New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-22
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN PLAYERS
GIVING THE RESULT OF HIS OBSERVATIONS. E

ENGLISH AND AMERICAN RL<A1E
AN INTERESTING LETTER OF CLARENCE HOBART
GIVING THE RESULT OF HIS OBSERVATIONS
English tennis players has reached another stage
and taken different turn with the publication of
Clarence Hobart's letter, dated September 25 1900
in the official tennis periodical. Golf and Lawn
Tennis" Mr.. Hobart has for the last ten years
been considered one Of the best players in the
country and his articles which have appeared IN
the papers from time 70 time, have always been
Of interest TO tennis lovers. In 1888 he made trip
to England and the Continent and played in most
OF the tournaments Of the English circuit, having
considerable success. and at the Homburg tourna-
ment in Germany he won the German champion
ship. His knowledge OF the game and his expert
ences on the English courts thus fifty quality him
TO write on the conditions attending English and
American matches and the hardships experienced
by visiting players. AS 10 the courts he says:
It is our misfortune and not our. fault that the
climate here does rot bring the turf TO condition
even approaching the beautiful perfection of English
fr t DO On S Sa we have not machines capable
OF clipping the grass TO an extreme degree OF snort
such closely cropped grass that you wonder why it
Is not so in this country
As 10 nets and fxings he says:
Our nets are fair. but our net posts are bad, I
thaL Ihe Ie.s M S-,,y roras with This arrange
ment which cannot be too strongly condemned II
is quite impossible TO keep the net always az Jne
proper height Ior even 5Tp Is soon gives ana the
net says more or less. In England the solid posts
armly in the ground which one sees here s only
use At the top Of the post Is a wseeI Win ~
grooved rim. over which the net cord preIsIaoiy o.
wire) passed the regulation height OF three IeeL
and six inches and the net Is "a s y ~ nrs
Convenient and they distinctly better than
the old kind Nat fees 6 eedea Careless in the
use of the single posts, when convert the net
not at ali an uncommon thing even al our tourna-
ments to see a double net doing service LOT
match in singles
In reference 10 American tennis balls Mr.. Hobart
saws that If they little harder 1t would pre-
vent their taking the eIiptical shape they do when
used by some Of the heavy twist servers He con-
tinues:
The English ball is larger. heavier and aruleT: I
thought it was unquesJlonaoiy sgpeilI " - 49,
rhe weight OF which suited here, found 100
70 US Heavier one Why could the asso
Citations Of the TWO countries agree on Sts I.-
baI Of uniform size. weight and sohdity II inter
national competitions are 70 continue as assareo!S
IL is 10 be hoped they Will, Tor tney 90 n5Li ~
S5r near as possible thereto each side Of The
Atlantic will more than anything else ald % eS'a0
40 test Of strength between representatives Of
the two p S9fn' the eTences in equipment E.
balls nets posts, length OF grass e'e-Sfe ,I re-
moved. Ny own experience has been that 1 Sss
al a
onfniou that in every particular the Engsn access9
5e snrnrised il Nessrs Sears, Dwight and Clark /
vrh0 rlaved so much in England some yeas ago I
and Nessrs Campbell Miller, Larned and FaIeL,
who have had a more recent experience, Would not
UNFOLD ne IN this belief -
IN regard 70 the English representa- tives-A- ". /
Core D Black and II. Roper Barrett-tney were /
Sertainlv not the Doughertys but ny o-nlon = tI
n our men had PLAYED the match IN England WIZ /
one davis practice they would not have Jared n1acn
better. I don't understand the selection o. 51t-
-stt as a doubles player. Summer before iast ne /
Tss NOT one How much. then. do the dinerent /
eorditons existing here and in England handlcap 4
re VISITING player2 As the latest instance tske
he case Of Dwight r Davis. donor OF the inter
rational trouhy. At LonEwood IN the iattsr part /
~ Juv Davis beat Black three sets 70 one end N 2
his match with Gore ha5 one set ana ne saHllss
we're an on the second. Davis PLAYED az W lI,nIe-
5o1 ana al the Queens in September. ana aSainst
Gore at the former place ne was beaten
and again at the latter. e--5 - -, -
rs1s thinning the extra set WITHOUT cetalied par
rfctIIars OF these two matches We must Lay -
~bsrre in result. both matches being 50 very easy
~ core to the different conditions II going rom
,oor 70 good conditions makes such a change sure
'v the Fnglishmen in Eoing nom good 10 poor we're
handicapped much more. "a
7,st the three PLAYERS who came over were OF
rz-gIan6'E hest players have the opinion OF
1js authority who before the visit said tnat this
r-ar ss stronger thar the preceding one OF caves,
<f.borv- and Ntsbet While therefore. We have a i
-ibt 10 congratulate ourselves on the glorious VIC
~ 81 whitman Davis and Ward yet We have /
not as vet established the superiority Or our est
-ren over the best Fnglishmen. As a class to-day /
here is no question thar the English tennis /