, 1889-07-14
GIRLS AND TENNIS
Disadvantages Female Players
Have to Contend With.
SOME FAMOUS LADIES' CLUBS.

The Staten Island Cricket and Baseball
Championships Are n Serious Draw
back to Playing In Good Form"
1t must be conceded TINT lawn tennis Is a
game wonderfully well fitted to be a medium
Of exercise for women, says Henry W. Slo-
cum, Jr., In Outing. Already attractive
simply rs a game, 1t Is rendered so much
more 50 by the addition of tournament play
ing that the interest never flags, but rather
increases. And right here lies the greatest
danger Of lawn tennis as a means OF exercise
for Indies. The average male contestant in a
tournament is anxious to win, and willing to
exert himself to a considerable extent to that
end, but 1t appears TO be n feature peculiar to
a tournament for ladies that each and every
participant Is thoroughly imbued with the
Idea that she Is destined to win, and the vio-
lence Of her efforts to avert defeat causes the
game to become n harmful rather than
beneficial exercise.
Lawn tennis is a game which, when too
violently played, becomes as severe a strain
upon the muscles and produces as serious an
effect upon the action of the heart and lungs
as any Of the most exhausting OF athletic
sports-a fact which will be attested by any
man who has played lawn tennis as well as
baseball, football or lacrosse.
CONCERNING EQUIPMENTS.
And now let us consider the equipments
which are necessary for the practice of the
game. In the first place, what should be the
weight and shape of a racquet to be used by
a woman of ordinary strength As to shape,
popular opinion has now united on the one
style, which common sense would dictate to
be the correct one, n straight head, such as is
sold by almost al dealers. But the weight
of the racquet is an important consideration.
The weight to be used by n woman might
In some cases be rs high rs fourteen ounces,
for 1t Is well known that some women have
more power in their wrists than the average
man, and the wrist plays an important part
in the welding of a racquet. 1t is probable,
however, that the correct weight to be used
by the woman of ordinary strength Is from
twelve TO thirteen and a half ounces, and it
may DO asserted positively that she should
not use a racquet of less weight than twelve
ounces, for the size and weight of the ball are
of course uniform, and any racquet of less
weight than twelve ounces is incapable of
resisting and returning a ball propelled with
any great degree of force.
The danger Of slipping on a smooth turf
court and spraining an ankle or n knee Is so
great that much care should be exercised In
the selection of shoes. 1t has been found
that the ordinary rubber sole will not always
prevent snppng, ana mail steel or iron pegs
have been used quite commonly by men dur
Ing the past year or two. The necessity
would appear to be greater In the case OF
n woman, who labors under the extra disad-
vantage of having n skirt dangling abou
her feet. The use Of the pegs will very often
avert a serious accident and really d. no
more injury to the turf than the ordinary
rubber sole.
As to tho other items of dress, 1t is undoubt-
edly presumptuous for man TO advise or sug-
gest.