New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-03
SELECTIONS FROM THE MAIL
LAWN TENNIS EUIOGIzED.

AN ADMIRER RANKS 1T ABOVE ALL oThh'
AMERICAN GAMES.
To ne Edftor ofThe Tribune.
Sir: Americans ought TO claim the best OF eNo''
thing as their own. They have proved that they nave
the best yachts and the best rifcmcn the peN' W
athletic sports ought be theirs also. that j. n''
baseball, lacrosse or polo, but tennis ohp 'o
who know nothing OF the game der1de It as an anus
ment for girls and small boys. He who plays 'e'"
little knows that IL calls for physician s'N"s'
and training muscle and more endurance m',o
quickness and nerve, moe steadness and more pA -
than any other amusement or exercise known 10 ni'"
II should be crowned the king OF games, ana WIZ"
Americans get bold OF II In earnest It VIII De-
baseball is the game which at present interests ue
largest number Of Americans and in which they h"'o
no rivals. with reason they claim that It IS n'o'.
interesting, and better training for the mueccs "a
the mind than cricket, polo or lacrosse. but ~
tame and Insignificant, either as a form OF pryor.
training amusement, compared WIN uo co.
of tennis. Eighteen players make basebah hi''0 -
and more than thirteen OF them cannot DC al al,
time engaged. The man at the bat, the pitcher GU
the catcher of tho opposing team practically DO neay
all the work and get all the exercise and the fnn'
teen look on or walt for chance which rarely eo"es'
while three do the most Of the playing. But III tennis
five courts would DO occupied with the same nuHooi
of players, four with double teams, ana no'
single player of them all would have chance ~ W
idle or off guard for a minute.
The physical power and endurance required arc
understood only by those who play the game III esio
and well. There is no other exercise or sporu III
the whole body is so constantly employed ana III
which, at the same time the mind ID equally ens"s'
The good player cannot afford to relax his atoen"o
for single minute; he is liable to DO called upon, ~
any Instant for the longest reach of arm the s"lic'
running the most accurate eyesght, the most perio.
command of muscles aud the most accurate
Striking a shade too low, a shade too hard OF uo
feebly trihe too much to the right or the ei', ITO
loses His success every instant calls for iniha a.
we'll as muscle, and the most powerful eomm@no VI
both At tho end of hard set he has not diy
thread on him his lungs his limbs and his mind have
been strained 10 the utmost and he realizes that OK
eclse I'm the best and broadcast sense Is to be ioun
in other game.
More people In this country play tennis than any
othor game and yet It's great events are witnessed ny
few spectators Less than thousand persons saw uo
match for the championship In doubles at staten
Island when Messrs Slocum and Taylor beat the
champions OF last year, Messrs. Campbell and Hali py
wonderfully accurate and vigorous playing. Al one
time the ball crossed the net twenty-five times before
n point was scored; In game 1t was caught ano
returned about 200 times, and for nearly TWO ho''
the result of the match depended almost every ln-
slant tho lighni1 like sxness OF sg nrt neSt
aud thought OF the four players AT newport heA'
month the championship in singles viii De aeC H.
ard probably by contest equally exciting with thse
9nsb Mr.. sIocum has been beaten by Mr.. Taylor In
recent outside tournament, and Mr. Canppen eb NV
! niavers not fow who may contest for the prize,
What the game needs to make IT, not the Amen
tsc b 9St PLAYERS Of Europe and America Two Eng
Ish players Of some force are expected to take part
n the ' best ON either side has not yet been arranged
/ Nev-York, July os, 1899. A TENNIS CoURllER'