New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-18
NEW ATHLETIC UNION PROPOSED.
REPORTS THAT AN OPPOSITION ORGANIZATION


II was said yesterday that the project Of estab-
fishing a new athletic union. bring together sew
eral wel-known clubs whose members were as
satisfied with the government OF the america"
Athletic J'niop under way. ana that the n'o'c
ment would probably result in the appearance Vi
a formidable rival to the established union one
Of the statements about the project announced
os its oripinators Mr. Ballantine Of the owners
Of the Knickerbocker Athletic Club, and Henry
Cornish the well-known athlete, VINO marriages
that club Mr. Ballantine could not be seem ana
Mr. Cornish sent out denial that ne or any one
else connected with the knickerbocker 'iup hdu
ISSUED n call for a meeting to form an ASSOCIATION
antagonistic TO the American Athletic Union
The union which embraces the Metropolitan. At
lantlc Southern and Pacific associations all Oh
which have authority only in their own provinces
Is accepted the authority in amateur a.he'io' Ia
America and its rules determine the standhs Oh a
amateur athletes. The union may also suspend o'
disoualfv any amateur at discretion and its action
on such matters Is final Even the wealthy ->e"
York Athletic Club. with its membership vi -'0'
men, which left the American Athletic Union doOu'
a year ago. holds all its games under the rules OF
the union. If the union is formed II VIII embrace
some of the Weather and more powerful CLUBS
Nothing could prevent it adopting an entirely
different set of rules governing amateur standing
from the accepted. and there might result
a split among track athletes similar TO that Wnich
occurred among football players some time ago "heh
the big colleges started playing uIuel t"o
codes.
John c. Gulick secretary Of the New-fork Atm
etic Club said yesterday that there had been great
deal of dissa tisfaction lately among many persons
connected with the American Athletic Union pc
cause of the methods Of the organization Inc cnieI
objection is the character OF some OF tiie cuos
which belong to the union, ne SAD, ana wnlcn
have controlling vote and voice in IT'S meetings
In the second place many feel that the larger CLUBS
their interests and memberships should ehtitle them
to- A small club Of forty or fifty members pareIy
able to struggle along. has vote equal 10 mat or
the largest club in the organization. Each club sends
three delegates to the union meetings. and these
delegates unit vote. -, 4.
''There has been. consequently, good deal OF
talk among athletes In reference to the inadequacy
of the A. A. L. for some time. but II has not
crvstalized into anything previous TO this project
Such n scheme II properly fostered. Is likely
to result I'm success. Although have never heard
such an undertaking discussed among New orK
Athletic Club men, think that they would De dis-
posed TO look favOrably anything or the sort II
conducted a higher plane than that or the A.
A. L. II the proposed union is formed, ! am In
clined to believe that its standard should be much
higher than the present one, and its rules more
strict
Barlow s Weeks captain of the y. Y. A. G.. who
oversees the athletic affairs Of the club. and Will
lam r. Curtis athletic editor of THE Spirit OF the
Times" are said 10 have been asked TO cooperate
in starting the organization. Mr.. Curtis Is not
an officer OF the club at present. and Mr. Weeks Is
merely a member of the Board of Governors, eX-
oficio that neither Of them can represent the
under present circumstances.