The San Francisco call., 1896-03-05
A Team Will Be Selected From
the Pacific Athletic
Association.
BOOM PREDICTED THIS YEAR.
Olympic Club Grounds Are Being
Improved-Waiting for a Dry
Cinder Path.

According to the present outlook there
will be boom in outdoor athletic sports
this summer.
Leonard Gill, captain of the Olympic
Club, said yesterday that considerable in.
terest will be manifested by athletes and
the lovers of athletic sports in field and
track this year. Men are already at work
repairing and fixing up the running paths
at the Olympic outdoor grounds under the
watchful eye of Superintendent Mcintyre,
an old athlete, who thoroughly und er-
stands the kind of work that is deemed
necessary to complete q proper sprinting
track. A large fence will be erected on the
south side of the grounds so as to prevent
sand or refuse matter from the hills sweep
ing over The cinder paths. 1t is tn ought
that the grounds will be ready for the ath-
letes who are anxious to commence train
ing by the latter part Of this month.
Captain Gill says that impromptu games
will be held just as soon as the cinder
paths are in condition to receive spikes,
and that practice for the championship
games will commence Immediately follow
ing the opening day. There are quite a
mum Der of athletes among the members OF
the club, who are patiently waiting for an
opportunity to Timber up after a rest OF
many months.
Captain Gill is of the opinion that he
can pick from among the new mem bers
who joined within the past twelve months
some excellent material. He is confident
that if the directors will give him help
ing hand he will have ready team of all
round athletes which will make an ex-
cellent stand against the university teams
in the championship contests.
II understand" said Captain Gill, "that
the University Of California do not pro-
/ L..
but there may be, nevertheless, team
selected from the different clubs of the
Pacific Athletic Association to represent
California in the Eastern CHAMPIONSHIPS.
The officers of the association believe that
if team composed Of twenty-six first-class
ali round athletes journeyed East and con-
tested at some of the prominent meetings
which will be held in the large Eastern
cities under the auspices of the American
material to this coast, as the patrons OF
clean sports would assuredly manifest a
stirring interest in outdoor athletics.
Gas captain of the Olympic Club will
ertainly do all in my power to revive the
fading interest in what should be very
popular pastime on this Coast and that is
outdoor athletics.
Immediately following the champion
ship games team will be selected from
land, Seattle, Butte City, and other large
cities of the Northwest. If the trip
shall prove successful financially, the
athletes will journey East over the North
ern route and then the people of California
will be in a position to Judge what ouI
athletes are capable of doing when pitted
against the cracks of the Eastern cities.
THE team that re presented the university
of Berkeley last year in Eastern games
was composed entirely of students from
Berkeley, and, as will be remembered by
all lovers of sport, it won many victories
and added much toward increasing an
interest in college sports on this coast.
think that team selected from the Pacific
Association should make a grand showing
against the best material the Eastern
clubs of note can produce in field ant
track competitions. | hope that the
scheme now contemplated will prove sue
cessful and that California will be repre-
sented this year at the Eastern champion
ships"