The Portland daily press., 1895-02-02
FIELD OF SPORTS.
Y. M. c. A. ATHLETICS.
ACCESSIBILITY of Forming National League
is Being Strongly Discussed.

| New York, February, 1.-The advlsaplllty
| of forming Y. M. G. a. athletic league
| has been discussed to a certain extent DUR
| ing the past two or three years. It Is mol
generally known that the question as to
| whether or no such league should be
| formed lies wholly with the international
| Committee of the Y. NJ. G. A.. which has its
headquarters in New York City. Nor Is 1t
| generally known that definite plans look
| ing forward to the organization of this
league have been made within the past
year. and that as soon as the consent OF the
committee is obtained the league will be
reality. The matter was brought to the at
tention of the committee few months ago,
but they have as yet taken no action. and
the radicals in the Y. NJ. G. A. athletic de-
nartments are growing impatient. The
men who have been prominent IN 1ornula-
ting the plans are well known IN Y. M. q.
A. circles. and two of them have nati'na
regulations. These latter are Or. James H..
McCurdy, physical director at the twenty
third street branch of the New YORK CITY
association, and James Nalsmltn OIL tAs
Springfield Training School, VINO lnpehteu
the game of basket ball. The thlro man IS
Thomas Cornelius of the Baltimore I. M.
G. A.
1t was at thu last physical directors con-
ferenced that these men expl essed tneir
views. They had been appointed commit
tee to consider what could best be Done To-
ward forming the league. In making their
report they said that AS the object of athlet-
les in the Young Mems Christian Assocla-
ton differed from that in any other organ
ization in that the Y. M. C.. A. aims to de-
velop the individual by an all-arouno sys-
tenn of physical education. there was need
for an organization which should arrange
for and have charge of all contests, settle
all disputes, and carry on the work usual
~ done by such an organization.
At DR.. McCuIdy's suggestion. the Inter
national Committee has been requested TO
form an athletic league OF the associations,
as the committee have sole power to do
this. II has been suggested to the commits
tee that they name the new organization
the s'International Athletic League of
North America" According to Dr.McCurdy
the objects of this new league would BIO
fourfold. First, to stimulate the develop
ment of all-around manhood among the as
sociations on this continent; second to
maintain uniformity in rules and govern
ment of physical department tests; third.
for the institution and regulation of these
tests. and fourth. for the awarding of asso
citation championships. The tests referred
to arc the physical examinations and ath-
letic contests now held in all of the Y. M.
g. A. gymnasums. They are not held ac-
cording to one Liam nor are all of them
strictly Pentatblon.
When the league is organized only associ-
h. onpo CT fIIfiO
and bylaws. abide by the rules. and pay
the Initiation and annual dues will be ad-
mitted to membership in the league. Inc
entrance fee will be S. and the dues vi, to
be paid on or before Nov. !, 1880. In case
the league is organized before that date.
The purpose of those most Interested IS TO
give TO the league absolute control over the
branch and inter-branch OF association
contests of any kind. With the approval
of the national Committee. the league
would be absolutely the governing body In
Y, NJ. G. A. athletics in America and Cana
da, This would bring every branch and as
ISOLATION on the continent within the told,
for unless a branch were member of the
league it's members could participate in no
contest outside of their own branch.
Only those associations which have been
members of the league at least one month
before any championship will be allowed to
enter men in the championship. lndlvld-
uals will be obliged to be members of the
branch which they may represent at least
three months previous to the championship.
A requirement which will be the hardest
to conform to, and which aims to keep all
athletic members within the confines of the
7. NJ. G. A., is that no member of The as
ISOLATION desiring to compete in CHAM
pionship meeting shall have represented
any other association or club for at least
three months previous to competing.
This does not refer to athletic assoeIa-
tions in schools or colleges. If a member OF
the Y. NJ. G. A. wishes to compete IN asso-
citation contests he will. when the league Is
organized, be compelled to renounce all
other athletic affiliations. 1t may not be so
intended, but this requirement Will be re-
garded as slap at the A. A. u.
The league is to be strictly amateur III its
tendencies. There are man professionals
in the Y. NJ. G. A. gymnasiums; but While
they will! be welcome t. participate il the
branch exercises they will not be permitted
to compete in league contests. No meets
are to be considered as championships ex-
body of the league, and championships will
be- held only in those events which may be
approved by the International Committee.
This will finally come to mean the Pentath-
Ion events, it is said. These are the 100
yard dash, mile run. hammer throw, pole
vault. and high jump. The governing body
of the league will have the power to sus-
pend any association for violations of
Y. NJ. G. A. athletic principles.
If the league is organized it will be ire
mendous athletic body. 1t is bound to In
clude in time all the associations on this
continent. There are 1886 associations in
the United States ard Canada. Many of
these associations are waiting for the In
ternaticnal Committee to act upon the rec
concentrations of DR.. McCurdy and his as
sociates.