New-York tribune., 1889-12-22
ganization.

The clubhouse is at Fifty-ffth-st. and SiNth-
ave, and is handsome structure, thoroughly
equipped for the purposes intended There Is
gymnasium; swimming, Turkish Russian ana
douche baths reading-rooms, restaurant billiards
and bowling. At Travers Island, in Pelham
Manor, is the best equipped athletic paradise III
the country. Here one will find boat-house'
clubhouse track boats, shower baths, salt water
swimming, lawn tennis, baseball, football, quoltS'
glass ball and pigeon shooting, and fine hshlhg'
At the country clubhouse will be found restaur-
ant, bowling billiards. fnelN furnished rooms ana
stabling accommodations place where one can
find rest and recreation after brain-racklng
struggle with New-York's rushing business tide
THE WAY THE CLUB WAS BORN
Just twenty-three years ago last June the
New-Yorl1 Athletic Club was organized in the back
parlor of No. 200 Sixth-ave., now part of Macys
dry-goods store. 1t was then private house, ana
it was here that John c. Babcock, Henry E. Buer-
myer and William b. Curtis met and formed what Is
now the wealthiest athletic organization IN the
country. Athletic meetings were then unknown
but the three friends were thorough athletes. and
daily practised at eats of strength and endurance
A cosey little gymnasium was fitted up in the rear
room of the house, and thus ensconced with
manly sports they lived, built up muscle and were
happy.
Athletic sports in England began to assume
prominence in s66, although the London Ath-
letic Club had been founded three years before
1t was this slow Of popularity in England that
induced the three men to try to induce the
American youth to embrace athletics. The meet
ings for this purpose were held at No. 200
| Sixth-ave, but the work of organization waa dis
couragingly slow at first. The place in time be-
came rendezvous for athletically inclined young
men, and the older members Of the clu6 still
speak of the boxing bouts held in that parlor.
They are proud of the fact that no applicant for
fstic honOrs ever returned for second lesson.
MOVING TO LARGER AND BETTER QUARTERS.
When the weather permitted the athletes took
outdoor practice any available field that they
could find. In 1869 the rendezvous became too
small for the athletes and apartments were Sc
cured at old Clarendon Hall, in Thirteenth-st. A
year later the club incorporated and its head
quarters were transferred TO the ST. Marks Place
gymnasium, and little boat-house was built up
near Harlem Bridge. A year later the indoor
rendezvous was changed TO John Woods gym
nasium, in Twenty eghth-st, and the vacant lot
at Lexngton-ave. and Observation-Disclosures
ST. secured as a ground.
1t was not until 1882 that the clubs indoor
quarters were removed TO the Crescent Athletic
Gymnasium, in Twenty -third-st. Three years
later the athletes made their final journey to a
permanent home in their magnificent house at
Sixth-ave and Fifty-ffth-st The New-York Club
has always been a leading spirit in developing and
promoting athletic sports, and the work has been
performed with unusual intelligence tireless en-
terprse and becoming modesty. The club has
done much to make athletics not only popular,
but thoroughly respectable.