The San Francisco call., 1909-02-08
CATHOLIC LEAGUE IS
TRAINING FOR
FIRST MEET
Schools of Bay Cities Take Great
Interest In New Athletic
Organization
By VIII Scarlet

Although the Catholic schools athletic
league is only a month old II has shown
itself a sturdy youngster and given
ample promise of forging rapidly to
the front among associations OF its
kind. The league is made up of repre-
sentative athletes from the various
Catholic schools and colleges OF the
bay cities. and the organization is such
that no Catholic institution OF impor-
tance is not represented on it's rolls
Santa Clara college and ST. Ignatius
college have not yet filed applications,
but with these exceptions the athletes
of all the Catholic educational centers
are members of the league. AT present
16 schools are enrolled.
A great share Of the success. which
even in it's incipient stage the league
has achieved must be credited to
Brother Gregory, +. S. c.. the vice
president OF Sacred Heart college. San
Francisco. For several years he has
directed the affairs of the college ath-
letic association and has become well
known in amateur athletic circles AS
president of the league he has acted
with energy and discretion. He is per
fecting plans to have his association OF
student athletes represented at the Sc
attic exposition next summer.
The first official meet of the league
will be held in the Auditorium on the
evening of March IL. A special COM
mittee is now at work on the details
of the celebration, in which every
Catholic school ana college in the arch
diocese of San Francisco will be repre-
sented- One number on the program
which gives promise or being OF special
interest is a parade of all the young
athletes who belong TO the organization
1t is surmised that more than 1000
boys and young men will take part in
this parade. which will be headed by
the famous boys band from ST. Vim
cents orphan asylum of San Rafael
The league has met with favor
among local Catholic educators. Sew
eral of the Catholic clergy are active
members of the administrative body,
and the teachers of all the paTOchial
schools of the bay cities have taken a
ganizing track teams. Archbishop
Riordan has conferred his heartiest ap-
proval on the project and has donated
a perpetual trophy, to be known as the
archbishop's cup, which will be con-
tested for March IL.
Beside the archbishops trophy the
league has secured four other cups
One of these is the gift of A. G.. Spal-
ding, who has taken a practical inter-
est in the organization since its incep-
tion. Lionel Wolff, whose advice and
assistance proved OF invaluable service
to the founders of the league, has also
contributed cup, which has been on
exht bitiOn in several OF the schools or
this city. A masterpiece OF workman
ship Is the trophy donated by r. A
Roos. 1t is a silver cup two feet high
with a gold bowl and wrought horn
handles. This cup has been exhibited
to the aspiring athletes OF the Oakland
schools, who are training with view
to its annexation next month.
The constitution and by laws OF the
league are modelled closely on those OF
the parochia1 school league Of New
York. This organization has been in
existence for seven years and has
proved singularly efficient Among the
rules is one which has met with great
favor in local circles 1t DEGREES that
events be run off according to the
weight of the contestants The ath-
letes are accordingly divided into four
sections-the 80 pound class, the %
pound class the 115 pound class and an
unlimited class. This arrangement
gives a chance to every student and
puts the coveted trophies within reach
OF the parochial schools as we'll as OF
the colleges
Among the Catholic clergy and teach
ers who are showing an active interest
in the league are the following: Or.
F. X Morrison of St. Josephs church.
Berkeley: Rev. f. p. Dempsey, rector
of Immaculate Conception church, Oak
land: Rev Francis Long of Sacred
Heart church. Oakland: Father Tobin
of St Francis Real school; Brother
Cyril of Sacred Heart college; Brother
Alexander of St. Joseph's school; Broth
er Ambrose of st. Patrick's school, West
Oakland: Brother AlphOnsus of St.
James school and Brother JosephuS OF
ST. Peters school.