The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-08-26

| dLnletlc sport by the continuation of
the war, Mr.. y. G. Mills Of the New
York Athletic Club and Mr.. A. c. Stev
ems Of the New Jersey \. G.. who were
two OF the most able men on the ANA
teur Athletic Union board. terminated
hostiiltles. the y. 4. \. A. A. agreeing
TO reiinquish control and 90 out of ex-
istence and bring its clubs into the
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union. as it
was organized in 1883, was a union of
clubs. with a board of governors of
/ twelve, but the organization and ex-
panslon Of sport in the United States
under its auspices met with such spon-
tane0us approval that clubs sprung up
all over and It became at once apparent
that the mechanism of government was
. becoming unwieldy. Pacific Coast and
New Orleans matters had to be adjust
ed III New York. and it was realized
. that something would have to be done
: if the organization was to remain in
tact and still have control. In 1889
Mr.. A. G. Mills worked out what has
since been known as the Mills Reor-
ganization Plan, whereby each section
of the country would have home rule.
( and instead of the Union being an as
ISOLATION of clubs, provided that it
, should he a union of associations. active
and allied. The plan was adopted
unanimously. The wisdom Of the Mills
plan was Immediately apparent. as
from it started what has proved to be
the most remarkable growth of athlet-
les known in any country of the world
An estimate of the competing athletes
in 1883 would be about three thou
sand: today statistics show that there
are millions. Recognizing the strength
of the Amateur Athletic Union and the
strength that would accrue from organ
( lied athletics in their own spheres.
other governing bodies quickly formed
alliances with the national body.
Boosts Amateur Sports.
Amateur sport would not be on the
plane that it is today were it not for
the Amateur Athletic Union. 1t would
exist in certain locations only. The
\. \. I. believes in naturalization and
strong national organizations, and. as a
matter Of fact, the first championship
meeting Of the \. A. L. was held in
Detroit in 1883, in preference to some
one of the larger eastern cities where
athletic meetings were not uncommon.
The success Of the Detroit meeting in
attracting athletes who otherwise would
never have been seen in the West was
so pronounced that the 4. A L. since
then has followed the custom of holding
the annual meetings in various parts of
the country from the Atlantic to the
Pacific.
Records have fallen one after an
other under its guiding hand, until at
the present time they are at such figures
that it seems hardly possible for them
TO be surpassed.
HThe success of the A. \. {. has not
been achieved without hard work. It
has had many hard knocks. because
there is ALWAYS an element that does
not want to be controlled for various
reasons. and that element has to be
fought.
In Chaotic State.
"Anv oId-time athlete of the decades
prior to the late sos could interest the
present -dav reader if he would tell him
of the chaotic condition of affairs prior
to the organization of the y. \. Z.
Track athletes competed under assumed
names for money prizes professionals
were brought from different sections of
the country and competed one day for
prizes and the next for money Often
an athlete who won a prize was lucky
if he ever GOT it. Money orders were
given as prizes. rnturna bic or market
able at certain stores. The athlete could
buy a necktie for few cents and get
the remainder in cash. The \. y. [.
has made athletics respectable by uni
form system Of registration and control,
and a Young man can compete today
without danger of being unjustlv crit
'Cized or unfairly dealt with.
. Contrary to the general belief, the
\. 4 / has no quarrel with the recog-
njzed professional. The union is antag-
onlStic. however. to the alleged ANA
teur who is in reality professional.
No Salaries Paid.
1.-The Amateur Athletic Union for
twentv-one years has been fortunate III
its selection of officials During these
twentv-one years it has never been
called upon to pay a cent Of salary to
the many officials that work in its n
terests. nor even their expenses. 1t has
a board of governors. consisting Of fifty
nine men. located in all sections of the
United states. and these men cheertuily
give No their time and money for the
cause of athletics and in the interest
of the Amateur Athletic Union OF the
United States. 1t has in its treasury
over 81, 900, and Is today the strongest
athletic governing body in the world.