New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-31
RUBEN PREDICTS
AN ACTIVE YEAR
IN A. A. U. Sports
Increase in Indoor Meet,
Scheduled-Plans for
St. Louis Games
BY FREDERICK ". RUBEN.
Sccrctary-TreAsurer Of the A =.

Sccretary-TreAsurer Of the A.Ar
All signs indicate that 1917 1, ..;..
to be a very sctivs year in the sra.
under the jurisdiction o, the Am,,...
Athletic Union. The various di..,,..
associations report an increase i, A.
number OF indoor meet. sehedul.a ..
the winter, and keen eompeti.iea v;u
result The indoor national chan,;..
ships take place in New York on Ma,
II, and the best athletes in IN. eo,,
try vii! compete for these honor,
The outdoor national ehanpios,A;,.
all-around championship and r.,,,
Championship will take place q. :.
Louis In September. and irerea,sd
terest in the section OF tha .cv,,-
that developed Robert Simpson ~,
athletic marvel Of the year, 10 losL,i
for. 81. Louis plans to maze 49,.
championships the equal OF asy ~
heretofore, and owing 20 its een.r,i H.
cation IL will be possible for athls..,
from any part of the country 20 MAJ.
the trip IN a few days.
International Contests
international boxing will taxa sl.,.
as the result Of an invitation from ~.
Scandinavian countries, and Il Ia Ntsi,
that the winners Of the national Lar.
ing championships 70 be held AZ r..
ton in March will be selected % res,,.
sent this country.
The small team OF track sthletsa es,.
slsting OF Meredith, LOOMS, Simpss,
Murray and Ward made very f,ys,s.
Bile impression abroad, and ans,As,
team will be sent 10 represent Amer.
lea this summer II it is found imps,.
sible for the scandinavian athlstss 4,
leave their countries on account a
military duty. These countrisa A.
serve great credit for their inItistiv,
in inviting our prominent athletes "a
visit them, and our boys are loud IA
their praises of the splendid rsess.
ton accorded them abroad. Lar,
crowds attended the games in spit1
OF the frosty weather, and the sth!ctss
abroad realize the advantage, Of ses.
ing our stars in competition.
Swimming
Swimming is in its infancy In Nj,
country, ard this accounts FOR the uun.
Der OF records broken during the last
year. Judging from the demand frcr
all parts OF the country for the priv,
lege of holding championships for nn
and women, an even greater onslsue..
on the records will take place. rhsss
championships will be distributed :.
that all sections Of the country =..lb,
benefited.
District Associations
The territory covered by the district
associations is too large and the nun
Der Of our districts should be increased.
All cities having a population Of sbou.
100000 people ought 10 be made centres
Of athletic activity. II this plan Is
carried out there would be district o..
sociations with headquarters in Clus.
land, Pittsburgh, Detroit. Buffalo, MI.
waukee, Cincinnati and the twin citiss,
Minneapolis and ST. Paul. in sdditiss
20 the present headquarters.
Athletes find difficulty in ATTENDING
local championships and meetings hsla
several hundred miles from home. End
by increasing the number OF distrie!
associations and making IL possible for
the best athletes in each district to q.
tend the various national champion
ships our sports will be fostered where
at present they are not receiving The
encouragement they should receive.
Compulsory Athletics and Use 81
Armories
New York State has adopted compul.
sorry athletics for its schools, and IN.
doubtedly the plan will be FOLLOWED
throughout the Union when its bsnst'
cial effects are realized. With 50 many
plans for preparedness being consit'
cred, would IL not be proper a. thii
time 70 throw open our armoriss dur
ing the winter months 70 the may
thousands Of our workingmen VIC
greatly appreciate being able % run |"
exercise on our large armory hoors'
This privilege can be permitted dur
ing the hours OF p. m. 70 y. D.
when the armorles are rot in use, VITA
out interfering with regimental drllh
and be the means Of bringing men y
our armories instead OF eomps!liss
them TO join regiments 10 obtain na
privilege. There is great dsmsnd n
this privilege. for with so many OF or
people taking up outdoor exercise Dur
ing the summer months the need 10 teh
for adequate places 20 continue TN
work during the winter.
Stadiums
With the increase in athletic ihlu'
est comes also the demand for men
Fairgrounds. tracks and stadiums To
colleges throughout the country "
showing the lead in this respect ~
are building or advocating the bulost
OF more appropriate seating aeeenne.
dations or stadiums. The United Save
government has become interested -
the extent OF approving Of develor
ment OF East Potomac Park, Wuh'ay
ton. and the initial appropriation ~
beginning work on the field and hsi'
house has been made. The project pW
vides for all kinds OF sport, sns "
cludes q track and stadium. ~ soe'
tional appropriation will be reouesws
OF Congress this year 10 rush the WI"
10 completion. !,
New York City hss long been y
need OF field for national and ints
national contests, and Park Conan.
sioner Whittle is developing prclses
70 have at Van Cortlandt Park tfss.
and stadium the equsl OF any IN ~
world. The track and field VIII "
completed this year.
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