The San Francisco call., 1898-12-13
GOSSIP AMONG
 VOTARIES OF
 MANY SPORTS A Fire Scare at the Olympic Club.
CAUSED BY A CASTAWAY CIGAR
WHAT THE HUNTERS ACCOM-. FLUSHED IN THE MARSHES.
8 Broadsword Contest Promised Be tween Ivan de Malchin and Professor Louis
 Tronchet.

The Olympic Club had little scare last evening which caused furry of excite ment among the members who happened 10 be in the club at the time. While some CT the athletes were playing hyndball in the court strong smell of smoke at tracted their attention and a search was made for the fire, which was discovered Immediately under the back wall of the court. It appears that the fire originated from a lighted cigar, which was thrown by some careless player into the lar corner and by rather peculiar coin cidence slipped down through a pipe into a pile or refuse underneath the court
 The incipient fire which originated from the smoking butt was making tolerably good headway when discovered by one of me ciuo oflclals, who immediately turned Tn a still alarm. The firemen quickly ended the excitement, but not before the growing blaze had burned through part or the floor, but the fire had done very IIue damage to the court. In future any member who Is discovered smoking in sion.
 A row of very handsome medals will be gwen 10 the successful competitors of the water polo tournament that takes place on the evening of the Fist inst. is on ex- hl6ltion in the secretary's office
 l. l.. G. Nolleb, charter member of the Olympic Club. and who was one of it's 9rganizers died yesterday at his resi- oence, SIS Bush street, Of heart failure.
 Professor Tronchet, the clever swords man and instructor of fencing of the olympic Club, has been challenged to a Tacoma, Wash. W U
 The sporting editor received the follow Ing challenge yesterday, which speaks for TACOMA. Wash, Dec. S. 1898 r7-. To the Sporting Editor of The Gail. San f.. ffranclIIeo-Dear Sir: I hereby challenge Pro san Francisco, for mounted broadsword 1c co0I o- set w w i'I ivan Ivan de Malehin. the contest to con l lt.ipiolshIp oi the world; said contest to take 55.@se 5 III San Francisco at the earliest possible
 R SCOTT GRANGER. Major
 Manager for Ivan de MaIchiu
 Froiessor Tronchet has in the past re- celved many challenges from fencers and torlety, all of which the professor took T,a,go rGIg nCtIe . notice or, simply because they were we, oIIl not backed up by forfeit, which is ieo iSne onIy thlng that proves that the chal- ttvnser means business. AS the challenge 1oSt t IetSetNeu uoeS not state whether the contest Is to be for fun or money if viii doubtless pass away like other ;deeni,! ie WI! Innouced by. the crack swordsman of fbe CIymplc Club. It can be said however may ueslre an argument with the steels WiiI deposit a forfeit satisfactory to Pro lessor Ironchet, the consideration to be favorable reply. As R. Scott Granger wifi ne III thls city in the very near future, favorable. 407N'0'i 10
 Members of the Black Jack Gun Club who visited sherman Island on Sunday were very much chagrined because some professional hunter who was enViOus of the club fired the jules of the island. thereby causing quILe conflagration and naturally great scarcity of birds
 The Black Jackers expected an ex- cellent shoot on Sunday as the north wind was blowing pretty stif1y. which is always favorable for good shooting Messrs- Dietz and Eaton who left this