The sun., 1908-12-20
NEWS OF THE ATHLETES
REVIVAL OF THE "DRUM" AS
A FAVORITE MEETING PLACE.
Sparrow Robertson Stiii Presides Over
the Athletic symposium-Ncw Ideas
on Universal Amateur Definition
Military Tourney for the Garden.

For the past couple OF weeks or so stroll
lers up and down past the east side OF th e
post Office have been struck with sign
board on the top floor OF the old building at
the corner Of Park row and Beekman street.
In large letters this board bears the legend
sparrow Robertson" meaningless to the
ordinary passerby OF course, but OF sig
nifcance to the sporting fraternity. II
is the Drum again. a revival OF the famous
athletic symposium of a quarter OF CEN
tury ago. Up there in his skyward domain
the Sparrow manufactures boxing gloves.
running shoes and other athletic toSSsry,
and visitors are always welcome to drop in
for a chat on the latest doings in the ath-
| letic world.
! 1t was much the same case In the old
Drum which was one Hi ght up in an old
building, now no more. q few doors below
Duane street, on the east side of Broad
way Here during the noon hour usually
gathered the crack athletes. sporting
writers and often perhaps an official or two
| from the then tottering n. A. A. A. A. or
budding A. A. U. Athletics was the main
topic discussed, and during the session
| the Sparrow had to suspend business.
| At one sitting 1t was quite common TO see
such celebrities as Lon Myers, Aeck Jor-
dan. NJ w. Ford. Tommy Conneff. Harry
Fredericks. Willie Day, Ching Lang. Al
COPELAND and Billy Burkhardt.
Tommy Lee was known as the king
Of the Drum, and others who called were
Mike O'Sullivan. CindeTs Murray, Fred
Puffer, Harry Morrell. Fred Burns, Bob
Pritchard, Frank Lambert, Fred Westin q
and C. A. J. QueGkbener. Every new
athlete who came to town was steered for
the Drum" TO he sized up. and there was
particular scrutiny directed toward the
least tendency to swelled head. II thenew-
conner suffered from cranial enlargement
he became unpopular ut once. and vice
versa II he happened to be unassuning.
In the hours when there was no rush Of
yisitors the sparrow" did q thriving bust.
n ess, but one article remained on his han DIS
That was a bright green pair of athletic
trousers, and after repeated attempts IL
dispose OF them failed the Sparrow pre-
sented them to Mike O'Sullivan. At the
Clam Na-Gaei games on July at Jones'
Wood Mike wore the trousers. and he was
the hero of the hour. Some days afterward
Oh July IL Mike wore the green adomment
OF his nether limbs at another picnic In old
Lion Park. That time he WASH t the hero
but he escaped over the fence with his
clothes under his arm and the bright green
glitterina in the sunlight. Ever until he
died Mike had an idea that the Spar row
wanted to get him killed on July IL by Civ.
| Ing him the trousers,
A lot of chan ges have come into the world
since the days OF the old Drum" Broad.
way has had crop of skyscrapers, and
probably the only thing unchanged Ia the
Sparrow himself He il Of the class Of
men who seem never to grow old, for hii
appearance to-day is not much different
from that OF thirty years ago. when he made
an amateur running record for one hour.
/ A. B. George. who, IL will be remembered
as a member OF the Manhattan A. {. wor
some dis tance championships In the early
'9os, has taken up the discussion on the
universal definition OF an amateur. As
a man who has had twenty-five years
experience in amateur sport his idea,
should be worth quoting. lie says: "Durina
! the last ten years have repeatedly drawn
1 attention 10 the need Of one universal
! dehhition Of an amateur. The recent
Olympic games showed how necessary
/ this Ia, for We saw men competing who
! had done certain things at their particular
( branch Of sport which would professional
/ izc them under the rlIles or otheT governing
bodies. Almost every ono sgrees as "a
what constitutes an amateur. The dtni-
Guilty Il 10 bring the various governing
associBtions into line 80 10 what amateurs
,lyTnAv do without forteittnq their status
What is necessary Is broad minded denni-
| ton Of ap amateur TO apply 20 all sports
without exception. ~ should read An