George Washington (CVN 73) - Naval Cruise Book

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Sports 203 GW's sports action in the stars were in Med and beyond During GW's six port visits, the crew made the most of their active time ashore by participating in sports with host country athletes. In Dubai’s cooler nighttime skies, members of the ship’s two-time Forces Afloat Championship touch football squad teamed with crew members shipwidc for a scrimmage with a local rugby club. Dubai was also the sight of an inter-ship softball tournament. GW’s softball squad dusted off their uniforms for the occasion to easily win the award for “best dressed’’ team. Earlier in Brest, France, GW and CVW-7 members participated in a softball exhibition tournament too. With 1.500 spectators looking on, GW, CVW-7’s “Air Wingers” and USS Kalamazoo's team treated spectators to what was described by the French as a mini-World Scries. When the players arrived at the field, they were immediately surrounded by the younger people of Brest asking for autographs. This caught a few of the players off guard, but they enthusiastically autographed papers, softballs, articles of clothing, and anything else presented to them. By the end of the last game, all but the game ball had been given away.

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202 Sports

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I m Exhibition basketball in France and a “Run the Ditch Jun run for Xavy Marine Corps Relief during the ship's second transit through the Suez Canal were two more events in which the crew showed their GW spirit. To a packed gym audience in France. GWs most accomplished basketball players showed little signs of rust from tip-off to the final buzzer. True to their ambassador status, the players gave more back to the spectators by signing dozens of autographs before and after the game. 204 Sports