The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-27
Capital City Athletes.

Capital City Athletes.
The city of Philadelphia probably has
more basketball leagues and individual
teams than all the rest of the basket
ball-playing cities put together. In con-
sequence. that city to a large extent.
sets the pace for the game and new
features introduced there. are frequent
ly adopted in other localities.
The latest innovation is the divided
floor rule and the non-interference'
system with nine players on a side,
which for sometime has been in use at
one of the big colleges in Pennsylvania.
An Interscholastic League In the City
of Brotherly Love is about closing it's
series in which all games have been
played under the above rules, the adop
ton of which followed a vote of teams
of which only one out of thirty-siX cast
a dissenting vote. The games are di-
vided into three 1G-minute periods.
1t has long been contended by the
writer that the divided floor rule is a
by the success which several of the
leagues in other cities have had under
these rules. On account of the all too
frequent scrimmage and mass plays in
local games, often resulting in what was
plainly very rough playing, the 'divid
ed floor rule would have been an inno-
walton which players and spectators
alike would have appreciated. Its adop-
ion. xrVtth f.,4. tFn ,f..ft IL
would be beneficial to the game here.
These rules do not take away from the
action or life or excitement of the game.
On the contrary. they add to - consid-
cradle life for the passing is open and
the working of signals is given better
opportunity. 1t materially adds to the
safety OF the players as it lessons the
chances for injury.
1t is worthy trial when the regular
league series has closed 1t may be found
so interesting that its adoption for the
next season would follow
Registering Athletic Meet officials.
The latest step in the A. A U. regis
tration scheme is the one which was
adopted a week or so ago and requires
that at future sanctioned athletic meets
the track and field referees, judges
starters. timers, scorers, announcers,
and so on, be registered OF course, this
means, too, that these gentlemen will
be required to plank up the necessary
dollar to make good the plan which now
includes the registering of everybody
save the man who pulls the roller over the
cinder path over which the registered
athlete may run while being judged and
| timed by the registered officials of the
day. What nonsensel To what extremes
will this folly be carried?
Columbia Athletic Club.
From present indications the Columbia
Athletic Club will have a strong base
ball team in the field this season. This
year an effort will be made to secure
games with some of the big college teams
while on their Southern trips, and the list
may include a game with Yale, which L
believe has an open date on April % while
down this way. Johns Hopkins, of Bal
timore; Orange Athletic, New Jersey;
Maryland Athletic Club, and others, are
mentioned as among the probable visiting
teams
Reeve Lewis. Bolway Thompson and
several others of last years team will be
included in this seasons nine. The can
didates for places were to have begun
practice at Columbia Field during the
! past week, but the weather was decidedly
will be put In shape again at once, and
/ Notwithstanding that it is a skin dia-
4 mond." it is considered among the best
here. There win be no change in the
! uniform.
/ Practice for the human pyramids and
/ Roman ladders. to be given at the clubs
/ annual benefit in May, was begun last
/ week, under the direction of Prof Cross
/ ley and Lieut.. Tom Nolan, and there
/ We're some twenty-five solid men to
! choose from. the finest lot of under
ISLANDERS" and ''middlemen'' the Prof"
/ has ever had on hand
The gymnastic and acrobatic team will
/ represent the club as living exhibit
/ at the great Masonic fair, and this team
will be the leading feature of the old
English village.
AS suggested by the writer several
( years ago, the above team does such
excellent work so much better than
many teams which visit us. that it ought
] to be sent TO Baltimore and Philadelphia
/ and then go South to Richmond, Peters,
burg and O.her nearby cities The team
/ would be sure to make hit, and that
/ means considerable III the way of re-
! ceipts all along the line.
J Practice al Columbia Field will be TAX
en- up shortly, and among the first to
! take up the work viii be Arthur McEl-
hone, who viii try for the record in high
jumping. He will have good company in
/ the Curtis boys, Will and George. two
/ very clever workers. g. Cabrera and
! Speare are even now in shape to take
/ up the sprints and both will be strong
! point winners in the seasons open
events. Green will take the place of
Franz in the pole vaults. and he will
l surprise some of the contestants from
out of town in local open events. He has
| a graceful style, with strong vault,
and clean get-Over He will be among
/ the first to use the vaulting pole
/ That the excellent drill work and body
building system, introduced and taught
/ by Prof. Crossley, are appreciated is
I shown in the large number of members
who have taken exercise under his di-
! rection this season. About 295 members
/ have registered their names in the gym
. naSium record book while in their gym
/ nasium clothes.
George Aspinwall, one of the best in
. his line. will this week complete his
task of putting Columbia Field. track
and intield, in its usual good working
shape.
Lieut.. HecoX has rugged up a tank in
the second floor of the boat-house and II
is as ingenious in its construction as il
is useful to novices and advanced men
The oarsman has all the appliances ne
cessary, including the sliding seat and
the swivel and the sweep and the resis-
| lance in the water. 1t is in constant use
/ during the chilly weather and will tend
. TO put the new men at ease when they
take their first trip on the water.
The High School came down to the
. boathOuse anxious to get out in the
/ shells, but the chilly weather prevented
eight will be one of the features of our
boa ting sea- SON before tho Itb Of T,,I,.