ABSTRACT
The athletic clubs organized and provided most of the leadership in the formation of national athletic organizations to govern amateur sport and provided the first amateur competition at the national level in swimming, wrestling, boxing and track and field. Moreover, athletic clubs of the late 1800’s were responsible for many innovations in sports equipment and facilities in the United States being the first to introduce such items as the spiked track shoe, the first cinder track, the use of lanes and staggers as well as many other “firsts.” The distinguishing characteristics of the clubs of this period were their small size, rarely more than forty or fifty members, their minimal investment in facilities and equipment, and the fact that almost all athletic club members were active athletes. The Manhattan A.C.’s entry in the outdoor facilities sweepstakes included a one-quarter mile track with the first 220 yard straightaway in the country.
