Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-03-30
A STATE TOURNAMENT ON
 FOOT.
A Pine Bluffian Has Few Words to Say in Favor of the Game and Urges the Organi- zation of Local
 Club.

Every tennis player has noticed the delightful weather of tine past week aLd remembered again the con tests he has won 0: lost on the white-striped court.
 While tennis has never aroused the interest and enthusiasm of the Amer ican people as has base ball, or even foot ball. the game we'll deserves to stand with these. as Il competition event, or as q pleasant and profit able exercise.
 The devotee of the game may work himself to exhaustion even though he Is in the "p,nk 0! condi- tion," or, on the other hand, may play a mild. recreatiye game. cover ing only Il part of his territory, and spend hours in a pleasant contest, with only h.tld fatigue.
 Because it is so freauntly played as purely recreatiye exercise, It has come to be known among certain classes of American people as Il lady's game. It ia lady's charming game and as such is Of inestimable value to our sisters, In giving them valu- able training for eye and hand; strong hand, firm muscles, and a proficiency in judging distance, that many of them sadly need.
 IL is also gentleman's game, and an athletes game. The man who can cover his half of tennis court and play winning game against a proficient opponent, must have 8 cool head, good eye, true hand, strong lungs, capable muscles, and excellent jnd cement. In short he must be an athltte.
 The base ball player has Il poor opinion of the man who takes a broad tennis racket to strike ball, but the tennis player thinks little of the man who strikes merely with he idea of hitting the ball. A good ten nls player will usually place the ball within few inches of point ne has chosen on the court, while a base ball player leaves "all out doors" for the ball to alight on, if he can only hit 1t.
 After a man is familiar with the straight smash" on the tennis court, howes CT, he has only just be- gun to learn the game. There are more curves for him to master than q base ball pitcher ever "dreamed of" and the fine points of "Lawfords" and Jobs, remain mysteries to most tennis players until they are too old to chase the balls. The men who think tennis an easy game to master have never played tennis.
 Pine Bluff has few players and abundant room for many more. There is n number of fine lawns offer ing tempting locations for courts, and few vacant lots to be had which might be made very servica0le and pleasant clay or turf courts. A nicely kept tennis conrt Is an orna- ment us well as useful, and deserves to be Tn favor with both the social and the physical world.
 Tennis Is purely an amateur game and has always found most of it's admirers in our best class of young people.
 Tennis tournaments and tennis parties have long been In favor in the East, and are becoming more and more frequent in the South and West, and it Is not fad. but q strong, aggressive game, which de- serves to be popular. because of It's intrinsic worth as we'll as because or the opportunities it offers for en- tertainment or recreation.
 There is some talk now of an Ar Kansas State tennis tournament ,and II Is to be hoped that Pine Bluff will De well represented if such a tourna- ment should occur. There has been two or three local tennis clubs. In the city. for several years. and the season just opening will probably see several other clubs in the field. At least two courts are already laid out and exciting contests may be seen occasionally, but the game Is not so well known here asit deserves 10 be. In many cities hardly a young lady may be found who is not more or less familiar with the game. It is no doubt the fault of Fine Bluffs young men that this statement is not true of the Pine