Chicago Athletic Association Dec. 18, 1901 Circus Poster 21" x 15" Signed R&W

Description

Ultra rare Circus Poster from The Chicago Athletic Association (C.A.A.) announcing the Circus for Dec. 18, 1901.  This measures 21" x 15".
Back in the day, Chicago Athletic Association hosted some pretty interesting parties. Each year, the circus came to town during the holidays and The Chicago Athletic Association would host the circus for its members the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Not a bad perk, eh?  On the poster, Six local luminaries are shown behind the clown with drum.  Who are they?
The circus would set up in the gymnasium on the fourth floor and would bring elephants — elephants at The Chicago Athletic Association! But one year, one of the pachyderms didn’t want to leave. No matter what the handlers did, it wouldn’t go down the stairs. One story goes that the handlers poured Cognac into its water to have it relax. Another wild story says they had the elephant drink
five barrels
of whiskey before it got loose enough to finally budge. Whatever it was, it worked and the elephant started down the stairs. And you thought getting stuck next to that drunk guy in the kitchen at your last house party was rough!
From their website:
We never forget where we came from. And neither will you. With echoes of banging billiard balls, tossed poker chips and clinking glasses resonating through the halls, our 1893 Venetian Gothic landmark is a living, breathing ode to Chicago’s rich story—where the spirit of play reigned supreme.
After all, this is the city where the can-do attitude of Ernie “Let’s Play Two!” Banks lives on. Where the father of Chicago blues, Muddy Waters, shook all night long. And Sir Duke tickled the ivories at The Blue Note. And this was the club whose venerable members swam with five-time Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller—a.k.a. the original Hollywood Tarzan—and watched fellow member Pudge Heffelfinger own so much end zone, he became football’s first pro.
Reserved for the elite and privileged for 122 years—until we opened the doors and welcomed everyone—today Chicago Athletic Association is both a novel downtown destination on the doorstep of Millennium Park and a historic monument to the big-shouldered spirit that defines our beloved city. Ours is never, ever the same place twice.
Will be shipped rolled in tube unless otherwise requested by buyer.
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