Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27
NATIONAL vnRsUs UNION.
The Fight Efetween the Two ri
Athletic Organizations.

The Fight Retween the Two Big
Athletic Organizations.
The interesting fight that ia now going
on in the American athletic world Ia
subject OF absorbing interest to the 50O,-
uOU members embraced in the 400 athle-
NC organizations existing in this country.
The controversy Ia between tho Amateur
Athletic Union on the one side and the
National Association Of Amateur Athe.
letes of America ON the other. The latter
ls the older organization but on account
or dissatisfaction with its policy, all of
the clubs OF consequence either resigned
or allowed themselves to be- dropped
from membership except the Manhattan
Athletic Club, OF New York which il now
whRing 6 bitter war ON the Union eipgle-
handed. The Union has hut TO keep
dignihed front and treat all personal
STRUCTURES of lite opponents with the silent
contempt which they merit End receive
and The result is inevitable. One or the
other body must gc under nnd it will not
be The Union. The latter is much this
larger and stronger body and can afford
to be ina2neniuons.
The Union mas Just published pam.
phiet setting forth GONE ''faeta, Gompari-
sons md explanations on the athletic
situation" which will be of interest to
the thousands of people in this city in
terested in sporting matters. The pam
phlet gives a fGir statement Of admitted
facts from which the following intcrms.
ton is taken, with some added comment.
Previous TO 1879, the New York Athle,
lilo Club, then % n0w, the weslthieat end
most Influential athletic organization in
the United States, gaya the annual anna
teur Championships, but the annoyance
from appeals aud other reasons induced
tho club 10 resign its management Of the
championship games to properly crSan
lied association Of clubs. This led to the
fotnlation Of the National Association of
Amateur Athletes Of America in the
spring OF 1879, and in 1880 il comprised
tho following clubs; Hew York Athletic
Cluh, Manhattan Athletic Club, Americon
Athletic Club, Empire City Athletic ClEb,
Harlem Athletic Club, Scottish American
Athletic Club, Of New York City; Clinton
Athletic Club, Brooklyn; Elizabeth atb-
letic Club, Elizabeth, N. J.; Jersey City
Athletic Club, Jessey City; Olympic Ath-
leiio Club, San Francisco; Painheld
Athletic Club, Plaindeld, N. j.; short
| Hills Athletic Club, Short Hills, N, J.i
Staten Island Athletic Climb, West New
Brighton, Staten Island; Union Athletic
| Club, Boston. In 1881, the Baltimore
Athletic Glob, the Montclair IN. J A;h
let;c Club, Orion Athletic Quo, Of Jersa.
City, pes,aic IN. IT, Athletic Club, Ry'
| rIxI kIxlltn natf 4 Ia
letie Club of Brooklyn and the Younl
America Cricket Club OF philadelphia
were added 10 the list. The association
was national in charaetcs when originate,
hut il soon became affected with dry 10
as 1t became annually more local ia char
acter, and organizations located at Gis
lance from New York resigned or allowet
themselves to be dropped because the
saw no advantage 10 be gained by belong
ing TO such an association. lu 1858 u!
association had d8indied to twelve asst
oiate clubs, falling of Of nine from th
membership Of four years before.
In 1887, there were still twelve oiut
belonging and every one Of these with th
exception OF the Inter Collegiate Atnlat
Association and the Missouri a. A, A
! Htlb tbUfN6u IL VI nhOhk4A AFNW 49,
Every pr5.ident of the organization n
to 1887 was either from New York c
Brooklyn, and every championship NEE
in1 II the association sinoo Its existenf
was held either in New York City, Brood
Iyn or Staten Island. The result waa
foreaone conclusion, such sseltisb pole
fog local sggFandizement practically r
suited in freezing out OF outside club
The New York Athletic Club was one
those which had resigned from the N.
A. A. A., in 1856. Il remained alol
until 1887 when the Athletic Club OF u
HchuyIkilI Navy the n. Y. A. Y
to Join in call for q meeting Of all IL
recognized amateur athletic organization
of the United States for the purpose
considering the formation of new ASST
citation. From this convention emanate
the Amateur Athletic Union. :.
The new organization started OIL VII
thirteen clubs and has been q nation
and representative association since J
inception. The Staten Island Athlet
Club, which was one of the strongest on
wealthiest clubs still remaining In Il
N. A. A. A. A., AS soon as it saw u
honesty OF the promoters OF the now
Ranization, recognized the necessity
its formation and joined the new union
once. The PaBtime, American on
Olympic Athletic Clubs followed suit.
Owing to this disturbance in atalet
circles some Western Clubs formed
Western amateur Athletic Assoeiailot
with view to governing athletics IN Il
West. In order to further this caus
the Missouri Amateur Athletic Associl
ton OF st. Louis resigned from the n
A. A. A., and the Wanderers ana gAle
Athletic Clubs Of Chicago left the Uniol
The Inter Collegiate Athletic Associatlo
which comprises all the Leading cnileg'
Of the country, though nominally Q men
Der of the N. A. A A. A., is hoIdii
aloof from the fight although next yea
athletes will have to Join one side or u
other. The Manhattan Athletic Oir
was thus left the only powerful club
the old association.
The new union explains its preael
stand in the matter as Follows. VINE
the Union selected September 18Th, les
az Detroit, as the date and place for holi
ing it's Championship Of America game
the National scheduled a einlilar meeht
for Ssptem her 10Th, OF New York, and
order TO detfact from the Detroit NEE
ing. the latter empowered the Nilsson
Athletic Club of st. IioUis to hold
Western championship meeting on !
grounds on September 9th. Inc UNI.
made countermoye by authorizing u
/ Chicago Club to hold Western char
pionship meeting on its grounds on Se
TENDER LIST. 1t daily became more sppa
emit that it would look ridiculous to ha,
two champions for enc game, and es y
Amateur Athletic Union considered tll
it represented, by fer, the bulk OF =
, athletes and the greater part OF the COL
munity interested in athletic sports, d
cided to emphasize that belief,
At meeting Of the Board OF Mapage
held on August 25th, 1883, the folloWil
resolution was unanimously passed;
Resoryed, That any amateur athlete col
I ,NAYNF nm