The Cleveland Athletic Club (CAC) was a historic organization founded in 1908. Founding members included Mayor Charles A. Otis, Walter Baker, and Elbert Baker; banker William Parmalee Murray was its first president.[1]
In 1911 the organization commissioned a 15-story social club building at 1118 Euclid Avenue,[2] a structure with facilities for its boxing tournaments, office space, a 12-room hotel, a dining room, an eight-lane bowling alley, a basketball court, and many other amenities. Olympic and Hollywood swimmer Johnny Weissmueller broke the record for the 15-yard backstroke in the club's penthouse pool in 1922.[3]
The club was in financial difficulty in 2007.[4] It closed its doors permanently on December 31, 2007 because of "sagging membership and financial problems".[5]
In 2015, the building was sold for $3.3 million in a sheriff's sale, with announced plans for its conversion into a residential or mixed-use property.[6] As of early 2020 the building had been extensively renovated into a luxury apartment building called "The Athlon".[7]
Another, earlier Cleveland Athletic Club was established in 1890, with early baseball executive Frank Robison as its President.[8] Despite an impressive new headquarters in the former Dodge mansion at 500 Euclid Avenue, and despite a large membership, it appears to have faded after 1895.
