The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-10-22
GYM WORK.
Program for
the Year.
BASKET BALL LEADS
Director Wilder Has Plans
for Y. NJ. C. A. Work.

If Physical Director Wilder Of the Y.
NJ. @. A. gymnasium is able to carry
into effect the many plans he now has
in mind, the indoor athletic season at
the gym, this year, will be of more than
usual interest and activity.
-Four or five years ago athletic tour
naments. open only to members of the
gymnasium for the individual cham
pionship, as well as gymnastic exhibit
tions given by classes and individuals
were made features of the prescribed
work. They created great deal of
friendly rivalry among the men who en-
joyed the gymnasium privileges, and at
every public affair Of this nature there
was a good attendance in interested
friends.
Recently, however, basket ball has
been about the only form of athletic
diversion in which the members have
entered in open competition, the other
features of gymnasium work being in
dulged in only private. Basket ball was
very popular last season, and a league
of Y NJ. c. A. teams will be conducted
again this winter But, in addition,
there will be other public entertain
ments on the gymnasium floor.
Before Director Wilder can make any
public announcement Of his seasons
program, 1t is necessary for him to Sc
cure the approval Of the board of dir
rectors, one of the rules being that no
public exhibitions Of any nature shall
be given in the gymnasium without the
consent of the directors. 1t was expect
ed that the subject would come up for
action at the meeting of the directors,
! last Tuesday evening, but at that time
business relating to the appointment of
a new secretary occupied the entire
| time.
Basket ball will, undoubtedly, hold
/ first place in the athletic program for
| the year -Four teams will be maintain
1 ed; a schedule will be arranged, calling
/ for games every Saturday evening.
These will take place in the gymnas-
/ ium and as each team will meet every
other team three times with but a
single league game a week, it can be
seen that the schedule will extend until
well into the spring. Director Wilder
| will name the four captains. They in
turn will apportion the basket ball
players in the gymnasium among them
selves and with Director Wilder's as
sistance will make out their schedule.
/ The season will open about the middle
of next month, but the teams will be
made up next week.
According to the schedule it is pro-
posed to adopt. each team will play q
game every other week. This is not
sufficient to keep the men in good
shape. To obviate this difficulty, Di-
rector Wilder intends to make Tues
day evening the off-night in the gym
naslum practice night for the bal
teams. All four teams will be upon the
floor, and there will be two short prao
tiee games. thus giving every team ant
every man an opportunity for hare
practice.
Inasmuch as the games are confined
to Y M. c. A. teams and gymnasium
members are alone allowed to play, the
games will not come within the juris-
diction of the Amateur Athletic I'm
ion nor of the Basket BAH League
Hence it will possible for professional
players, as long as they are gyInna-
stun membNrs, to play on the Y. NJ. c
A. league teams without in any way
jeopardizing the amateur status Of the
bona fide amateur members. If Y
NJ C. A. team, however, should meet
any other than its own teams of the
league, A. A. U. rules would
then hold and amateurs playing on the
same team as professionals would be
promptly disqualified. But Director
Wilder is not in favor of outside games
so it is not expected that any difficulty
will be experienced along this line.
The athletic tournaments, open Il
gymnasium members, Director Wilder
says, will be three in number. The
short straightway ON the gymnasium
floor as well as the narrowness of the
running track makes a variety Of foot
races out Of the question. There viii
be a Is yards dash and possibly a mile
walk. The other events will come I'M
der the head of field events" includ-
ing standing and running broad and
high jumps, the pole vault and weight
contests When tournaments We're
held before, prizes were awarded the
man scoring the largest number of
points. and something in the way of a
trophy will be offered again this year.
The first Of these indoor tournaments
will be given about the first of Deem
ber
MANY persons share Director Wild
er's belief that gymnastic and pyramid
work is popular and pretty, and that
the public would patronize this feat
ure of gymnasium practice. There are
many good gymnasts in the classes,
and with the assistance of Director
Wilder himself a very pretty and cred
liable exhibition could be given. Plans
regarding these exhibitions are not so
well along as are those in the basket
bail and athletic tournaments, but it
is likely that gymnastic and parallel
bar work win be given due prominence
this winter
q a g III O II r a.