History of the Police Activities League. The P.A.L. started with a bang -- a rock through a window, to be more precise. A youth gang in New York City, harassing storekeepers and generally making life miserable in the neighborhood, caused the problem that pioneered the concept of the Police Athletic League. Lieutenant Ed Flynn of the New York Police Departmentâs Crime Prevention Bureau liked kids.
The red and tortoiseshell colors were introduced into the breed in the 1930s by crossing purebred Siamese with red tabby or tortoiseshell British Shorthair cats carrying orange (O) genes. The Red Point Siamese cat family merits a page of its own, and includes Red, Cream, and Apricot Points.
For the traditional round-faced type, see Thai cat. The Siamese cat is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Asian cat. Derived from the Wichianmat landrace, one of several varieties of cat native to Thailand (formerly known as Siam), the Siamese became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century.