Historical Reviews: Social Status
DOCUMENT RESUME SP 009, 418 ED 110 '429 Iettall, Richard; Willis, Joe . AUTHOR TITLE The Effect of New York'sElite Athletic Clubs on American Amateur Athletic Governance1870 -1915. PUB DATE 75 NOTE 28p. ti EDRS PRICE 8F-$0.76 HC-11.85 PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS *Athletics: *Clubs; Governance;Historical Reviews: Social Status ABSTRACT .During the early hist ry of amateurathletics, the . large and affluent, athletic chibs--most in New York City--took the initiative in the formation of the first 'sociations of amateur club's, the National Association of AmateurAthletes of America (NAAAA), and its successor, the AmateurAthletic Union (AAU) . Athletic clubs in New York Cityin the nineteenth century were` stratified along religious, ethnic,occupational, political; and social class lines. These factorshad a significantApact on the- athletic'associations and sport governingbodies. Although the NAAAA maintained that it was the nationalgoverning body .for amateur sport, gambling, and it was never capable ofcontrolling professionalism and never, in reality, anational organization. In 1888the New York Alhletic Club withdrew` from the NAAAAto form the AAU. The AAU was ten the dominant associationuntil these two organizationsmerged in 1890. During the nexttwenty-five years the power of the, NewYork clubs in the AAU declined. However,they still maintained their influence on the AAU governingboard through thehard work of several hold of their representatives.,TheNew York clubs were thus able to positions of power in athletic clubassociations disproportionate with their numbers. Thedecisions and policies that weremade therefore may have favored theselarger, upper midale class tale clubs. These affluent athleticclubs, however, gained a respectability for sport which itotherwise would never have achieved.
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