Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-08
FOOT BALL NOW THE TOPIC
The Columbia Club Preparing to Organize
Its Eleven.
Invitation Extended TO the Y. NJ. c. A.
to Use the Van Ness Athletic
Field.

Foot ball is the main topic Of the autumn
in athletic circles. Already the captains
are commencing to figure on their teams.
and although practice has not begun, it
soon will be in full blast A notice was
posted at the Columbia Athletic Club about
the middle of this week calling on those
wishing to try for places on the team to
hand in their names, and next week the
organization Of the eleven viii begin. The
Columbias have offered the of their
field to members of the Young Mems Chris
tian Association desiring to put themselves
in practice for the fall contests i'm foot ball.
The old Van Ness Park, now the athletic
field of the Columbias, has sustained a
Transformation in the last two months,
and those who are just getting back to the
city after an absence of some weeks are
surprised to see the progress that has been
made. Early in the summer the tennis
courts were made ready for use, but no
other part of the field was available for
sports. The tennis courts have been large
ly in demand this summer and there are
still a number of players using them. But
the rest of the field is ready for use now.
The foot bail field, embracing the entire
southern portion of the lot, is in good
shape. Every stump has been taken out
the remains of the Davy Burns cottage
have been cleared away to brick and the
entire field. by means of the pillow and
scraper, has been evened Off and reduced to
a smooth, hard surface, admirably adapted
to foot bail or any other field sports.
The track mas been laid out from the
Van Ness house east TO the fence. Ii has
not been run on around along the south
fence yet and it is not likely that il will
soon be completed that far, although il is
the intention Of the club 10 finish il all the
way around the field. yet TO save expenses
they have been filling it in only so fast as
cna,ll vat fro, H. e. r.
ground.
The Van Ness house has been equipped
with lockers and good water facilities. A
place for jumping and pole vaulting has
been fixed adjoining the tennis courts.
The Cchmbfas are the first to take up
foot ball this season. Capt. Bivins, as soon
as he can get his men together, will put
them to work on the field
Gymnastic classes wiz before long be
regularly resumed at the Columbia Club
house. Prof Francois Darillatt viii give
lessons in fencing on Tuesdays and FRI
DAYS from $50 TO 10 O'Clock in the even
ing,. and on Mondays and Thursdays from
40 TO q O'Clock in the afternoon
Co,hing Winter Amusemen,s.
Mr.. Schneider. the chairman of The
amusement committee. in speaking Of the
coming winter, said that SO far the COM
mittee had done nething toward planning
for the winter aInusements Of the club. but
purpose soon. The Saturday night concerts
ocwn at the athletic field We're discontinu ed
last Saturday. The attendance has not
been SO large this summer as was hoped
aud tRe comnittee did not think IL worth
while TO go TO the expense of keeping up
the affairs any longer.
The Saturday evening smokers will be
taken up again when the weather is cooler
IL is also possible that minstrel troupe
such as was talked of last winter, will be
organized
The Y. VI. c. 4.
The Young Mems Christian Association,
particularly, has taken advantage of the
summer months to refit and rig out its
gymna stun. The walls have been replas-
tered, the ceiling has been colored a deli
cate blue and all the posts have been re-
painted The bathing facilities have been
enlarged and a new set Of lockers and COM
bination locks have been put in.
On September IL, when the \. VI. c. =.
will hold an open house, the gymnasium