Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-19

class; John Morrlsey. John c. Heenan. Joe
Coburn, Jim Dunno. Johnny Dryer. Jack
Dempsey. Jack McAuliffe snd poor Terry
McGoyern. New Workers have enjoyed
glove contests at some big boxing clubs.
including the Coney Island Athletic club,
the Broadway Athletic club. the LeVnN
Athletic club. the Twentieth Century Ath-
letic club and other organizations that
flourished before the repeal Of the Horton
law. Last winter more than twenty clubs
held bouts in town, notably the National
Athletic club, the Fairmont Athletic club
and the Marathon Athletic club.
Think OF the big money paid by New
Workers to see the best fighters put up
their hands. Corbett and Mccoy in their
memorable fake in Madison Square Garden
drew about $4,000. Jeffries and sharkey
pulled a s6s, 900 gate at Coney Island, and
when F-itzsimmons lost the championship
to Jeffries at the island more than 365,OOO
was paid for tickets. Suppose the John
son-Ketchel fight could be held in the
Garden. The gate receipts would reach the
500, 900 mark beyond doubt. There are
hundreds OF fight fans here who would
give up 800. each to sit in q ringside box
and see these men battle for the worlds
title. The same thing would result II John
son could hook up here with Jeffries. TIT
promoters could charge exorbitant rates
and I'll bet the Garden would be packed
from floor to roof just the same.
when Father Bill Curtis and Harry
Buermyer helped to organize the New
York Athletic club in 1868 they did not
dream that there would be 1O6 athletic
clubs today in the Metropolitan association
of the American Athletic union. These
clubs, including the New York. Irish
American and Psstime Athletic club. have
growing membership lists. which include
hundreds Of young men who belive in ply
steal development.
New York has turned out some great
athletes. Lon Meyers was probably one
Of the greatest sprinters that ever hap
pened. He was in his prime twenty-five
years ago, when he vent to England and
swept all before him. Some Of his records
stand today unbeaten.
There's the Young Mems Christian as
ISOLATION league with gyms all over the
city; the Military Athletic league, which
is training the citizen soldiery how to be
physically strong, and the Public School
Athletic league, which is developing our
boys and girls.
New York leads in American yachting
- q y 70 hNAa NV - SoR A~%S
for rfty-eight years against all of the best
English boats. There have been thirty
two races for the famous trophy and
we've won all of them. That's an en-
viable record for New York yachtmen.
Probably no harbor in the world can boast
of more fine pleasure craft and enthu-
siastic amateur shippers. Surrounded by
two great rivers, with the harbor, sound
and tho oraan rlnaa At hand ~ IA no WON
der why we are such good and
sailors.
Rowing is also immensely popular here.
There are boat clubs everywhere on the
waters edge. For forty-three years the
Harlem river oarsmen have held an annual
regatta and in more recent years they have
won many first prizes in outside events.
There must be loo bowling alleys in
the city, also several hundred well organ
lied clubs for men and women. Some of
the best bowlers in America are residents
here, and the popularity of the game is
growing steadily.
Lawn tennis is considered one Of the
high class games for the society people of
New York, but lawn tennis is played by
hundred of every day people in public
parks and private courts. 1t was not so
long ago that Jay Gould went to England
and won the championship from the Brit
ish title holder. Van Cortlandt Park is a
favorite resort for tennis players and also
for many who enjoy a good game of golf.
another popular sport here played by some
Of the best experts in the world. Ice
hockey and skating are enjoyed by thou
sands of persons here in the winter
months.
when you come to pool and billiards
you can put New York at the top of the
list. There must be more than 100000 pool
and billiard players in town, with thou
sands of rooms. George Slosson and
Maurice Daily still conduct large academies,
while the Madison Square Garden Concert
hall has been the scene of many cham
pionship Journeys.
Bicycle races always interest the masses
in the big town. The annual six-day race
in the Garden draws crowded houses and
immense gate receipts.
"And automobiles New Yorker have
gone daft over them. Large crowds at
tend the races, while a greater number of
machines were never seen at a race course
before. New York has two big auto shows
every winter and great crowds visit them
Next thing we know there'll be an aero
plane race at one of the big race tracks
and SOMEBODY will make a pot Of coin in
gate receipts. Cricket has many good
players and followers in the metropolis,
while New Workers are always interested
in foot ball, though we no longer have the
big Yale-Princeton game here. But the
local colleges and schools all play the game
and turn out some star performers from
year to year. Rifle and trap shooting, la
crosse, polo, fencing, wrestling, hand ball,
dog and horse shows and many other sports
are INDUCED in, all of which shows that
New York leads all other cities in this re-
spect."
AUTO RACE CIVIC ENTERPRISE