The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-29

however. and the rendezvous was
changed TO Finley'sS half mile track,
corner OF Seventy-second street and
Bloomingdale road.
Gradually athletics became more
popular and the young men warmed up
TO the idea OF forming an athletic club.
Three times. however, melting was
called for that purpose before fourteen
faithful ones could be gathered together
to sign a muster roll. elect officers and
complete the formal organization Of the
New York Athletic Club.
That was on September S. 1868. The
meeting was held at 200 Sixth avenue.
between Twenty-seventh and Twenty
eight streets-now MouQuin's uptown
restaurant 1t was n private residence,
and while the rooms were kindly loaned
for meeting place IT was not a club
ROOM For that purpose the members
had to use Mair's gymnasium. on st.
Marks place near Second avenue.
In 1870 the club built a boathouse on
the Harlem River and that was their
first real clubhouse. On October 81. 1871.
the club staged the first open outdoor
meet ever held in America. II took place
on the clubs first track. at l30th street
and Harlem River. the land now sup
porting the foundations OF the Harlem
Bridge The downtown headquarters Of
the Mercury Footers had been shifted to
Woods gymnasium, East Twenty
eighth street now the site of the Prince
George Hotel.
In 1874 the New York A. C. secured
clubroom at Broadway and Thirty
sixth street. II was about rs large as
the domino room in the present palatial
city home OF the Mercury Footers on
Central Park South. On June 2T, 1875,
the New York A. c. opened new grounds
at Mott Haven. Two years later. July ~,
1877, another opening was observed. this
time of a two story bathhouse at lSSth
street and Harlem River. Mott Haven.
In 1882 the Mercury Footers shifted
! their downtown headquarters to the
Crescent gymnasium. on Twenty-th!rd
street near Sixth avenue. 1T was not
till February 3, 1885. that the New York
A. c. opened a real city clubhouse. the
one at Fifty-ifth street and Sixth ave-
nue.. In 1898 the present palatial club
house on Central Park South became
fitting home for the little band OF atm
letes who in September. 1868. started
their organization with only locker room
In old MARS gymnasium.
The Travers Island country home OF
the New York A. C. was purchased In
1887, but the clubhouse. afterward
burned, was not erected there until 1889.
The present Travers Island clubhouse
was erected in 1907
Among the wonderful athletes who
have worn the Mercury Foot are Ray
Ewry, the greatest standing jumper the
| world ever has seen, winner OF ten Olym-
pic championships, three at Paris In
1900, three at st. Louis in 1904, two AT
Athens in 1906 ana two al London IN
1908; Bernie Wefers, the king OF
whnaa
high Jump record stood the test OF thirty
years of competition: the versatile
Kraenzlein, Jumper. Splinter and hurd or
par excellence; the perhaps even more
versatile and great Harry Hillman;
Tommy Conneff, as grand a miller ana
three miller as ever dug up cinders Ed
die Carter, whose distance running rec
ords withstood the assaults or champions
for more than two decades; Maxey Long,
whose quarter mile record was the lost
of the old standard marks to go by the
boards; Charley fitzpatrick. whose half
| mile figures lasteo almost as long ms
Maxey's double furlong mark; John Elan
| agan, Jim Mitchell and George Gray,
weight throwers. to whom whole pages In
| the record book are devoted: Malcolm
| Ford and Alex Jordan. all around men
| only slightly surpassed by the greatest
all around athlete OF them all-the late
| Martin ]. Sheridan.
! Secnd only to Olympic competition
was the memorable international dual
meet between the New York A. c. and
the London A. C. on Manhattan Field
! here In 1895. 1t virtually was Great
Britain vs. America, as the best men
I In both countries represented the rival
! clubs. The New York A. c. made a
! clean sweep. There were eleven events
on the programme and the Mercury
! Footers won them all.
1sOb's Memorable Meet.
! In that historic international track
and field duel In 1898 Bernie Wefera
captured both 100 yard and 220 yard
dashes and Tommy Connect won both
one mile and three mile runs. Tommy
Burke brought the Mercury Foot home
in front In the quarter mile run and
! Charley Fitzpatrick In tho half mile
Mike Sweeney captured tho high jump
Eddie Bloss the broad jump. Steve
/ Chase the hurdle race, George Gray the
shot put and Jim Mitchell the hammer
throw.
Not only did every rrst place on the
programme go to the wearers of the
Mercury Foot. but most OF the second
places as well. II was no wonder the
club rooms of the New York A. c. that
night--the meet was held on September
81, lse5--echoed the tune of ''rhe Last
Rose of Summer" sung to:
Twas the best Drawn OF England
Got bloomin' we'll left:
All those lovely companions
OF size and OF heft
Could not win a bloody contest;
Not single, blarsted one