Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-03-31
TENNIS, A STATE TOURNAMENT ON
 FOOT. A Pine Blrffian Has Few Words to Say in Favor of the Game and Urges the 0rgani- zation of Local
 Club.

Every tennis player has noticed the delightful weather of the pas week ard remembered again theeon-
 tests he has won or lost on the white-striped court.
 While tennis has never aroused the interest and enthusiasm of the Amer lcan people as has base ball, or even foot ball. the game well deserves to- stand with these, as competition
 event. or as q pleasant and profit
 able exercise.
 The devotee of the same may work himself to exhaustion even though he Is in the 'plnk of condi
 tion," or, on the other hand, may
 play mild, recreatiye game, cover
 ing only part of his territory, and
 spend hours i'll Il pleasant contest,
 with only mild fatigue.
 Because it is SO frequntly played
 as q purely recreatiye exercise, it has
 come 10 be known among certain
 classes of American people us ladY's
 game. 1t is a lady's charming game and as such is oi inestimable value
 to our sisters, in giving them valu-
 able training for eye and hand;
 strong hand, firm muscles, and q
 proficiency ill judging distance, that
 many of them sadly need.
 It is also a gentleman's game, and
 an athletes game. The nun who
 chn cover his half of tennis court
 and play winning game against
 proficient opponent, must have cool head, q good eye, a true hand, strong lungs, capable muscles, and excellent jud cement. In short he
 must be an athlete.
 The base bali pleyer has q poor opinion of the man who takes
 broad tennis racket to strike ball, but the tennis player thinks little of the man who strikes merely with the idea of hitting the ball. A good ten qls player will usually place the ball within a few inches of a point he has chosen on the court, while n base ball player leaves call out doors" for the ball to alight on, if he can only hit it.
 After man is familiar with the straight smash" on the tennis court. howes CT. he has only just he gun tolearn the game. There are more curves for him to master than base ball pitcher ever dreamed of" and the fine points of "Lawfords" and lobs, remain mysteries to most tennis players until they are too old to chase the balls. l The men who think tennis an easy game to master have never played tennis
 Pine Bluff has a few players and abundant room for many more. There is Il number of fine lawns offer ing tempting locations for courts, and few vacant lots to be had | which might be made very servicable and pleasant clay or turf courts. A nicely kept tennis court is an orna- ment as 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 l 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 a fad, but | strong, aggressive game, which de- serves to be popular, because of it's intrinsic worth as well as because of the opportunities it offers for en- tertainment or recrea ton.
 There is some talk now of an Ar kansas State tennis tournament, ,and l it is to be hoped that Pine Bluff will be 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 eoarts are already laid out and exciting contests may be seen occasionally, but the game is not so well known here as it deserves to he. In many ciries hardly q young lady may be found who is not more ar less familiar with the game. It is no doubt the fault of Pine Bluffs young men that this statement is not true of the Pine City. The local players seem to young men who prefer an exciting event, to a milder soc ial diversion. The young ladies who play, however, are very ereditable players and some have won laurels from their brothers on the court.
 Rightly used. this game will prove to be one of the agents needed today tu give us strong. healthy woman hood. Wives and mothers and sisters aud sweethearts who nre full Of lie s.a... energy sasn,a. vitality. "W "Woinen wi,o are capable of hearing the burdens of social and home life; who escape headache and backaehe; who have capable of throwing