Chapter 5

Lee Bjella 2015

AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION (AAU)

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) had jurisdiction over many sports including gymnastics and was in charge of district and national championships. The AAU was the American representative to the FIG for many years and was the precursor to the United States Gymnastics Federation (USGF), which later became USA Gymnastics (USAG). It was the controlling organization for gymnastics. This organization produced and published the rules and regulations for gymnastics competition in the US. It got its start in 1879 as the Amateur Athletes of America and changed to the AAU in 1888. The aim of the organization was to keep athletics amateur in status and to “promote legitimate sports”.(1)

From 1936 to 1941 the AAU held gymnastic championship meets in the Vancouver, BC area. There were three levels of competition - novice, junior and senior. On May 3-5,1962, the 74th National AAU Gymnastic Championships were held at the Seattle Civic Arena in conjunction with the Century 21 World’s Fair. This was also the second official trial for the selection of the men and women’s national gymnastics team, which were to represent the U.S. in the World Gymnastic Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia, July 2-9. Dale McClements from Seattle won the all-around. Bud Marquette, coach at SCATS in California and coach of Cathy Rigby McCoy, and Mary Sarver served as judges in that meet. Bud and Mary also helped out at Washington’s Gym Kamps in the summers.

Of the events held in the AAU men’s competitions, flying rings, Indian Clubs, tumbling, and rebound tumbling were included in the competitions but were eventually discontinued. Women once competed on the flying rings (until 1957) and also team drill, tumbling and rebound tumbling, which were eventually discontinued.

There still are AAU gymnastics programs in the U.S.


Washington Athletes Who Hold an AAU Championship

Charles Denny (UW) was on the AAU All American Men’s Gymnastics Team of 1962 for Swinging Rings.
Yoshi Hayasaki, a Japanese student at the UW, won the all around in 1967, as did Mauno Nissenen, a gymnast from Finland who competed for the UW in 1969.
Mel Cooley (UW) won the High Bar Championship in 1978.
These college men also did very well in the NCAA championships, which will be discussed in a later chapter on college men.

In the National Junior Olympic AAU division, Jim Kelch was the top athlete out of Washington for the years 1970, '71 and '72.

Avis Tieber, who competed for the Seattle YMCA for a short time, made the All American Women’s Team in vault in 1963 and in 1964.
Doris Fuchs Brause, who at one time competed for the Seattle YMCA, also made the 1964 team on Bars.
Dale McClements Kephart, Seattle YMCA won the 1962 all around and vault.
Joyce Tanac Schroeder, Seattle YMCA, won the all-around title in 1969.

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AAU Women's All-Around
Champions (1931 - 1970)
(* Denotes Olympian)

AAU Men's All-Around
Champions (1897 - 1970)

Men continued

1931

Roberta C. Ranek

1897

Earl Linderman

1937

George Wheeler*

1932

No Competition

1898

O. Steffen

1938

George Wheeler*

1933

Consetta Caruccio*

1899

O. Steffen

1939

George Wheeler*

1934

Consetta Caruccio*

1900

O. Steffen

1940

George Wheeler*

1935

Thera Steppich

1901

John F. Bissinger

1941

George Wheeler*

1936

Jennie Caputo*

1902

E.C. Brendlin

1942

Arthur E. Pitt*

1937

Pearl Perkins (Nightengale)

1903

John F. Bissinger

1943

Arthur E. Pitt*

1938

Helm McKee

1904

Anton Heida*

1944

Arthur E. Pitt*

1939

Margaret Weissmann

1905

No Competitions

1945

Frank Cumiskey*

1940

No Competition

1906

No Competitions

1946

Frank Cumiskey*

1941

Pearl Perkins Nightingale

1907

Fred Steffens

1947

Frank Cumiskey*

1942

No Competition

1908

Fred Steffens

1948

Edward Scrobe*

1943

Pearl Perkins Nightingale

1909

Frank Jirasek

1949

William Roetzheim*

1944

Helm McKee

1910

Frank Jirasek

1950

William Roetzheim*

1945

Clara M. Scroth*

1911

Paul Krimmel

1951

William Roetzheim*

1946

Clara M.Scroth*

1912

Paul Krimmel

1952

Robert Stout*

1947

Helen Schifano*

1913

Franz Kanis

1953

Robert Stout*

1948

Helen Schifano*

1914

Franz Kanis

1954

Charles Simms*

1949

Clara M. Schroth(Lomady)*

1915

Franz Kanis

1955 

Karl Schwenzfeier / John Miles

1950

Clara M. Schroth(Lomady)*

1916

Peter Hol

1956

John (Jack) Beckner*

1951

Clara M. Schroth(Lomady)*

1917

B. Jorgensen

1957

John (Jack) Beckner*

1952

Clara M. Schroth(Lomady)*

1918

Joseph Oszy

1958

John (Jack) Beckner*

1953

Ruth Grulkowski*

1919

Peter Hol

1959

John (Jack) Beckner*

1954

Ruth Grulkowski*

1920

Joseph Oszy

1960

Fred Orlofsky*

1955

Ernestine Russell

1921

Curtis Rottman*

1961

Nobuyuki Aihara

1956

Sandra Ruddick*

1922

Frank Kriz*

1962

Donald Tonry*

1957

Muriel Davis(Grossfeld)*

1923

Curtis Rottman*

1963

Makoto Sakamoto*

1958

Ernestine Russell

1924

Frank Kriz*

1964

Makoto Sakamoto*

1959

Ernestine Russell

1925

Alfred Jochim*

1965

Makoto Sakamoto*

1960

Gail Sontgerath*

1926

Alfred Jochim*

1966

Makoto Sakamoto*

1961

Kazuko Kadowaki

1927

Alfred Jochim*

1967

Yoshi Hayasaki  (UW team)

1962

Dale McClements Flansaas Kephart*
(Seattle YMCA)

1928

Alfred Jochim*

1968

Makoto Sakamoto*

1963

Muriel Davis Grossfeld*

1929

Alfred Jochim*

1969 

Mauno Nissenen (UW team)

1964

Marie Walther(Bilski)*

1930

Alfred Jochim*

1970 

Yoshiaki Takei

1965

Doris Fuchs Brause**(Seattle YMCA)

1931

Frank Haubold*

   

1966

Linda Metheny (Mulvihill)*

1932

Frank Haubold*

   

1967

Carolyn Hacker

1933

Alfred Jochim*

   

1968

Linda Metheny (Mulvihill)*

1934

Frank Cumiskey*

   

1969

Joyce Tanac (Schroeder)*
*(Seattle YMCA)

1935

Frederick H. Meyer*

   

1970

Linda Metheny (Mulvihill)*

1936

Frank Cumiskey*

   

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Bibliography:
1.A Brief History of Physical Education: Emmett Rice.1926; A.S. Barnes and Co.


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