The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-06-08

fCAH llfI4g ISb1ile SStAoSia" -
deed it promises TO be the the lfveliest that
has been knows since the game was intro
duced here from England, some half a
dozen years ago. There are already twenty
odd matches arranged Is fixtures for 1890,
but the interest centers in the four great
championship tournaments OF the United
States National Lawn Tennis association.
Good form is everything in tennis, and
grace is It's accompaniment. Those char
acseristics viii be seen TO perfection in the
coming tournaments, for every season
shows remarkable advance in the quality
of the playing as well as in the multiplica-
ton OF tennis clabs. Yet so varying is the
standard by which the excellence of ones
play at tennis is reczoneo, that 1t wonld
probably be difficult 10 find dozen anna
teurs in the whole country who would
agree as to the likeliest winner of the
championship for singles or doubles during
the coming season.
Henry w. Slocum, ir., is the present
holder of championship honors, having
won them in 1883, after the title had been
held for seven successive years by Richard
d. Sears who two years ago was compelled
accident which incapacitated him for
time. Sears, playing has never been
equaled in this country. 1t is strong, bril-
liant and remarkably even. Like all the
great players, he is COOL and rejects the
temptation to stand at the net and smash
at the ball. even when it seems a safe thing
TO DO. His best point is mentally calculat-
ing how to place the ball to best advantage
Hiss stroke is said to be not unlike that of
1n4- ha Il
play er, who has q free movement that most
players envy. 1t is worth remembering
too that the name of Sears ranks among
the pioneers Of the game in the United
States. When a tennis set was brought
from England by a gentleman Of Boston
and first used at Nahant sixteen years ago
the racQuets light and toylike affairs and
the balls Like the rubber ones children play
>1Siil-E -ResSsars and DIR. Dwight We're
INDst to attempt >>Ss game and both
liked It so much that they soon became ex-
poets. Dwight's skill Is second to only to
that of the ex-champion. whose elder
brother was instrumental il bringing
the game into prominence.
If there is one game above another in
which the American girl delights, and
which she can indulge without laying her
self open to the imputation of being romp
il is tennis. In recognition for her foudness
Tor the game, the place of honor in the Ma
tional association matches has been con-
ceded to the ladies, who will compete for
the single and double championships for
women at the grounds of the Philadelphia
Cricket club from June to II. This tour
nament viii be followed on June 30 to july
5 by the double championships for men at
the Staten Island club grounds, the double
championships of the west for men at
Chicago from July IA to i9, and the single
championships for men at the Newport
EaGirn Arrrr o. IN arato a ~ ~
latter dates the play-off between the Win
ners of the two double championships for
men viii also take place. In every instance
the matches will begin on a Monday, but
the fixtures nay be changed to suit the
convenience of the clubs.
The tennis rage has taken hold of
Americans more emphatically than any
other outdoor game for both sexes that
has preceded it. Indeed, we make good
deal more Of Il here than they do in Eng
land. Besides, winter tennis is coming
into vogue, the enthusiasts being unwilling
TO run the risk of being beaten through
lack of practice. The winter ganes-thev
can hardly be called matches-are held in
available racquet courts, ard where there
are no such courts the game Of hand-ball
sufices TO keep the player in trim. For the
ladies, the old fashioned battledore and
Enthusiastically the progenitor Of
tennis-is the finest possible exercise for
keeping sheir hands in until the real wor;
CT the turfedf court begins So ii happens
that, unlike many other sports that belong
10 the summer alone, tennis does not stag
nate in winter. A week hence its deyotees
viii come up TO the low nets, racquet in
hand, and in as good form and playing as
strong game as though the last tourney
had closed only a few days before.
Slocum, the champion, is a comparatively
new man at the game, having begun as a
tennis player in 1850. In that year, how.
ever, with MIR. Knapp as partner. he
showed himself capable of defeating sew.
eral good players and gaining place in the
final round where Sears and }. S. Clark
defeated them in turn. Slocun again met
defeat in 1856 aud 1857. in the latter wear
by a very close and exciting contest in
which H. A Taylor and Slocum PLAYED
five full sets with Dwight, and Sears be
fore the championship was finally decideds
Many Of the crackipl ayers who contested
In last years tournaments for the cham
psonships are entered again this vesr.
With the exception of the Newport tonrrla-
fnent al the entries are pretty full The
double championships for men. east and
west, promise TO ill and to be successful
while the singles at Newport are sure to
bring out the biggest crowd of tennis
lovers and the finest playing of the year.
Newport makes tennis business during
tournament week Nowbody does any
fashionables while the playing lasts is of
good form. reverse AID overland service.
forehaad aud backban6 volleys and other
equally technical terms, which, however.
are quite inteiiigible. since everybody NAV
be presumed to know the rules of the game.
The Newport tournament is really the
climax of the tennis year, and all
players strive to get in the best possible
condition for it. it is not unlikely that
there may be little human vanity in this,
as the tennis court is sure to be surrounded
in flne weather by bevies OF the prettiest
girls Imaginable who take deep interest
in the tactics. aud who, besides, are really
competent 20 criticise, since almost all
know how 10 play a capital game. The
Newport singles this year will be fought
fer at the end OF the season-the last week
in September-which is little later than
usual. The fact that in late years little at.
tcntioa has been paid to other tournaments
outside Of Newport has stirred up the com
petirg teams TO action, and some particu-
larry brilliant work may he expccted.
The following are the championship
records since 1851, in the single for all