Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-09-26
Big Turnout at Funeral of the
Leader of American
Athleticr.
Three Presidents Named Him
Olympic Chairman For This
Country.
CLEAN SPORT HIS GREAT WORK

Young and old, rich and poor,
athletes embryo and finished, paid
their last respects to James E. Sulli-
van, the Leader of American Ath-
letics," last Saturday when his
funeral services were conducted in
st. Aloysius' church, New York City.
In its very simplicity, in the sincere
sorrow that overspread the faces of
schoolboys, of athletes, of men in
every walk of life, the services were
a just response to the sorrow that
was felt by all with whom "Jim"
Sullivan came in contact. Block
after block along the line of the
funeral procession the youngsters
stood, with barred heads, many of
them wearing the rubber-soled shoes
that bespoke the athlete, and not
one needed any explanation of why
such homage was due to the de-
ceased. In front of the hearse on
its trip from the home of the ath-
letic leader the cortege proceeded
to st. Aloysius' church. The streets
were lined with schoolboys prac-
tically the entire distance. Enviously
they watched the fifty medal school
boys, who had on their much-coveted
prize medals from the Public Schools
Athletic League, of which the de-
ceased was the moving spirit. These
boys preceded the casket, and their
presence seemed to sound the note
of the entire funeral 1t was not the
fact that Mr. Sullivan had been hon
ored by three American Presidents
by being named Olympic Chairman
for this country; neither was it ap-
parent that under the leadership of
the man athletics in this country
have assumed a position that was
ahead of that occu-
pied by any other country; but il
was plain that the teaching of the
young boys of the worth of sport on
a clean basis, the success of the
Public Schools Athletic League, the
recreation centers, the Fairgrounds,
was the crowning feature of Mr..
Sullivan's accomplishments.
In the funeral cortege the ''cham-
pion" boys were so placed that there
could be no question of what the de-
ceased thought of the boys who had |
won medals in the sport he had fos-
tered. At the head of the line was |
Thomas F. Ryan, followed |
by four mounted officers. Then came |
members of the Board of Education, |
with Gen. George w. Wingate lead
ing. Following this delegation came |
-hree District Superintendents of the |
Public Schools, and at the head of |
he ''medal" boys the color bearer,
with his draped American flag. The
schoolboys, marching two by two,
we're living examples of Mr.. Sulli-
yan's work, and it showed that creed
md color, wealth and poverty, were
IN a par. for the fifty boys were of
many nationalities and from the
better and poorer sections of New
York. Following the hearse were
he pallbearers, twenty-eight men
rom every branch of life. Supreme
Court Justice Barlow s. Weeks, long
/ close friend and always an ad-
nirer of Mr.. Sullivan's theories in
athletics; Senator James j. Frawley,
Who fathered the boxing law in this
State; Col. Robert NJ. Thompson,
President of the Olympic Commits
lion; Evert Jensen Wendell, some-
lines called the father of Harvard
athletics, but latterly of the Olympic
President William H.
Page, of the New York Athletic
Club; President Thomas w. Churc-
ill, of the Board of Education; Act
ng Mayor o. Grant Esterbrook;
Tulian w. Curtiss, of the Olympic
Alvin f. Pope, of the
International Expo
ition; Everett c. Brown, of Chicago,
md Edward e. Babb, of Boston, were
| few of those who walked behind the
learse, not only as admirers of the
deceased but as lifelong friends of
he man. There were in the process
lion representatives from every
prominent athletic club in the
district, some Of them
,roud Of having had "Jim" Sullivan
IN their books Of membership.
In the church when the cortege
lrrived friends were gathered in
numbers that taxed the capacity OF
he structure, and before the services
we're started the standees had occu-
lied every space OF vantage, even TO
he stairs. There was In the crowd
! list of athletes which only Jim"
sullivan could recall by name and
eputation. Matt McGrath, the
giant Of the Police
department.; "Pau Ryan, another
rish star OF track and field. who d.
ects traffic on Broadway; ''Mel"
'heppard, who has felt the stern
land of Sullivan reprisal for in
ractions of the rules, but who tear
ully lauded the honesty and clean
pirit of every Sullivan decision;
Jim" Mitchell. who started In ath-
etics when the deceased himself
vas a runner. and sparrow" Rob-
rtson. who was in the game when
Jim" was playing II. were In the
hurch. The service. conducted by
'ather Francis ]. Sullivan. for thirty
ears friend OF the deceased and
was extremely simple.