The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-26
IN SWEDEN
WELL ORGANIZED
Country Has Many Athletic
Clubs all Working Un-
der one General Head.
(Licut. f;urnstom.)

Stockholm, March @6.-Sport in
Sweden is very strongly organized. as
Sweden has succeeded in uniting all
different athletic societies and clubs
IN n great society, THE Swedish
General GiNmnaStir and Athletic So
ciety," which WAS founded In 1908.
In this way il has been possible to
draw up general rules. create good re-
suits in unison. and through this one
superior authority to elevate athletics
in Sweden. The Swedish General
Gymnastic and Athletic society is the
highest authority in Swedish athletics
and consists of representatives of two
kinds. The athletic sections in which
the country is divided send two repre-
sentatives each, n the separate attn
letic societies sen one representative
for each 500 athletes belonging to the
society. at least one, but not more than
twelve. Thc Swedish General Gym
nastic and Athletic society shall ap-
point a board Of directors consisting
of thirty members. which shall. consti-
tute the supreme authority in all attn
letic questions. This society shall also
appoint Il committee to consider all
rules and regulations for all societies
belonging to this general society.
Tho orga nization of athletics and
sport In America is we'll known. and
besides the few athletic clubs which
are to be found in the larger cities
only. athletics and sports are conduct
cd solely by universities. colleges and
schools. There arc a few clubs in the
larger cities. however. it is true. which
conduct n kind of sport or another,
but as a rule they specialize in a few
branches of sport only. To go into
particulars is unnecessary, as they are
we'll noWn. In Sweden there is hard
~ a town of any size above 1900
which has not an athletic field and d
club. the annual membership fee of
which is very low. averaging at $3.50.
AS a rule there is no club house en-
cept in the larger cities. but some
room is provided for the athletes to
change their clothes. Athletic ma
terials such as hurdles, javelins, ham,
mers. etc. are to be used free of
charge.
On these athletic fields the club
members meet In the long. light sum-
mer evenings to train, not only the
younger generation. but also many
who are in their thirtics and fortics.
Counts and barons. licutenants and
merchants. lahorers. and in fact al;
classes Of people. together with the
younger generation, minglc here re-
gardless of social standing as one class.
10 keep the interest in athletics lively
at all stages. the Swedish General
Gymnastic and Athletic society has
arranged to give honorable mention
In the form of "a pin to those who
succeed in reaching at least the mini
mum requirements in five different
events. The pin is given to an ath-
lete who during n and the same cal
endar year has gained one point in
of the five events, the pin being
Of bronze.
In the Swedish clubs all different
branches of sport and athletics are
represented. A few branches, how.
familiar to the Americans, arc
unknown in Sweden. American foot.
ball. for example. is not played over
there. but instead they play the Eng
lish form of the game. Hockey is
known. but played very little. Instead.
Ice polo is very popular and played
throughout the country. Baseball is
unknown. and the only
Swedish ball game that would crsem-
BILE baseball is called "peark." The
Swedes have excelled. however. in a
few branches of sport during the past. |
Ice skating. skiing and such branches
OF sport as have been Used by people
a means of travelling nave always
been popular and have been Of a high
standard. Our most dangerous COM
petitors. however, have been our
brothers just east and west Of us. the
N~orwegians and the Firms. Long dis
lance and cross country running has
also been very popular in Sweden. any
distance up to the marathon distance
or 10000 meters (about twenty-fi "
mileS.)