Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-21
AMONG AMATEURS,
Lawn Tennis Monopolizes the
Attention Of ALI the
Men and Maidens.
JOURNEYS ON EVERY SIDE
Give Enthusiasts Chances to Improve
Upon Their Games.
A BUSY FALL SEASON IN VIEW.
Athletes Preparing for the Field Meet
ings in September
JOURNEYS ON EVERY SIDE
A BUSY FALL SEASON In VIEW.
Athletes Preparing for the Field Meet
ings in September.
GATHERED OK HIGHWAY AND BrwAYs

Tennis in Pittsburg and vicinity is now
at its most active pitch, in fact it is all
the rage, and the organizations are hurry
ing up their tournaments with the evident
purpose of getting them out of the way be
fore the attention of the public is turned
to football. During the past week one Of
the most interesting tournaments in the
history of the game here was finished. The
attention it received on all sides was due to
the fact that it was the introduction of the
handicap into the game in this vicinity.
Heretofore the young players have had
scarcely any show against the older men at
the game, and they have had to take back
seats without having had an exciting bout.
The handicap, however, evens matters up,
and the players on both sides of the net OBJ
tain an added excitement that makes both
strive for points with greater energy.
In the near future the tournaments are
thick and the spaces between them are
short. One of them commences at Kiski-
minetas on Tuesday, one on Wednesday at
the SO AS" courts, another at Coraopolis
on Thursday, still another at Sewickley on
Tuesday, the 30th, and in September the in
vitarion tournament of the Pittsburg Tennis
Club and the mixed tourney of the East
Fad Gyms, to say nothing of several minor
fixtures, already loom up as affairs of con-
siderable magnitude. The tennis enthusiast
can surely find enough to occupy him with
these events in prospect
The handicap is fast growing to be an OBJ
iectionabie feature in the events of the field
and track in the amateur world. However
Just it may be to the participants to impose
handicaps, there is always feeling that
the event would have been more interest
ing if the men had been entered in classes
as in the case of horse racing. The matter
of creating classes in bicycle races has been
discussed at considerable length lately, and
it is not unlikely that there will be more
class racing in the future than in the past.
Nr. j. w. McGowin, the official handi-
capper of the L. A. W. of this district,
thinks that if it were possible to divide the
racers into classes, it would be much better
than the present system of handcapping,
but with a small field, as is the case gen.
orally in Pittsburg, the handicap must con-
time in use. When there are compare
lively few entries, it would be almost i'm
possible to divide them into classes, but
with large field, as in Buffalo Yesterday
or at the Washington meet, he thinks
classes with time limits should govern
every race.
The same might be said of the runners.
1t the entry list is large and there are a
sufficient number of entries the public and
the runners themselves would be better
satisfied with class limits. One of the
scratch men of the vicinity in most of the
dashes said during the week that he would
much rather start even with men of his own
class than to be forced to catch up and pass
men placed g. 10 and Is yards in advance.
His feeling is that of all the runners and at
the open meet of the SO AS" every obiec-
tionable feature in the handicap was
brought to the front. In several instances
the scratch man found it impossible to get
through those placed in advance, even
though he could have won with ease. The
runners in front hedged in the scratch man
and he lost Jewett at that time said that
he extremely disliked the handicap system.
There is scarcely line in amateur sports
where handicaps are imposed that would
not be improved by the division of the men
into classes upon their records 1t could
be done in the jumps, hammer throwing,
pole vaulting and hurdles, and the only
obstacle is the paucity of the entries. Hand
leaps among club members or in small sized
meets are all right, but in big meets like
that of the last SO A's" and the East End
Gyms to come, the sport would be vastly
improved by the Introduction of the class
system Of division.
The Coraopolis Tennis Club has in con-
temptation a clubhouse, a sketch of which
is published in these columns 1t will be
a very handsome building and most con-
arranged. The first story is to be
of grey stone, trimmed with red brick. The
second story is to be OF stained shingles.
On the first floor there will be reception
rooms, a gymnasium, baths, billiard room,
smoking rooms and other departments
necessary to a irst-class clubhouse. On the
second floor there will be an auditorium.
with stage appointments, dressing rooms.
ETC, and an elevator will run to the third
floor, where bowling alley is likely to be
in operation. There will be dining rooms,
and balconies conveniently arranged will
be an attractive feature. The plans have
been drawn by Mr.. I. Ed Cornelius, one of
The active members of the club, and he will
the construction of what, when |
will be one Of the best tennis club |
houses in the country
Sewickley's Athletic Association has lust
ssued its announcement of the annual |
tournament that is to take place there, COM
nencing on Tuesday of next week. This
is especially interesting be- |
,ause the winners OF the doubles will con-
.est with Messrs. L. w. b. Moorhead and |
R Reed, of Pittsburg, for the cham
Dionship of Western Pennsylvania The
ups that accompany this honor were won
n 1890 by Messrs. Moorhead and Reed, and |
lgain in 1891. This year, if they win them,
hey will hold them for good, and they in
end to hold them if they can.
The event will be for gentlemen's . doubles
md singles and will be governed by the
ules of the U. S. National Lawn Tennis
4 Association, and the decision of the referee
will be final Play will begin each day at
p. NJ, and each match will be for the best
wO out of three sets, except in the finals.
vhere the best three out of five sets will be
,layed. Advantage games PLAYED in all
cts. There will be two prizes in each
vent, first and second, the latter
o the runner up. Messrs Moorhesd
nd Reed will not be allowed to contest for
rizes in the doubles, but the winners will
lay them for the championship and the
ups There will be large list of entries,
robably as large as at the open tournament
f tine Pittsburg Tennis Club, and very
kelly very nearly the same players all
round will be there, so that it will be quite
grand affair. The arrangements are in
he hands of an active committee, Messrs
V. A. Christy, c. A. Woods and John E.
orter, and they are working hard for the
lccess of the tourney. The officers of the
Iub are F. c. Osborn, President; E. B.
aylor, Vice President; c. A. Rice, Treas
rer, and G. C. Whitesell, Secretary.