Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-06
RIVAL FOR TIE A. A. o.


| North America
An athletic organization, which will h
known as the Y. M. O. A. Athletic Leagu
ofNorth America, was organized at Spring
field recently. The scheme has been undc
way for some time past, but as the pro
moters Of the idea did not want to let tn
sporting public know of its existence th
fact only leaked out few days ago. Th,
organization will not be local I'm character
the idea being to control ali branches O.
athletics In the Y. M. g. A. In this coun
try and Canada The new organization
will be controlled by the international
committee of tho Christian association
All the branches In the country will be
forced TO become members of the associa
tion, SO that the body yiu bo as strong II
not stronger than th~ present Amateur
Athletic union.
A very important rule of the new organ
ization Is that competitors must be mem
bers of the Y. M. Q. A. to be eligible t.
compete under the auspices Of the Y. M
G. A. Athletic League of North America
This makes 1t Imperative for members to
sever active connections with other athletic
associations IL they wish to compete in Y
NJ O. A. contests. 1t is a patent fact that
the Amateur union ranks at the present
time have many recruits from the Chris.
tian associations, and as these branches
outnumber the athletic organizations of
this country 1t Is more than likely that the
new league Will prove prominent factor
in future sports. Thousands of youno
men, ranging from ii to 20 years of age,
will be taught the Y. M. G. A. system of
training as the true system.
prominent leader in Y. M. c.. A. ath.
letics outlines the campaign of the new
league as follows:
"This association has been formed for
the express purpose of doing away with
the old system of athletics in vogue Mt the
present time. We do not believe in advo.
eating specialties in athletics. This is en-.
tirely against the teaching of the Y. M. c..
A, and 1t is bad for the physical health of
our members. Our idea is to develop
man all around, in running as we'll as in
jumping, in walking as well as in weight
throwing. To quote from the constitution |
Of the league, its object is the cultivation |
of all aroiihd Uanhood among members of
the Y. M. G. A., the governing of uniform
department tests and the awarding of the
associations champ. .orship."
AS the A. A. U. l. divided into districts
the Y. M. G. A. will be divided into sec.
tions. A governing board will look after
the interests of the various sections In
the latter respect the association has fol-
lowed the mode Of the A. A. u. The con:
places the entrance fee for a
branch at $40. Only amateurs can COM
pete in the games An amateur is defined
as follows: One who has never competed
for or received money or valuable prizes in
with any branch of SPORT and
who is not an employee of a branch. Dis
trict and championship meetings will be
held annually.
This action on the part of Y. M. G. A.
officials may precipitate bigger athletic
war than that which exploded the N. A.
A. A A. some years ago, The A. A. u.
claims Jurisdiction over all amateur ath.
letics in the United States. 1t did not in
terfere with strictly Y. M. G. A contests
until last season, when ukase was issued
obliging Y. M. @. A. promoters of any
games in which more than one club figured
to register and have their date and pro-
gramme sanctioned. The storm has been
Brewing since, but crisis may be evaded
by the fact that the Y. M. c. A. advocates
general physical culture, while the o..ao,
body offers inducements for proficiency in
each event-New York Sun.