to 4.” The German gave in. “You must be Americans, all right,” he remarked sadly. “No Englishmen could play ball like you fellows did. I know because I used to be a fan when I was in America.”