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WWI Camp Dodge - Famous Visits

 
         
William Howard Taft, former president, was greeted by 3,750 troops and a military band in downtown Des Moines October 20, 1917 when he came to encourage civilians and troops. (Grover 1987)  
         
William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States. (1903-1913)    
           

James Corbett, former heavyweight boxing champion from 1892, coached many of the Camp Dodge soldiers and helped them refine their boxing skills. His nickname was "Gentleman Jim Corbett" because of his charming side. He is quoted as saying "You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round."

 

 

 
Sgt. Earl Caddock "It wasn't many months after he had won the championship that Sgt. Earl Caddock was one of the 88th Division's most prominent soldiers at Camp Dodge." (McGrane 1952) Sgt. Earl Caddock, a well-known Iowa farm boy wrestler, received much of his athletic training when he was an Iowa Hawkeye, then received his heavyweight title at age 29. It is no doubt that he retained his athletic vigor by wrestling during his training days at Camp Dodge.  

Sgt. Earl Caddock, Heavy Weight Wrestling Champion

     

 

In February of 1918 Caddock successfully defended his title against a Polish challenger at the YMCA Auditorium in the civic center of Camp Dodge.

"Caddock went overseas with the 88th Division. After the armistice he was with his outfit right up to the port of embarkation when, on the day the unit was to sail for home, he was ordered back into France to represent the division in the games of the Allied Expeditionary Forces. There is reason to believe Caddock did not appreciate the delay in returning to his home and family, but he apparently had no alternative. Later he became ill and newspapers of the time relate that it was many months after his return to Iowa before he was himself again." (McGrane 1952)
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