Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-29
BROOKLYN ATHLETIC CLUB.
Began With a Nucleus of Nine Mem
 pers-short History of Club.

rick Kehoe on Lafayette street anu organized a social and athletic organ1- zation. These young men formed the nucleus of the club which is known now as the Brooklyn Athletic club. From small and poor organization, with meagre headquarters, the club has enjoyed constant and steady growth. The nine members have ln- creased to 150 members. Instead or headquarters poor and insufficient the club now occupies a suite of rooms which are inferior to none of any otn- CT organization of it's kind in the city. It's career of thirteen years has been marked by success.
 Inseparably associated with the Brooklyn Athletic club Is the name Of Alderman Stephen O'Brien, to whom is applied the soubriquet of Father Of the Club" It was through his efforts, combined with those of Patrick ke- hoe, that the club was organized 1S years ago. The following were the charter members of the club and the first officers: Stephen O'Brien, pres ident; Richard McGrath, vice presi- dent; Timothy Kirby, recording sec retary; Michael Ryan, financial sec retary; Michael Kehoe, treasurer Michael Carroll. captain; Patrick Gro nan, Dennis McGrath, Robert Kehoe. 1 As may be seen the number of mem bers was very small in the beginning. But the boys were Tndaunted by this fact. They were hustling, progress i've crowd of young men. Within i three months, notwithstanding the prejudice of the older people against clubs. which they considered a source 1 of evil, the membership of the club ] had increased to T0. The club con tinued to- be located in the barn on | Lafayette street for three months, when 1t removed to Wards block on Bank street, where it had fairly good rooms. here the club remained for one year.. when it was removed to D. J Mahaney's old block on Bank street After five years of existence in the block the clubs headquarters were again changed. The new headquarters were in D. J. Nfahaney's new block on Bank street, where suit of rooms had been built especially for the club There it is, still located.
 The headquarters of the club con- sists of the main hall or room, parlor smoking room and dressing rooms | A sixteen feet high. The dimensions of the parlor are seventeen feet by twelve feet, of the smoking room ten by four. teen. There is also a stage to the right of the main room. The stage is seventeen feet long and twelve feei wide. The clubs rooms are equipped with everything which goes to make c first-class gymnasium. There are wrist machines. chest machines, horizontal and parallel bars, dumbbells, clubs weights, punching bags and a home trainer. The members of the club arc interested in all kinds of sports, suct as base ball. basket ball and hand ball Class exercises. are held once a week, !. During it's thirteen years of existence many well known athletes have beer connected with the Brooklyn A. c i Among them were the following l Owen O'Neil, now of New York, an al around athlete; Michael Kelly of Rail road Hill street, professional runner James Dillane, who had few superiors in this part of the country as runner in 100-yard sprint or in a quarter ol half mile run; Myles Daily, ten-milt runner; Michael Carroll Riverside street,fiv and ten-nile runner; Patrick Cronan, 100-yard runner; John B Kelly. lightweight wrestler; Tommy Burns lightweight boxer; James. Mag ner, hammer thrower; George La chance, William Derwin and Fret Klobedanz, ball players.
 The Brooklyn A. c. has always beer a promoter of sports and amusement. of various kinds. For the past ter years it has given. an excursion eac1 year either to Coney Island or Savi1 I Rock. Each year it gives q grand con cert and dance in the City, hall o1 Thanksgiving afternoon and evening Until six or seven years ago it gave { picnic each year. These pienics had : wide fame throughout the state. Sport. of all kinds used to De held at these picnics and the best athletes in Con necticut used to be among the entries in the various events Among then were Steve Farrell, Dan Bud and Ed ward Donovan, runners; Purcell broth CTS, hammer throW ars; sam Mclean Dan Burg, all around athletts. Two oj three years ago when boxing was some what popular several boxing exhibi tions were given by the club. Thougl strong cards were offered. all inc ey hibitiOns were losing, ventures and th, club dropped S1 ,200 on them. The club, treasury received a great blow and i was only, after the hardest kind O. work that the clubs finances wer, again placed in a satisfactory condi tion. It was about this time tha Steve O'Brien was elected pres;den for the seventh time. The Brooklyl A. o. has been represented by one 0 the leading amateur base ball team during the last few years. It's tean landed in second place In the City Am ateur league last year.
 The list of the clubs presidents is a
 follows: Stephen O'Brfen. who is nov an alderman, seven terms;. Timoth, Luddy city employee; Edward Dwyer who now owns a large trucking bust ness in Ireland; John Barrett, forema, 1n tube shop In Ansonla; James Xii bride, William J. Collins. superinten dent of a machine concern in Nev
 4ork; William Johnson, who was candidate for alderman on the dem ocratic ticket in the third ward at th
 last election; William B. Darby. Thom as E. Miller, deceased, ex-registrnr O voters: D. J. McCarthy and John Cul lum. The present officers are Joh] Cullum. president; William Schmidt vice president; John O'BrIen. recordin, l secretary: Michael Ml1Ieahy f71opoio