The New York herald., 1922-01-29
+. w. Jansen Describes COndi.
tiOns That Led to National
Association.
BY FRED w. JANSEN.

The controversy looming up in the
athletic world between the Amateur
Athletic Union. the intercollegiate AS
sociation and the proposed United States
Government control OF all sports brings
to mind the condition existing in Amer
ican amateur athletics on several pre-
vious occasions that resulted in a gen
eral advancement and betterment of
both competitive and legislative sporting
affairs.
Whether or not this age has outgrown
the present system or whether the pres
ont legislators are dropping behind the
ever advancing times remains to be de-
termined but from all appearances II
will not be very far distant when some
of our legislative bodies will have 70
watch their step in the reconstruction
work that is in progress all over the
world. In this connection IL might be
well to call attention to the birth of ath-
letic championships in this country and
TO tell how the Amateur Athletic Union
came to be organized.
How many of. the competing athletes
OF to-day arc aware that the first cham
pionship track and field contests were
held at the Mott Haven grounds, at
157th street and the Harlem River in
The Bronx, under the auspices OF the
New York a. c. in 1876. 1877 and 1873,
and how many Of our athletic represen-
tativcs remember the National Associa-
ton OF Amateur Athletes Of America,
which conducted the championship meets
from 1879 to 1887 inclusive? That is
what happened before the present ANA
tour Athletic Union OF the United States
came into existence.
Fairly Abuses.
The abuses caused by friendly rivalry
between clubs. which crept into amateur
athletics during the years 1885 and 1885,
such as training tables, travelling cx-
penses and other items of commercial
lied professional methods which were
slowly but surely undermining all genu-
Inc amateur sport. induced several OF the
leading athletic clubs of the United
States TO take steps toward forming an
amateur union OF clubs which should be
not only national in character but whose
definition OF an amateur should be so
strictly drawn as to avoid any possible
misconstruction or evasions.
The movement was started in the fall
OF 1887 by some gentlemen prominent in
the councils OF the Schuylkill Navy who
had shortly before formed in Philadel-
phia the Athletic Club OF the SchuylIsill
Navy. Prominent among this group
were SUCH wen kIlONn n1cf az ltdrTy
Mcmillan, John T.. Huneker. Edward
Milliken. Aionzo r. Parsons, w. r. Wal
lace. Morris w. Phillips and DR.. Thomas
II. Fenton, all OF Philadelphia.
After communicating with n number
OF clubs throughout tho country. nota-
bly, the New York. Staten Island, De-
troit. Chicago and Cape May. N. j.. Ath-
letic clubs. the Warren A. G. of Will
-mington, DEL. and the Columbia A. G.
OF Washington. -. c.. n preliminary
meeting was called and held at the home
OF the New York A. C. at 1O4 West
Fifty-fifth street and to which the clubs
were asked 60 send delegates for the
purpose OF considering the advisability
OF organizing a national amateur ath-
letic union.
IL was at this meeting. held on Oc-
tober 10. 1887, that the delegates from
fifteen of the most prominent clubs as
sembled and from which the birth of
the Amateur Athletic Union dates.
Harry Mcmillan. captain of the Athletic
Club OF the SchuyllkiIl Navy was elected
temporary chairman Otto Ruhl secre-
tary OF the New York A. c.. temporary
secretary. and committee consisting OF
Eugene ". Pomeroy. New York A. c.:
Howard Perry, Columbia A. &. of
Washington, and w. r. Wallace, At1-
lctic Club Of the Schuylkill Navy of
Philadelphia, was appointed to draft a
constitution and bylaws.
A subsequent meeting was held at
tho New York a. 6. on January 81.
1883, when the union was duly organ
lied with tho following fifteen clubs,
duly represented by delegates present.
enrolled AZ charter mcmbcrs: Atplctic
Club OF the schuylkll Navy. Phi ldel-