Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-11-08
Wonderful Progress Made in
Legitimate Sports.
A Review of the Events in the
Past Four Years.
Different Divisions in Which Los
Angeles Is Prominent.
An Interesting Retrospect : Bicycling.
-Baseball-Cricket.
Polo-Athletics of the
Future.
BY DAGwoRTH.

strides in all branches oil legitimate
sport in the past four years. The writer
has chronicled almost every happening
in local sporting circles during that pc
Rod. A review of what has been done
will be apropos as Los Angeles is on the
eve of the greatest boom in athletics
ever known in the west. The establish
ment OF athletic grounds will give all
pastimes a healthy impetus and will
certainly serve to bring number OF
good men to the front.
ATHLETICS.
Los Angeles can boast of one OF the
best equipped athletic clubs in the west.
Four years ago the Los Angeles Athletic
club had a membership OF about 200.
Today the club has membership ex-
ceeding 500. The improvement made
by many of the members has been cred
liable. The time made in the last field
day demonstrated that the athletes of
four years ago are not in with the ath-
letee of today. The Los Angeles club
has score of promising men who have
not yet reached their limit by any
means. There will be smashing
OF Southern California records at
the next field day that will
be hailed with delight by every true
lover of athletic sports. There is plenty
of room for improvement, especially in
the jumping events. Tom McAleer, w.
B. Gard, Barney Benjamin, Charley
Howard and Paul Hammer showed up
most prominently at the last field day.
They are all of the improving kind and
are capable of still lowering their
records. There are number of coming
men who will don the spiked shoe at
the next field day of the club on Wash
ington's birthday. The Athletic park
front. The Los Angeles Athletic club
curing grounds, as the next six months
will show. Athletics have advanced
100 per cent. in the past year.
How much will they advance in the
next year? In certain departments we
can hold our own with San Francisco
even now. In 1898 we will be able to
give them an argument at any game.
BICYCLING.
Los Angeles is a favored place, and
few cities offer such attractions for the
riders OF the "silent steed." The streets
are level, and it is not wondered at that
there are SO many wheelmen in the city.
Four years ago there were a score or
two OF cyclers. Today there are ten to
every one wheelman of four years ago.
Every type OF machine can be seen on
the streets almost every afternoon.
Los Angeles is the home of the best and
speediest riders in the state. Three
years ago A. w. Allen and w. S. Wing
gained fame for Los Angeles at the an
nual meet. Wing was in the zenith OF
his fame when he was taken ill. He
never recovered, and after long siege
died in Florida. Peace to his ashes
Last year D. L. Burke of Los Angeles
won the state championship. A num-
Der OF the coast records are held by
Los Angeles wheelmen. Among the
speediest riders Los Angeles has pro-
duced might be mentioned w. S. Wing,
A! w. Allen, J. Phil Percival, John
Tuits, d. l.. Burke, d. L. Shrode, Will
Los Angeles Wheelmen is a prosperous
organization, and can boast the best
racing team of any club in the west.
This is no idle statement, but one sus-
ceptiOle of proof. Is there any club in
the state ready to throw down the
gauntlet to the Los Angeles club?
The national game of Canada was un-
known in Southern California four years
ago. Now we have two crack clubs.
Los Angeles has the champion team at
present. but Riverside has very
formidable club. These teams have
played several very interesting matches
and the spectators have voted lacrosse
one of the most interesting and exciting
of games. 1t is bound to grow in pop
ularity in this part of the state. San
Francisco is Just now engaged in organ
izing club in the expectation OF play
ing Los Angeles for the championship
of California. The local team is in ex-
cellent form and contains many players
who have won laurels with the crack
clubs of the east. A return match with
Riverside is on the tapis for the opening
OF the new grounds of the Los Angeles
Athletic club. This will undoubtedly
be the finest exposition of scientific la
crosse playing ever seen in the west.
BASEBALL.
The national game was at very low
cob in this city four years ago. The
public were treated to very raw article
as compared with what other cities OF
JnlS size were gcIClng. lue game hao
picked up wonderfully in the past few
years, Notwithstanding that it has been
handicapped by antediluvian and ire
sponsible managers, Some OF the best
teams in the country have played on the
local diamond. The writer has always
maintained that Los Angeles is good
ball town, but the public has got to be
very exacting and will not any longer
patronize anything that is second
class. Los Angeles now stands
capital chance of being admit
ted into the California league-a
contamination that will be hailed with
delight by thousands Of the local en-
thusiasts. Although Los Angeles base
ball has received many set-backs by
wretched management, yet we have
sent out many good players. Phil
Knell, the greatest left-handed pitcher
i'm America, first jumped into promi-
hence in this city about three years
since. Harry Raymond is another Los
Angeles production. George Lehman,
fine crack catcher, learned the first rudi-
ments of the game in this city. Decker,
Goldie, Jack Fogarty, DUNCAN, Otto
Young, Lelande, Holiday and many
! others who have gained distinction in
different cities. are Southern California
boys.