On this page we will look back at life in the city during the war years. Here we will provide the visitor with the stories making the news, what was happening in sports and entertainment, city politics, the social scene and the prominent people at the time. So, check back often for new editions. To share your family or neighborhood stories, please email PhillyWWIyears@gmail.com
TODAY IN PHILADELPHIA – SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 1917
The rain is gone and today the city will be under clear, bright, sunny skies. Today’s high will reach 84° with the low tonight about 62°. The Bureau of Health released its weekly mortality report today showing 453 deaths last week. That is 23 less than the prior week. The highest number of deaths were due to enteritis and diarrhea numbering 87 while tuberculosis claimed 58 lives.
Weekend parties are being given for service men at some of the area’s finest sporting clubs. Any soldier, sailor, marine or member of the Coast Guard is welcome to attend the events being held at the Merion Cricket Club, the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the Germantown Cricket Club and the Overbrook Golf Club. The price of admission is a uniform.
In national news, Houston, Texas remains under martial law today. The army has announced that all the negro soldiers who took part in the mutiny, rioting and murder Thursday night have been captured. Some are being held in the county jail while others are in the Camp Logan stockade. The 600 members of the 24th Infantry have been disarmed in disgrace and it has been announced the regiment will be removed from Texas and sent to New Mexico. All the rioters will be court marshalled and many will face the death penalty.
In sports, at Franklin Field the Middle Atlantic track and field championships are being held this weekend. All uniformed military men will be admitted free of charge. Also there is bicycle racing at the Point Breeze Motordrome tonight. A 50 mile race featuring Lawrence Collins and Herbert Bedell begins at 8:30pm.
In baseball, the A’s lost the final game of their series in Detroit 4 to 2. The A’s are in 7th place in the American League, 29½ games out of first place. The Phillies won 2 from the Reds at Phillies Ball Park, 15th & West Huntingdon Street. It took 10 innings for the Phillies to win the first game 4 to 3. Bill Killefer’s bunt down the 3rd base line with the bases loaded drove in Oscar Dugey for the win. In the second match “Chief” Bender threw a fine game giving up only 6 hits as the Phillies won 3 to 1. The 2nd place Phillies are now just 9 games back of the Giants.
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