ABOUT LITHIANIAN ATLETIC CLUB IN BALTIMORE

Good Day Everyone!!
Next to the Lithuanian Hall and its activities, there is Athletic Club that organizes many events, makes people come together and keeps community together. This is what I found on their Facebook page:


The present day Athletic Club has undergone many changes as it has evolved from the early 1900s. On August 25, 1915, the Lithuanian American Athletic Club was voted into existance. This Club was chartered to promote brotherly love, love for the Lithuanian homeland, and spiritual and physical development. The first home of the Club was at 539 Washington Boulevard. The Club sponsored basketball, bowling, children's gymnastics, and a theater group. They even organized a scout group that planted the Lithuanian Oak in Annapolis which still grows to this day. Just as the present Club supports the Lithuanian athletes in the Olympics, our ancestors financially supported the Lithuanian Olympics in Kaunas in 1938.
World War II sadly brought an end to the inaugural Athletic Club. However, after the war, the large influx of immigrants represented the Baltimore community in the world of sports. There was a very successful basketball team as well as individuals who performed very well at the local school level. Ice hockey and soccer championships were won at Calvert Hall College with teams comprised of many Lithuanian athletes. During this time, the Baltimore professional teams were also represented with Lithuanian athletes such as Eddie Waitkus with the Orioles and the legendary Johnnie Unitas with the Colts.
In 1960, the Club was again reorganized under the name Neringa and was established in our present day home, the "Lithuanian Hall". Although the Club's teams were very successful in table tennis and soccer, after winning the Baltimore City Freeburger Trophy in volleyball, Neringa was shortly dissolved.
On March 18, 1972, the Baltimore Lithuanian Athletic Club was chartered by 20 members. The first valdyba consisted of Vaclovas Laukaitis, President, Jonas Kazlauskas, Secretary, and Algis Veliuona, Treasurer. The Club sponsored teams for men's and women's volleyball, table tennis, softball, tennis, and bowling. In 1978, the Club started to participated in the East Coast and North American (SALFASS) games and continues to do so up to the present time. The present day Club is an integral part of the Lithuanian community in Baltimore. In July of 1991, the Club was honored to participate in the IV Lithuanian World Games. The women's volleyball team, and individual tennis and soccer players were among the 45 athletes and tourists who proudly represented the United States as well as Baltimore at this historic event. The club has since returned to Lithuania for the V World Games and is making to attend the next Games in 1998. The Club continues to work closely with and strongly support other local organizations such as Bendruomene, Lithuanian Hall (our home for 25 years), the Lithuanian Museum, Taryba, the Radio Program, and the dance groups. We enjoy a very special and close relationship with the American Legion Lithuanian Post #154 to which many of our founding members belong. We also participate and strongly support the annual Baltimore Lithuanian Festival [which also began in 1972].