29th December: YMCA

Today is the anniversary of the first YMCA in the US opening in Boston, in 1851. Here are 10 facts about the YMCA.

1. YMCA stands for Young Men's Christian Association.
2. It was founded in London in 1844 by George Williams, a London draper in response to the migration of young men from the country to cities to find work after the industrial revolution. He wanted to provide healthy activities for young men as an alternative to taverns and brothels.
3. Activities provided have included Bible studies and academic courses, but the YMCA is especially known for promoting physical exercise. At least two sports owe their existence to the YMCA's emphasis on keeping physically fit - Basketball (invented by James Naismith as a game which was interesting, easy to learn, and easy to play indoors in winter) and futsal (a synthesis of three sports, handball, basketball, and water polo, invented by Juan Carlos Ceriani in 1930).
4. They were also places to stay. In the 1940s in the US, there were more rooms in the YMCAs than there were hotel rooms.
5. During World War II the YMCA was involved in war work with displaced persons and refugees. They set up War Prisoners Aid to support prisoners of war by providing sports equipment, musical instruments, art materials, radios, gramophones, eating utensils, and other items.
6. In 1880, the YMCA became the first national organisation to adopt a strict policy of equal gender representation in committees and national boards, starting with Norway.
7. The first black president of the World Alliance of YMCAs, Charles Dunbar Sherman from Liberia, was also the youngest, at 37.
8. Logos for the various branches always include a red triangle, representing the Christian principle of developing a healthy "body, mind, and spirit."
9. Until the 1950s, wearing clothing of any type in YMCA pools was strictly forbidden. The reason given was that fibres from swimwear could clog up the filtration systems. I suspect the YMCA's connection with gay culture wasn't entirely unrelated to this!
10. The song YMCA by the Village People is one of fewer than forty singles to have sold 10 million physical copies worldwide and is number 7 on VH1's list of the 100 Greatest Dance Songs of the 20th Century. It is said to have been inspired when lead singer Victor Willis was asked by the group's founder, Jacques Morali, "What exactly is the YMCA?" Naturally, the actual YMCA wasn't all that impressed with the song with all its gay culture references - they threatened to sue the band over trademark infringement and concerns about the song's double entendres - but eventually dropped the lawsuit.