The Reliance Athletic Club was an athletic club and gentlemen's club in Oakland, California, United States. Founded in 1885, the organization grew rapidly as it added other sports and social activities, reaching its peak in the mid-1890s before financial troubles led to its bankruptcy and disestablishment in 1910.
The club was founded as a baseball club in 1885 in downtown Oakland.[1] The club's focus was on developing physical fitness for its members in its gymnasium, including sports such as boxing and fencing.[1]
The club was one of several in the Bay Area that trained young boxers,[4] and the club staged regular boxing events at its facilities. In 1905, the club organized and sponsored an outdoor track and field meet.[5] In addition to sports, club members played billiards and card games and hosted social events to which women were also invited.[6]
Growthedit
The club moved several times to various locations around Oakland as it grew. The club was incorporated in 1892 with a membership of 300, and by 1893, had 350 members and held a gala affair as it moved into a three-story building at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and 17th Street.[1] The club remained in this facility into the first decade of the 20th century,[7] but after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was forced to relocate to accommodate San Francisco businesses that moved to Oakland when their buildings were destroyed.[8][9] The new location was renovated in early 1907,[10] but by the summer of 1907, the club had moved again near the Piedmont Baths.[11]
Demise and legacyedit
By 1910, the club had moved several more times but was apparently facing financial difficulties; in August 1910, a contractor sued the members for $2,300 owed to him. With no money in the treasury, the club declared bankruptcy and dissolved the organization.[12]
The building at 17th and San Pablo in which the club was at its peak was converted to the Reliance Theater in 1916.[13] The theater was later known as the American Theater and finally the Esquire Theater. The building was demolished in the 1950s to make way for a Mel's Drive-In.[13]
Referencesedit
^ abc"Reliance Club: Opening of new quarters in Oakland". San Francisco Call. Vol. 73, no. 181. May 30, 1893. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Football games for the coming season". San Francisco Call. Vol. 87, no. 57. July 27, 1900. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Reliance team shuts out the Multnomahs". San Francisco Call. Vol. 87, no. 33. January 2, 1902. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^Somrack, F. Daniel (2005). Boxing in San Francisco. Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN0738528862.
^"Reliance Club plans big athletic meet". San Francisco Call. Vol. 97, no. 176. May 23, 1905. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^Alameda County: The Eden of the Pacific. (Oakland) Tribune Publishing Company. 1898. p. 228.
^"Reliance Club renews lease on quarters". San Francisco Call. Vol. 95, no. 167. May 15, 1904. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Brides share social favors with refugees". San Francisco Call. May 25, 1906. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Oakland women's clubs are quick to act". San Francisco Call. June 4, 1906. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Reliance Club improvements". San Francisco Call. Vol. 101, no. 99. March 9, 1907. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Reliance Athletic Club secures new quarters". San Francisco Call. Vol. 102, no. 70. August 9, 1907. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^"Debts deals Reliance Club death blow". San Francisco Call. Vol. 108, no. 91. August 30, 1910. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
^ abTillmany, Jack; Jennifer Dowling (2006). Theaters of Oakland. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 32–33. ISBN9780738546810.
reliance, athletic, club, athletic, club, gentlemen, club, oakland, california, united, states, founded, 1885, organization, grew, rapidly, added, other, sports, social, activities, reaching, peak, 1890s, before, financial, troubles, bankruptcy, disestablishme. The Reliance Athletic Club was an athletic club and gentlemen s club in Oakland California United States Founded in 1885 the organization grew rapidly as it added other sports and social activities reaching its peak in the mid 1890s before financial troubles led to its bankruptcy and disestablishment in 1910 Reliance Athletic ClubReliance Athletic Club building 1898Full nameReliance Athletic ClubFounded1885 dissolved 1910 Contents 1 History and activities 2 Growth 3 Demise and legacy 4 ReferencesHistory and activities edit nbsp Reliance Baseball Team c1895 The club was founded as a baseball club in 1885 in downtown Oakland 1 The club s focus was on developing physical fitness for its members in its gymnasium including sports such as boxing and fencing 1 Football teams representing the club competed with other west coast athletic clubs including the Olympic Club of San Francisco and the Multnomah Athletic Club of Portland Oregon and also played college teams most commonly those of Stanford and California 2 3 The club was one of several in the Bay Area that trained young boxers 4 and the club staged regular boxing events at its facilities In 1905 the club organized and sponsored an outdoor track and field meet 5 In addition to sports club members played billiards and card games and hosted social events to which women were also invited 6 Growth editThe club moved several times to various locations around Oakland as it grew The club was incorporated in 1892 with a membership of 300 and by 1893 had 350 members and held a gala affair as it moved into a three story building at the corner of San Pablo Avenue and 17th Street 1 The club remained in this facility into the first decade of the 20th century 7 but after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake was forced to relocate to accommodate San Francisco businesses that moved to Oakland when their buildings were destroyed 8 9 The new location was renovated in early 1907 10 but by the summer of 1907 the club had moved again near the Piedmont Baths 11 Demise and legacy editBy 1910 the club had moved several more times but was apparently facing financial difficulties in August 1910 a contractor sued the members for 2 300 owed to him With no money in the treasury the club declared bankruptcy and dissolved the organization 12 The building at 17th and San Pablo in which the club was at its peak was converted to the Reliance Theater in 1916 13 The theater was later known as the American Theater and finally the Esquire Theater The building was demolished in the 1950s to make way for a Mel s Drive In 13 References edit a b c Reliance Club Opening of new quarters in Oakland San Francisco Call Vol 73 no 181 May 30 1893 Retrieved June 9 2014 Football games for the coming season San Francisco Call Vol 87 no 57 July 27 1900 Retrieved June 9 2014 Reliance team shuts out the Multnomahs San Francisco Call Vol 87 no 33 January 2 1902 Retrieved June 9 2014 Somrack F Daniel 2005 Boxing in San Francisco Arcadia Publishing p 7 ISBN 0738528862 Reliance Club plans big athletic meet San Francisco Call Vol 97 no 176 May 23 1905 Retrieved June 9 2014 Alameda County The Eden of the Pacific Oakland Tribune Publishing Company 1898 p 228 Reliance Club renews lease on quarters San Francisco Call Vol 95 no 167 May 15 1904 Retrieved June 9 2014 Brides share social favors with refugees San Francisco Call May 25 1906 Retrieved June 9 2014 Oakland women s clubs are quick to act San Francisco Call June 4 1906 Retrieved June 9 2014 Reliance Club improvements San Francisco Call Vol 101 no 99 March 9 1907 Retrieved June 9 2014 Reliance Athletic Club secures new quarters San Francisco Call Vol 102 no 70 August 9 1907 Retrieved June 9 2014 Debts deals Reliance Club death blow San Francisco Call Vol 108 no 91 August 30 1910 Retrieved June 9 2014 a b Tillmany Jack Jennifer Dowling 2006 Theaters of Oakland Arcadia Publishing pp 32 33 ISBN 9780738546810 37 48 26 N 122 16 21 W 37 807288 N 122 272441 W 37 807288 122 272441 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reliance Athletic Club amp oldid 1159337692, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
