The Washington times., 1895-03-17
AMONG LOCAL ATHLETES
There Is a Crying Need for More
Athletic Grounds.

iN"eionS VI ehe CITY eAcepllDS tn0 COluInDla
Athletic and Washington Athletic Clubs,
| outdoor athletics will be seriously affected
during the season now at hand, and in
several cases permanently interfered with.
This state OF affairs is cropping out In
the laying out of the plans for the organiza-
tion of local amateur baseball teams
among the athletic organizations. Promi-
nent among the clubs thus affected are
the Y. M. G. A, Light Infantry, Carroll
Institute. and Y. NJ. G. G. Each of these
are prepared or would prepare to put strong
teams in the field this year if they were not
hampered at the outset with the lack of
place to put them.
The c. a. G. has good grounds, and is or
ganizing strong team, but if there are no
other teams to play against it will have
no use for either field or team in SO far as
this branch ofsport is concerned.
Now, in order that all this local talent
may realize its highest ambition, that Of
organizing an amateur league, an organi-
cation entirely separate and distinct from
the Departmental League, why not act upon
the suggestion to have the teams named
make an offer to the C. A. C. for the use
of its ball field on certain days of each
week, each team to pay nominal butrea-
sonable fee for the use OF such grounds.
1t seems to me that it would be a good
thing all around, and would certainly tend
to remove the only obstacle in the way of
what would seem to promise at this writ
ing q successful season OF good, clean ANA
teur baseball
A COMMON FIELD FOR ALL.
What is true of baseball holds good in
all other lines of amateur outdoor ath-
letics
All branches of track and field athletics
are virtually paraiyzed for the want of
place TO work upon. There is a large
amount of good material virtually going
to waste because it cannot be put into
shape
For a number of years this city has fur
nished stars" in various lines to other
cities and to the big colleges, and there is
just as good here bow, only awaiting an OPP
portunity to be put into handleable shape
With all these facts, which must be patent
to those most interested, why not adopt as
suggestion the securing of suitable grounds
somewhere, to be used by all the organiza-
tions as a common athletic field?
BY this means the expense would be evenly
divided and the cost reduced to a minimum,
caps, too, as in former years, when all the
athletic world looked to see what record we
were to break next.
To make it profitable build around the
field bicycle track such as the wheelmen
have cried for for a long time.
There are many ways in which the feast
bility Of the plan can be proven. Why not get
together at an early day and make some
thing out of this and bring the matter TO a
focus.
When an organization shows activity
in athletics and is wide awake. and has men
who do their work in such a way that every
body talks about il, there is little difficulty
in drawing in new members, and full rolls
and waiting lists tend TO show undoubted
prosperity.
NOW COMES THE ROWING SEASON.
The rowing men are never troubled with
or worried about a place to practice their
speciality. The field is always there and
ready.
The season promises to be good one.
and already there are signs of activity
about the lighthouses, ard in less than a
fortnight practice on the water Will be
taken up, and each crew VIII again be the
best one, until it sees itself drop ont and
fall behind the bunch of entries, and then
il is that the rowing men suddenly find they
have had enough training.
The triangular racing scheme has some
good points about it and others not so good,
and it is feared that some opposition may
develop in the matter. The Potomacs
have appointed committee to confer with
the c. 4. c. upon the subject named. The
AnalOstans have not yet acted in the matter.
If the plan is not found practical and
does not receive the favorable consider
alton that was expected for it, it seems TO
me that the original suggestion OF Potomac
River navy should then be taken up and
pushed for all it is worth.
Let's do all we can for the furtherance
of row ing hereabout. II was the first to
be taken up in athletics. and it should be the
last to be ignored, when there is any chance
to improve it's condition and the condition
of the men who lend their time and muscle
to build it up.
COLUMBIA ATHLETIC CLUB.
The members of the c. A c. and the ply
steal instructor. Prof. John CrossIey, are
bending every effort and combining their
forces to make the open championships
to lie held at the C. A C. on the evening
of the 9th instant a grand success.
From the way in which men in some of
the lines are working to perfect themselves
il may confidently be expected that many
local indoor records viii he smashed. All
winners VIII know they have been ina con-
test, for the practice work of some of the
prospective entries is remarkably str5rg.
Entries close on the Goth instant and must
be made on one OF the entry blanks sent out
by the C. 4. c., and the contests are open
only to members of bona fide amateur or
ganizations and who have been a member
OF such for one month or more prior to date
of closing of entries.
The prizes to first and second men will
he distributed in the gym immediately after
the games. President Grant viii probably
make the presentations.
Prof George Godie, of the Princeton
College gymnasium, will act as referee, and
the other officials will be chosen from
among tie clubs making entries
It will be an affair open to the public, and
tickets will be in tue hands of membersaand
at the door.
A feature will be the admission of ladies,
be provided. Several ladies have already
engaged large blocks of tickets.
One of the coming men here in horizontal
bar and general all-around work is Allen,
trim built 15o-pound athlete, who win be
at his best next season Under the careful
training of Prof Crossley he will become
q star.
jim Shelley is back in the gym and at
work. His horizontal bar work is remark
ably clever. During the week he did the
first double backward sonersault from the
horizontal bar ever attempted hereabouts
The club will be. especially Strong in
battute board work. 1t has now four men
who do great work in thatline.
In pole-vaulting Dudley, McElhone, and