The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-27
Lawn Tennis LAWS,

The lovers Of lawn tennis have for this
season made some new notifications of the
laws of the game which will not fail to add
to it's interest. The revision of the. old
code has been made by direction of the
famous English clubs, the Marylebonc and
All England, and their sanction will 20 far
to secure general adoption. Uniformity
OF practice, If 1t can be secured, is, of
course, desirable. The disposition of ANA
teurs thus far seems decidedly favorable to
the innovations. The rule that excltes the
most discussion, perhaps, is this: "Eithcr
player loses stroke X if lie touch the
net, or any of it's supports, while the ball
is in play; or if he volcy the ball before it
has passed the net" Some objections arc
made to the severity of depriving the striker
OF his stroke when he has to pick up q
''shor" ball Oh the rebound and touches
the net, either by the impetus with which
he has to run or by the proximity of the
ball 10 the net. But in cases of touching
the net by body or racket in volleyiny the
penalty is by all considered Just. The rule
raises new difficulty for the umpire. who
will have to decide the nice question
whether the ball has actually passed the
net at the moment of contact of the racket
with the ball. BY further rules the height
OF the net has been reduced to four feet at
the posts, and the service line has been
brought in ono foot. The reason for low.
erlng the net at the posts (the height of
three feet at the center being maintained),
Is that 1t gives the striker out more oppor-
tunity CT return to the side of the court re-
mote from the server. To further eaualize
the game the power is given to the umpire
to direct the players to change sides at tho
end Of every game instead of sot, If, in his
opinion, "eithcr side have distinct ad-
vantage, owing to sun, wind, or any other
accidental cause. The position to be taken
by the server when delivering the servit G
is more accurately defined than in the firm
or code, and it is made fault if he does
not stand as directed. Also it Is stated
directly, in the former code on.y infercn-
TALLY, that 1t is fault If the ball Is served
from the wrong court. A fault delivered
before the striker. out is ready, counts for
nothing; but it does not cure prey,ous
fault, as formerly. Another amendment
Is made in the case of service which
touches the net and drops in the proper
court. This was previously good service,
and many were the hcartburnings which
resulted in consequence of the delivery of
services impossible of return owing to the
accident of the balls touching tho net en-
passant. 1t is now ruled that such SER
vice, if otherwise good, counts for nothing.
A notable point in the code Is the omission
of the alternative mode of scoring, viz.
racket scoring is entirely dismissed. Tennis
scoring has been found to give no much
variety and interest to the game, and isnow
so generally adopted that very few will
protest against tins dropping of The altcrna-
tive method. Another point that may be
noted 10 in the plan of the service court in
the three and four handed games. Ser
vice-sldc-lines are drawn parallel to the
side lines Of the four-handed. court, and
four and half feet from them, and thus
the area of the scrvice.court Is made the
same in the four handed as in the single
game. This ls by many considered an i'm
portant gain. The interest in this game is
increasing year by year in this country, and
although the pastime may never take the
same rank here that it does in England, 1t
is doubtless destined to hold all important
place In our round of rccrcations.