Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-28
A NEW CLUB HOUSE.
Tine East End Gymnasium is Greatly
Crowded in Its Quarters
A BIG INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP
Causes Crying Demand for a More Com.
modiOus Building.
NOW LOOKING FOR A CONVENIENT SITE.
An Athletic Park With Track to BE- One Of the Many
New Features

The East End Gymnastic Club has out
| grown its present splendid quarters on
| Shady avenue and committee has been
| appointed to look for site for the erection
| of new club house, and also to secure
grounds large enough for an athletic park
and good track. They would like, if pos
sible, to have a quarter-mile track, but q
| fve-lap track will answer if large enough
park cannot be secured for the longer track.
| The committee now have in view several
| splendid places for their purpose, but can
not get lease of sufficient length of time.
They propose to buy outright enough land
for the club house and lease for term of
years grounds for the athletic park.
The building now occupied by the club is
q splendid structure for the purpose, but is
inadequate to the demands of the club. The
gymnasium proper is 40x80 feet, and double
that capacity could be used. The property
owned by the club is worth about S15, 900,
and that will be for sale if they succeed in
their scheme to increase their facilities for
athletic development. Beside the GYM
nasium, the building contains an office, a
library and a parlor for the socially in
clined members. These rooms are neatly fur
nished, and everything is done for the COM
fort of the members.
The club was not very prosperous in its
gymnastic department for quite long time,
but about year ago the leaders decided
that it would not do to allow athletics to 60
by default. so scout was begun for COM
petent professor. They were quite success
:ul, and in November Of last year Prof.
Kirchuer came to the city to take charge of
the club. He is not only irst-class in
structor, but is
AN ENTHUSIASTIC ATHLETE
himself, and infuses the members with
much of his own enthusiasm. Since then
the club has been on the up GRADE, and the
membership has increased from 175 to over
400, quite nice gain for little less than
year. 1t has also changed from half
gymnastic club to very strong organiza-
ton, and it now leads tine city in this work.
One by one improvements have been added
until now it stands at the head of all the
gymnasiums in the city.
1t is the increased membership that has
caused the demand for more eommodious
quarters. The idea of an athletic park is
not a new one. 1t has been agitated for
several months, but without success. Now
that the club has outgrown its building the
idea has been formed of securing large
tract of land and having the club house and
athletic grounds together. The places now
in view are centrally located and OIL street
car lines, making it easy Of access. Should
they succeed, many Improvements will be
IL thair A al,
bath, where swimming may be taught, will
be one of the features. Then the social in
terests of the club will be looked after, and
better quarters furnished for that depart
meut. Bicycling has almost become one of
the lost arts in the club on account OF no
suitable track being had, but the projected
new grounds will reclaim this popular sport.
WORK FOR THE KIcKERs.
A football team is now being organized in
the club, and some excellent material is
down for the klckers. The organization
also has quite q number OF the feet-footed
gentry, one Of their younger members being
able to do 100 yards in II seconds, and he Is
improving rapidly. There are also several
good distance runners as well as sprinters.
The club has received an invitation to send
representatives to the Y. NJ. G. A. field
meeting at Philadelphia, which occurs in
few weeks, but it is not yet decided whether
any of them will 60 or not. There is plenty
of excellent timber in the club, but as there
is a want of room it is not as well developed
as it might be. Their only place to train
for running is on the 26-lap track in the
building, and it is yet too warm for much
indoor work.
Prof. Kirehner says the club can double
its membership If they succeed in their de-
sign to secure new quarters. He believes
that athletics are on the boom In that Sec
ton of the city. They are making no special
efforts to secure new members Just at pres
ent on account of already being over
crowded, but the roll is rapidly increasing
and applications for membership are re-
ceived weekly.
The club is very systematic in its work.
Monday evenings are devoted to the art of
fencing. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
evenings are given up to class exercises on
pulley weights, dumbells, Indian clubs,
etc. Wednesday is the off evening and Fri
day evening the soft gloves are donned and
the professor instructs the members in the
manly art of self-defepse