The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-29
GIGANTIC SPORTS
CLUB FOR LONDON
On an Artificial Turf All Manner
of Games Will Be
Played.
New York Herald Special Service.

SpSSAoi
London, Oct. 2S.-Preparations are
we'll in hand for opening club which
will be the most remarkable club in
the kingdom. =,
The great building known as the
Olympia is being converted into what
will be an immense club which will
provide all kinds of sports and games
during the winter months.
The committee includes such promi-
nent men in the social and sporting
life as iVscount Hayashi, the Earl
Hawke, Lord Rosemead, Colonel W. R.
Murphy, the Earl of Kinnoull, Lord
Alverstone, Colonel NEWMAN Davis and
leading sportsmen.
The scheme is an ambitious one. 1t
is designed to meet the needs Of a vast
number of men who, because they do
not play football, have to deny them
selves all exercise during the winter
months. The Olympia is being turned
into midsummer field and on it, with
midsummer comforts and at midsummer
temperatures, Londoners can play their
favorite game, be it cricket, lawn ten
mis-, squash, racquets, croquet, bowls
golf putting or anything else. r,. ,,,...,-
27:~ Weaving Turf. K 5.''..
The; main difficulty was to provide
a turf and the promoters claim that
has been done. They are weaving an
enormous carpet to cover the vast floor
space Of the Olympia, which is to be
stout enough for football and resilient
enough for tennis. = d.
Tennis men have driven on it, and
the ball has come up true enough and
swift enough for their h cir satisfaction
Football men have fallen on it and
have found it at least as comfortable
as meadow.
The carpet is now being woven at
| Gemsford and has already been two
months in making, and for two months
| more it will continue to find employ
ment for the entire village. It is woven
upon a firm basis of cocoanut mating
and its surface is made of raffia grass
which has been specially imported from
South America by the maker. 1t is
the largest carpet in the world, has
the appearance of grass ana has the
Instructors will be provided for fen
! cling, wrestling, boxing, jiu-jitsu anc
| gymnastic exercises, and at stated hours
members may use the arena for learning
| how to drive automobiles. From gal
lery to gallery the distance is 374 feet
Shooting will be able to have {
rifle range, z,
Each game is to be controlled by {
committee of experts elected by tn
general committee.
Huge Exercise Ground.
Apart from the use of the club a
a gigantic exercise ground, the pro
moters intend to make it one of tn
great show places of London.
On every evening in the week am
on Thursday and Saturday afternoon
games will be played by professional
teams for the entertainment Of mem
bers and the public. There will b
whippet races in which some, Of tn
best known dogs will take part. Jump
ing, fencing and wrestling contests ar
to be provided. Spanish experts hav
been engaged to play that whirlwin
game of handball known as pelots
which is played in every town in Span
and has carried Paris by storm.
Concerts will be given every after
noon and evening, on Sundays as wei
as on weekdays. Interesting and move
entertainments are promised for tn
theater and music-hall. Refreshment
rooms, bathrooms, reading rooms an
; the like will furnish all convenience
Of club. The subscriptions are to b
five guineas year for men and thre
guineas for women. s - - :,