The evening world., 1890-07-07
SPORTS OF THE ATHLETES.
What Is the Matter with the Shot
Putters' Weights
Nonpareils Elated by Recent We
tories on the Water.

The encroachmont Of big apartment
houses has finally cut i'll two the old
grounds Of the Manhattan Athletic CLUB.
nj Eighty. sixth street md Eighth venue.
Not until the brick walls arose right
across tie cndcr nth could the athletes
of the CHERRY Diamond" %rehljlc That
their famous old training quarters. which
had witnessed So many of their trump LIS.
were doomed,
These grounds possess additional inter
est for the Otter members of the Club. as
having been the scene of some of the
pleasuntest hours Of their lives. None of
the habitues who we're wont to congre-
gate Summer afternoons al the nolthenst
corner Of the Enclosure will probably for
get the i~oyial old times.
One of the older athletes was gloomily
rrmurling the other day how delightfully."-
easy aud idle aud happy the boy "
used to he ms they sat ON the grass under
the shade Of ZONE friendly trees III this
particularly favored section of the plot
aud spun all sorts o. yarns.
Near by III the Oid.tnshiOned frame
dwelling used as IA clubhouse. short and
squat. low rooted and quaint. Around it
are u large grape arbur md more trees.
This unpretentn US bui cosy and h
pituhie looking building will SO II not he
forgotten, So says iii, mature nnu sentl-
mental athlete, who claims TO voice the
sentiments of the - men of his time"
The athletes OF tue club have stuck
close to their restricted grounds III spite
of the gradual INVASION OF brick and
mortar and the elaboration of one side of
the oval track. But they must migrate
this week. by Saturday they will be
transplanted to their new grounds, Fifty
sixth street aud Eighth avenue.
What 10 the matter with tho d" heft" of
the weights used by the athletes lntely ?
George X. Gray, the shot putter of the
New York Athletic Club. went to the
trouble III Saturday Mt the games Of the
National Athletic Club of putting it an
inch further han man had ever put" ii
before. Yet because 1t WAS an ounce or
two lighter than the sixteen pounds speci-
fed his record cannot stand.
Coming light on top OF Queckberner's
similar experience, ut the Eastern ham
pionshlps, with the sixteen pound ham,
mer. this seems to indicate that Fate, or the
makers of the weights, rather, are rub
bling il in" Wouldn't it be a bright idea
W "N'kh 'NS "SAbhNu . VI
after using.
Considerable comment and gossip is
gong ON because the Staten Island Ath-
letic Club had but one entry i'll the East
ern championship meeting. and some
folks are asking why. The reason Is
obvious. The Staten Island Athletic
Club IN composed mostly of young men
who Joined the Club with the intention of
building up their physique not to win
prizes.
They throng to the grounds of the Club
in shoals and indulge in all manner of
athletic paslime. but when competitions
with other organizations are on the car
pet they are conspicuous by their alb
sence. Until this Spring the Club was
ably represented by athletes Of famous
prowess, who were so skill ed IN winning
prizes that they had no tune for anything
else.
The spirit of the majority OF the mem
beers of the Staten Islands was against this
sort of athletics aud the managers au-
nounced that hereafter these clever tel
lows who did nothing but win prizes for
u living must pay their W expenses aud
likewise their dues. Hence n sudden aud
general exodus of these prize athletes "a
other clubs, under whose colors their
lives can be a succession Of pleasant
jaunting from one competition to another,
where III dues will be required and all ex-
penses will he paid and life generally
made as pleasant and inexpensive for
them as possible.
The Orange Athletic Club Is getting
along handsomely with its new grounds,