New-York tribune., 1910-12-11
WOMEN TAKE CLUBHOUSE
Home of N. Y. A. C. Turned Over
to Invaders of Fair Sex.
OCCASION WAS LADIES' DAY
Music, Vaudeville, Boxing. Fenc-
ing, Wrestling and Swimming
Give Guests JOY.

sixth ladies' day occurred al the New York
Athletic Club as If lot Of Christmas shop-
ping trips had been made early or as II the
fair admirers of the athletes had stolen
day off. The big house at Sixth avenue ana
Central Park South was crowded, from the
ma tatorium in the basement right up 10 tne
restaurant the upper floor Ihere was
not vacant niche anywhere. The marble
galleries about the swimming pool held all
| they could hold. It was so on the care
floor, the second where a Hungarian band
set the echoes flying among the Palms with
which the rooms had been decorated
About three thousand persons gathered in
the gymnasium for the vaudeville snow In
the boxing room Mike" Donovan, youth
| full and gallant as ever entertained. His
art gallery, with its pictures "f all 'he
celebrities and the rows of padded mits
provoked a. never-ending lot of questions
The same thing was true of the wrestling
room. where Hughey Leonard held forth.
and in the fencing salon. The trophies
were examined with many an OH and
! "Ah,' one pretty girl declaring that ii
was shame for men to keep such a
| lot of beautiful silverware to themselves
where their wives and sweethearts could
only get q glimpse Of II once or twice a
| year
Altogether there were more than five thou
sa nd visitors who entered the clubs portals
presided over by Peter and Henry, the
veteran doormen. who are as much of
club fixture as the Mercury foot emblem
Peter declared that in all his years of ex-
perience there had not been December
ladies' day like 1t.
In a measure the real sport that was fn
evidence held to the tank. There the am
phibians of the club disported IN races.
diving and water polo. More than one
dainty gown spotted by the splash1nS
water, its wearer prevented from getting
out Of the way because Of the crowd ana
the handicap of a hobble skirt. A new de-
parture arranged the boys race, for mem
bers' sons into classes \ and B. Nearly
thirty of. the youngsters competed in the
heats. churning the water into foam. Little
| Jack Witherspoon carried off the first prize
! in the Glass A final. He made great
squirt at the finish and Just a stroke
ahead of A Butler who came in second
and who almost a tie with ". Gill;
third. The time remarkably good, as
the winner finished in "a seconds. A. de
Rivira won the Glass r race In 46 2-5 sec
onds with c. Jacobs and Willie Kane, sec
ond and third.
1t was that master swimmer. Gus Sund-
s.rom, VINO aroused the women to enthusi-
asm. however. by his wonderful antics in
the water. As Sun6strom executed four
back somersauts with a lighted cigar in
his mouth, and then descended to the bot
tom of the tank for one minute and ten
seconds by the watch, to redppear smiling
and smoking t seemed as if one might
do things as easily there as on dry land
Back and forward rolls. in which he did
not to move muscle; the celebrated
walk down Fifth avenue, in which he
donned d high hat and swung cane as he
went along treadng water, and funny
imitation OF crab, ending with the pretty
porpoise swimming, created no end of de
Hight
The harlequin race, won by +. W. King.
caused the fair spectators to scream with
lat gbter. In this race the swimmers went
To the further end of the tank. There theE
donned women's clothing, all having plenty
of trouble In getting the skirts over their
wet swimming clothes and the stockings
OIL their feet. King had a little the hest
of it. although he made flashing finish
with F. w Kelly and f. r. Henrette, the
trio finishing in the order named.
Harold Smyrk. Walter Lee, ]. II. Reilly
and Arthur McAIeenan gave splendid eN-
hibition of fancy diving. There We're SOM
erSSultS, jackknlveS ana double Jacks, BACK
ward dives and all of the frlls that sent
quiver of envy and excitement through the
fair spectators. The work was unusually
good.
To top off the afternoon there was
spirited two period match at American
water polo, at which the Reds defeated the
Blacks by a score of 3 goals TO l.
Edwin g. Benson ofTiciated as chairman
of the reception committee. assisted by
James H. Haslin. president of the club:
Matthew p. Halpin. r. H. Gofte, Fred W
krcehle A. Lincoln North. Chalmer y. Col
man. William ]. Pulley, Martin s. Paine
and others
Fifty yard swim (hsndicap; for members sons
under sixteen wears Of age; Class S1-Won by
Jack Weatherspoon. \. Butler. second, W. Gill,
third Time. 6:3i.
Fifty-yard swim (handicap; for members sons
under sixteen years of age: Class RI Won by
: de Rivira; {. Jacobs. second; W. Kane, third.
Time 0;46 p.
Exhibition fancy Giving Walter Lee. Harold
| smyrk, Arthur McAleenan and J; H. Reilly:
l0o-yard swim (handicap}-Won by 7. H.
Reilly, Z seconds: q. Arnold. - seconds, second;
I. &. Goodwin. seconds. third Time, 1: IA 2-6.
Harlequin distance 80 yaris>-Won by p.
". King; L. W. Kelly, second; F. r Hornette.
third. No time taken.
AMERICAN WATER POLO.
Reds (3l. Position Blacks ~.
Reilly Goal Steen
Cedar ............ Right forward ........ Rudy
Arnold Left forward .Humphries
Leveridge. Centre 49,. Ed. Trubenback