Management Shake-up at Walla Walla Athletic Club
A.L. Hastings takes the helm of the Walla Walla Athletic Club, with plans for facility expansion and a major boxing tournament on the horizon.
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The Walla Walla Athletic Club opened this morning under new management. A.L. Hastings of Thornton, Washington, completed the purchase of the interest held by Secretary Verdinius. There will be no change in the staff, with Professor Burns remaining as athletic instructor and Sidney Hettman as manager. Mr. Hastings plans to enlarge the quarters by converting the upper floor into a gymnasium and will soon launch a membership drive. The club's scheduled Friday night tournament remains unaffected, featuring a 20-round boxing match between Joe Wardinsky and Jack Reilly.
“Mr. Hastings is contemplating several radical improvements in equipment and also in enlarging the quarters by fitting up the upper floor of the building for gymnasium purposes.”
This change in local athletic leadership reflects the early 20th-century importance of athletic clubs as hubs for social and physical life in towns like Walla Walla, a role modern gyms and community centers continue to occupy today.
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