Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-01
LAWN TENNIS IN OMAHA
Prospects for Busy Season Among Local
Players Seem Excellent.
ESTABLISHED AMONG WESTERN ctNrtRs
One Result OF Last Years Work
Promises Well for the summer
Activity Among the Sew
crnI Clubs.

hiutn, at ltdSt, may Ue rs tne Out-
come of the efforts Of the city club during
last season. The Interstate tournament held
In this city toward the end OF the summer
under the auspices of the National Lawn
Tennis association is one Of the fixtures Of
the year, which no western player will
ignore In the future.
Apart from the achievement OF this posi-
tiou 1895 was not a very memorable one in
local lawn tennis annals. There was con-
siderable general improvement among the
front rank men, but there were no notable
successes in outside tournaments and no great
increase in the interest manifested in the
game by Omaha people. The greatest i'm
provement made in the doubles game
G. S. Cullingham and Roy Austin. in the lat
ter part of the season, became a very strong
combination, without doubt the strongest
west Of Chicago. G.. II. Young and Caldwell
are considerably weaker. but they have the
spirit Of the game, and after another sea-
sons practice, should take rank as very
good second. Several other teams also
showed considerable improvement toward
the end of the summer but it was late in the
season before the doubles game was culti
waited as It should have been.
Here is the ranking Of the leading players
of the city who took part In one or more Of
the tournaments held during the year, the
classification being made, as far as possible
by actual results: Roy Austin, C. s. Gull
lingham, G. II. Young s. s. Caldwell, F.
Haskell. Il. f. Hart, w. Bannister, M. Hop
kins. G. e. Haverstick. Frank Lehmer M.
Copetzer. W. Gardner, p. s. Young, r. r.
Yourg. p. Crapo, f. Lake.
Several others who In previous years have
been among the most active players were
seen too little on the courts to allow of
classification. Doane one time state cham
pion and at present the president of the
Omaha club, took part in the city tourna-
ment but never regained anything like his
former standing Cookson devoted his time
to cricket, but is talking now of coming
back to the more lively game. Battin was
a member of the club, but not a very active
one. and Denise was only out fer the inter-
state tournament at the end of the season.
The list given is not in any sense complete
and in several cases there is so little to
choose between two or three men that II
has been impossible to attempt anything
more than very rough classification.
For next season the Omaha club has
adopted the cry Of greater popularity" 1t
is the intention to double the membership
and halve the membership dues. There is
no reason why there should not be larger
Inc ease still in the membership, but the
figure has been placed within easy reach, in
order that therc may be doubt about it's
being reached. The subscription rate will
be settled at the annual meeting of the
club, which is called for next Tuesday even
ing at the Bachelors Quarters. It is thought
that 1t will be possible to run the club this
year for IS, or at the most Sc. from each
member. A reduction in the rent of the
ground has been promised, and other ex-
penses can be saved. Another plan which
Is suggested and which may have the ef-
feet of adding to the clubs resources, is
the admission of women to membership.
Hitherto the privileges of the court have
9been extended to any women in the city
who wished to avail themselves of them, but
in practice this has been taken mere
courtesy. 1t is thought that If women are
permitted to enter the club on the same
conditions as men they will take more ad-
vantage Of the privileges and show deeper |
interest in the game.
T.. For officers of the club the names of Mr. |
Philip Crapo and Mr.. r. r. Young have been |
suggested. Mr.. Haverstck will resign his |
position as secretary, and one of these two |
will in all probability be elected to fill his |
place. Mr.. Haverstick spared no pains to
promote the clubs interests during his ten |
ure of Office and the members of the club |
are unanimous in wishing that he could see |
his way to holding the position for another |
year.
The success of the coming season will de-
pend much upon the enthusiasm which is |
manifested at the meeting Tuesday night |
and the club members doing their utmost |
to drum up their friends in order that there |
may be a large attendance. All tennis |
players in the city are invited to be present. |
whether they are members of the club or
not.
Among the other clubs in the city the
Shriner is undoubtedly the most active. 1t
has organized for the coming year with
fourteen members and Is planning for a sea-
son Of more than usual activity A system
Of challenge competition is being perfected,
which Is expected to stimulate keen rivalry
among the members and will probably have
the effect of bringing out all the latent
powers of the younger men In the club. The
general outline OF the scheme will be to rank
the players In order of merit and any man
will then be allowed to challenge the man
next above him on the list under certain re-
strictions and regulations. The plan has
worked well in many instances some Of the
best conducted and most powerful clubs, |
both In this country and in England, having
been brought up to their present prominent
positions by this means. More than one we'll |
known player in this country has also been
brought to the front by the enthusiasm that
this system awakened when he was q be-
ginner at the game
The Thistle club was organized during the
winter as an offshoot from the Shrrers. Its
membership is at present limited to four,
but two good courts have been laid out on
South Twenty sixth avenue and the pro-
moters are hoping to draw others into their
organization before the season is many weeks
old
Up to the present the Young Mems Chris
tlsn association club has not been organized.
but 1t is safe to say that when the season
1
bs wanting.
Nothing has yet been done In regard to
the holding of tournaments. No meeting of
the state association. has yet been called,
but when the Omaha club has settled on
tho date for the city and interstate tourna-
ments this can easily be arranged. There is
some talk Of holding the state and inter-
state tournaments together, but of course
the wishes OF the other cities in the state
must be consulted before anything can be
done.
JIM CoRDETT PUTS UP HIS MONEY.
Not Particular ns to the Time or
Place for the Contest.
FLINT, Mich, Feb. 39.-James J. Corbett
last night sent the following:
To Robert Fitzsimmons: When l retired
frcm the ring II was with the distinct under
that II the championship was won
by a foreigner / should reclaim it. l hereby
reclaim the title, and. as you also claim
u, wish TO direct your attention to the fact
that have deposited 81 900 with VIII ]. |
Davis or Chicago for a match with you.
Please cover II at once and by SO doing
show that you are not again avoiding a fight
with me, as you did at Hot Springs 1 will |