The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-16
TENNIS.
A Game That Has but Few Support.
erS Now

Tennis Is snort OF the past. Those who
held the game In place have either become too
old TO play, or else turned their attention to
some her pastlme.
In conversug upon the downfall Of the once
great s0cl ~ game, prominent player said:
The prospects of tennis for next year do not
look very inviting at tile present time. In my
opinion, tennis is practically dead, as far as be-
Ing general pastime, for the next TWO years
or so. for the Older players who hoomed The
game 10 the past are now all retiring from the
sport or going into something else, while the
younger players have not yet reached The point
where they can make the populace enthuse
over the game.
IN fact it depends good deal on the vagar-
les OF fashion as to what becomes the popular
sport. For Time all society congregated about
the tennis court and it vas the desire of every
! society girl 10 become an expert at the game,
or at least have some admlrer who could send
the Jail back and forth over the net with ac-
curacy. This caused the young society man
also to take deep interest IN the game, and as
result, tennis doomed.
Now, however, bicycling has evidently cap
| tured the popular fancy, and all the society
| girls are learning how 10 conquer the two
wheeled pneumatic. The Improvements in the
| cycle during th- last few years have made its
use so convenient and agreeable that every
body who can Is awaiting themselves OF the
lnvlgoratlng sport. Cycling Is at its
| height, where II Is apt 10 remain for a longer
time than the popular fads which have pre-
ceded II, Oh account of the adaptablity of the
wheel Tor business as well as pleasure
"Ihe condition of tennis at the present time
is we'll shown by the status of the Oakland Ten-
mis- Club and the California Club. Tue Oakland
club has dwindled down so til Il IL has hard
enough members TO form a board OF directors
while the state of Its finances can be Judged by
the TACT that SUIT was brought in The JuSticeTs
Court FEW weeks ago for the recovery of a bill
Tor soda-Water furnished the club This bey-
erage was Kept Tor sale In the cIubrooms fhe
r crlpts being handled by the Japanese at.
tendant VINO mad charge OF The courts 10 East
Oakland
"As the dues began to come in very slowly
the Jap had great difficulty in collecting his
wages. Finally he resorted to the recelpLs from
Inc soda-water business in order to keep him.
IL square with The club. The result was tnat
the cluD got behind In its payment for The GIN
ger pop ana sassafraS sour and the dealer mad
TO nrlng SUIT 10 order o keep his claim from be-
Ing outawed. He will probably not press his
suit and will be paid up individually by few
OF III members
The fine bituminous courts of the club are
now almost deserted while the Japanese
ground tender Is now a thing of The past. A
lew OF ne members continue TO play occasion
ally, but they are very few.
las for the California tennis club on this side
OF the bay. its condition can be Judged by the
TACT Ina they have had 10 do away With their
professional court tender, Daley, who had been
Kept IN year round for some time. He pui In
gooo zeal OF his time teaching the younger
players, but The receipts fell of so mat he
could no. be paid and lie will be seen nc more
at his former haunts.
"Henceforth like baseball, tennis will proba-
piy sumner Tor Jew seasons with few zeal
Gus devotees Sill enjoying the paslime. Dut
win me majority OF the sport-loying populace
seeking other fields 10 indulge their desire Tor