Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-22
TRACK ATHLETES ARE BUSY
Y. VI. c. A.. Park the Scene of Much
Ambitious Work in Way
of Training.

Though one would expect the advent OF
summer to reduce athletic interest and
participation to a great extent, such a re-
suit seems not to have ccurred to any
noticeable extent at the Young Mems Chris
tian association so far. Though the num-
Der Of those enrolled in the various gym
nasium classes is not as great as It was
In the winter time, there is yet q good
sized contingent Of men and boys who are
keeping steadfastly at the work.
Most OF the athletics centers now ct the
park at Twenty-sixth and Ames avenue,
where every facility for track and field
sports as we'll as most games is offered.
Here ms be found on every fair day a
horde OF men and boys in track attire,
doing all OF the thirteen prescribed events,
from the dashes to the runs through the
hurdles and jumps to the pole vault.
NGreat results from an athletic point OF
view are said to have been attained. al
ready as a result OF the early start the out
door men have secured. Though the wet
weather has made the ground more or less
damp most OF the time so far since the
temperature was such as to allow open
air training this fact does not seem to have
interfered to any great extent with the
thoroughness or the constancy Of the work.
Mudhorses have been the favorites at the
park and the numbers OF workers out,
even on rainy days, has been iattering.
One reason for the unusual activity in
the face Of the unfavorable conditions has
been the fact that the big open track and
field meet scheduled for July is now not
so far distant. The prizes offered for this
affair are handsome throughout, and add
to this the no inconsiderable glory at
- - a.9N NI.aAa Halottda ~ the largo
number OF entries expected and the en-
thusiasm OF athletes in preparation for
the event can be understood.
This open meet Is not to be confined
strictly to track and field events, II pres
emit plans are adhered to. In addition to
those there will be games, such as tennis,
and in that sport especially there promises
to be hot competition brought out. The
three courts at the athletic park are busy
every afternoon with Young Mems Christian
association men training for the games, and
others outside Of the association are pre-
pairing on other courts about the city.
A feature Of the meet will undoubtedly
be the match race between two teams Sc
lected from the Cross Country club. These
people have now been in active organiza-
tion some weeks, and have held many runs.
A match between two companies Of their
best runners should prove a highly inter-
esting affair. especially as 1t will offer the
novelty Of being a cross-country chase.
1t must not be imagined, however, that
the devotion to outdoor athletics has caused
the gymnasium to be entirely deserted. The
place is still alive with workers during
many hours Of the day. At noon and at
night the business mems and boys classes
still keep the basket ball humping around.
and this game has much to do with main
tanning the interest in indoor sports dur
ing the hot weather. Teams organized in
the winter, during the height of the basket
ball season, still flourish, and competition
remains keen between them.
Then at night the tumblers can always
be found in the gym, and the local associa-
tion has some good ones. There is one
class OF athletes that must Of necessity
work indoors, where all the apparatus of
springboards and mats and bars is handy, so
there is no danger OF the gymnasium being
entirely deserted as long as the turner's
and tumblers are on deck.