The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-25
The Infancy Of Popular
Lawn Tennis.
Canada Will Not Send a Crew
to Henley.
Samphire Won the Yacht Race From
Monaco to Nice.

well-known and influential member OF
the Providence Athletic Association. who Is
anxious TO see sohaefer ana Ives play match
game Of balk-lino billiards at the club has
suggested that purse OF $500 be contributed
by the members as an inducements to bring
the men here. He says he will give s25 To-
ward IL. Surely this IL tho tight spirit.
Providence loses good many rarities in the
athletic world who pass through here on
their way from New York &c Boston, and
there ia no reason why the finest profess
siona and amateur athletes OF the country
should not be seen within the portals OF the
+. A. A. Mr.. A. is moving in the right
direction for such results and with little
encouragement from tho body Of members
they will soon be attained.
INFANCY OF TENNIS.
From the Lawn Tennis Bulletin IL is CLEANED
that the introduction Of lawn tennis in
America took place In ls74-the result Of a
Boston Rentleman's travels in England, who
saw the game, and buying set byought 10
home. He then had court laid out ct Ma
hant which has since become famous for the
many important invitation tournaments
which have been held there. 1t was on this
court. late In August OF that year, that the
first game in this country was played. DIR.
James Dwight and Mr.. y. X. Sears. Jr.. an
elder brother of tho late champion, being the
contestants. Mr.. W. W. Sherman of Newport
also brought homo set In the fall of the
same year, but 1t YVES not used until the
spring Of 1875. Tho implements used for the
game were very crude as compared with the
present outfits. The racquets wero small and
hight, and were made in that awkward shape
which we have all seen and laughed Mt. The
balls were made Of uncovered rubber varying
In size and weight, and the net was five feet
hieh. The two courts above mentioned were
undou btedly the first laid out privately IN
this country. but the Staten Island Cricket
and Baseball Club claims the honor Of first
adopting lawn tennis as club sport.
BENEFIT TO NEW BEDFORD TEAM.
The benefit polo games are now in order.
At New Bedford last night over 500 people
turned out 10 see the game played between
the champion Tigers and the Whalers, which
resulted in victory for the home team by
the score Of goals TO s, after a pretty exbi-
bition. An indoor baseball game followed.
BANKER rs hEoovERING.
George A. Banker, the well.Gnown Ameri
can bicyclist, who has been dangerously sick
with typhoid fever at Nice, is now rapidly
recovering.
CALIFORNIA MEN COMING EAST.
The proposition from the University Of
California for dual games on Holmes Field.
May %. has been accepted by the Harvard
Athletic Association.
SPORTSMAN S SHOW IN BOSTON.
The success of the Sportsman exhibition has
been so pronounced in New York that Boston
had decided TO hold one from the % to 9th of
May. 1t will include all out of door sports
and pastimes, aud will be held under the
auspices of the Sportsman's syndicate. In
many respects it will be similar to the one
held in New York.
Many unique features are being arranged,
and large number Of exhibitors have already
agreed to be represented.
YALE WILL BE REPRESENTED AT U. OF p.
MEET.
Yale has at last entered q asrelay team for the
relay meeting to be held Franklin Field,
the athletic grounds Of University of
Pcpnsylvania, on April 25. THY will compete
III the mile relay rsce for the championship
of America, and also in me open fve.mile
relay race, in which five men will run. This
event has been made an open one in order
that teams other than Pennsylvania and Yale
will enter.
Mitchell has agreed to fight Corbett, and
Pompadour Jim has consented TO iIght Fitz
summons bn: neither Bob" nor "Jim" will
turn about and fight the man ready for him.
Ergo. new puSi istic star must appear on
the horizon before the machinery of red tape
can be set in motion and a fight promulgated