SPORTS AND HEALTH CLUB
Bally's Total Fitness

When the Sports and Health Club opened on November 23, 1959, it was the first anyone had ever seen of a family-oriented exercise facility. Located at 4916 Excelsior Blvd., the $250,000, precast concrete building was the brainchild of Arthur W. Owens [of the Baltimore Realty Co.]. The architect was Harold Fridlund. The facility featured a 20’ by 45’ pool, separate workout rooms, a nursery, and a game and social room suitable for cards, dances, shuffleboard, or even golf. In 1960 you could take a self-improvement course by the owner of the Mary Lowe Charm School.

Owens opened other such clubs in the Midway (1961), Apache Plaza (1961), LaSalle Court (1970), Normandale (1973), and Northland Park (1977). A 1979 article alluded to Christian literature in the workout rooms.

In 1983 it was announced that a new Sports and Health Club was being constructed at 4900 Excelsior Blvd., the former site of the Engell house and dairy. Ownership was by the Peaceful Family Partnership, which was presumably the Owens family. Since 1986 the property – now Bally’s Total Fitness – has been owned by Scandinavian health Spa, Inc.

The original building was purchased by Methodist Hospital in 1999, and today a conference room sits where the pool used to be. Traces of the former use still exist in the tiled staircases on either side, leading down to what were the male and female changing rooms.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.