The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-11
ATHLETES BUILD A CLUBHOUSE.
Pastime A. c. Members work Like Beavers
On Their New Home.

on Their New Home.
The plot Of ground between Seventy
eighth and Seventy-ninth streets, on the
East Side, and within 100 feet of the East
River. presents busy sight nowadays.
mere the members Of the Pastime A. c.
gather whenever they have leisure hour
and help in the construction OF the new
clubhouse. which they intend to inhabit
Tor some time to come. About couple Of
months ago the Pastimes were notified
mat they must vacate their old home on
East Sixty-sixth street and their eyes began
to wander around in search of a new place.
until they finally unearthed the present
site. A lease of two years was secured,
out serious stumbling block presented
itself-there was not enough cash in the
exchequer for the erection Of clubhouse.
A running path. OF course would be all
right and satisfy the ambitions Of most
OF the members, but the true Pastime boy,
hardened and Injured to the hardships of
the open air. likes place where he can sit
and have friendly game Of cards, smoke
cigar and have round or two with the
gloves, or maybe a bout on the wrestling
mat.
On more than one occasion members OF
this organization have proved themselves
to be possessed Of degree OF versatility;
and few Of the members brought this
faculty into play and found way out Of the
predicament. II the club could not defray
the expenses Of new building the men,
bers must peel OF their coats and build the
house themselves. So it was unanimously
IL
could handle spade, pick. a trowel, a
saw or Ratchet, should devote all his spare
time to working on the house. And the
plan worked to perfection. Those who had
the strength to handle shovel first scooped
out the foundation. and those who could
lay brick came along and raised the wall
Once in while the amateur builders got
little help from the regular bricklayers OF
the East Side, who heard the story Of the
voluntary workers. On Saturday, espe-
cially. when they had a half day of, the
bricklayers would come along and work
side by side with the athletes for several
hours.
All the time the work went on steadily,
and now the building is almost complete.
1t is a one-story edifce, 90 feet long by
40 feet wide. and will be made ready for
occupancy right away. Members who are
plumbers, carpenters, painters and glazers
have made ready for the interior decora-
ton Of the house which will not be very
artistic or elaborate, but will be neat and
comfortable. Work on the track was begun
yesterday and it is expected that it will be
levelled of within month. 1t will be an
eight lap to the mile circuit and plenty
lnr tLny In tln n "a
runners, jumpers and weight tossers. 1t
is not known exactly when removing day"
with the Pastimes will be, but everything
is ready to be carted away from the "old
homestead the site of which has been
purchased by John d. Rockefeller and
upon which will be erected the Institution
for Medical Research The lease for the
ground expires on Nov. /, but the very
minute the Pastimes are ready TO get out
they will go, irrespective Of the lease or
anything else. 1t is a case of-history re-
peatng itself with the Pastimes; for twenty
six years ago, when the club was organ
lied, the members themselves built the
spring Of 1877 the little club which has
since been regarded as a sort Of landmark
in amateur sport, first saw the light. It's
birth was more of an accident than a. pre-
meditation toward physical culture and
occurred in TIE back room Of Johnny Burck-
IdTul eatCoH ehN
First avenue.
On winter nights a few convivial souls
would gather there to refresh the inner
man. Little by little the crowd increased.
The coterie was conservative as to any
intruders, and especially the leading lights
made it rule that any newcomer who
wanted to butt in" should blow the crowd
to the beers. To enforce this rule club
was formed called the Pastime Social Club.
which after a couple of months was re-
named the Pastime A. c. Johnny Burck-
hardt was the first president, and in the
spring of 1878 the grounds were secured
on the top of the hill at the foot OF East
Sixty street. There was no fence.
but there was clubhouse in the shape Of
the little old church used in the early days
OF old New York by the Schermerhorns.
Hardenbrooks, the Bassfords and Beck
mans.
Neither was there a running path. but
mornings they would gather and in soap
boxes cart the cinders from dumping
ground near Avenue A to the top OF the
Hill. The fence was built in 1880 after the
O'Ieary walk in Madison Square Garden.
when the members of the club earned $40
a night for scoring; and this; being Pooled,
bought the boards which have since en-
closed the grounds.
Some of the early athletes were Dan
Leblanc. J. E.. Sullivan, Aleck Jordan, Harry
Fredericks, Hughey Quinn, Ed Hulske,
Harry Armstrong, Tom Smith. Rueben
Sperry, T. j. Kane and Frank Lambrecht.
In those days the en- had curious ideas
about training, toast and tea and crackers
being the recommended fare. Anything
heavier was bad for the wind, they said.
Leblanc, who was a walker was forever
on the lookout for new ideas in training.
One day Aleck Jordan brought big sponge
to the track and had it out drying when
Leblanc came along.
ISay, Aleck. f'what de ye want wv the
spunge?"
aOh, new wrir kle in training, Dan"
said Aleck ats the finest thing in the
world to eat, makes you as hard as nails
and is immense for the wind
4Begob, you're jayniuS for shure, ar
I'm goin' to git wan as soon as go home,
said Dan.
So he did, and devoured three full sized
sponges when he was taken with indiges-
ton.
Neverth eless many men prominent
professionally and commercially benefit I'd
by their connection with the athletic
nursery
FARLEY, MAY TELL AFTER ALL.