The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-04-05

It's TO be expected that the American Polo
Association will meet the Britons in the
same spirit as the Britons offer to meet it.
The onside rule does not look well. ard II
might not be wise 20 adopt II IN its entirety.
Onside in any way is bad play and undesir-
able II should be cut out. Many men.
too. do not like "crooking' as well as rid.
ing off, but as a matter-of-fact. "crookilEs
Is a pretty play and provoking TO an id.
versary as IL Is pleasant to the "croOker.-
IL is q trick play and the disappointment
always visible on the face Of the crooked
is always enjoyable.
The polo players can be relied upon TO 10
what IS right and 20 make the rules 50
that they can meet the British under the
enc code Of rules
The inability OF the American athleta,
who follows the higher amateur games
polo. golf. tennis. etc. to hold his own
with his English competitors. in the sams
degree that the professional American jock
ey. pugilist. oarsman or Splinter. was COM
mented upon last week. The International
lawn tennis affords a good example OF this.
Though Americans have always managed
to repel the English invaders in lawn tennis.
It has been only when fighting in the last
ditch and at Rome.
Abroad the Britons have always shown
best and as a rule they run right into the
finals or American tournaments before be-
ing beaten.
In 1853 Meers reached the semifinals Of
the American championship before Camp
bell, the American. beat him in five sets.
In 1894 the Engllshman. Goodbody. beat
Hovey. Hobart and Larned. Americas three
stars. but Bob wrenn saved the honor OF
the Stars and Stripes b. beating him IN
the challenge round : to l.
In 1895 PIN and MahOney beat Larned.
Chace. Hovey and Hobart in a walk. Ho-
bart did win one match from PIN. That
was all the Americans got at home.
In 1SS7 Nisbet beat Whitman and then
Larned. but Wrenn again came to the res
cue in the challenge round and won. 2
Americans have not done as well in Eng
land as the English have done here. How
land holds the Austrian championship and
Paret that OF the South OF Ireland. but none
OF the English championships have ever
been won b. an American
The Ciarkes. Dwight. Sears and Campbell
were outciassed in England when they went
over. Larned was beaten of BY BaddeIey
in 1896 Hobart did get into the All Corners
double Dwight Davis and Ward have
made the best showinss- They won the All
Corners doubles in 1901. but the Dohsrty's
beat them IN the challenge round.
Very likely the Dohertys Will come TO
America this year. after the doubles. and.
Of course. will try for the singles H l.
Doherty, the English champion. will very
likely be the singles man Americans will
be lucky T. the Dohertys do not carry on
both singles and doubles. They have the
latter title now. and may get the other.
IN England they are in a class by them
selves. They have won the doubles seven
times and the singles four times.
They are talking of a standard ball for
tennis. and claiming that the American ball
is bad. Mr. Whitney Is also criucIdng the
conduct OF Newport tournaments. and
soundly bsrates umpires and linesmeu for
unfairness ard Incompetence.
Writing Of golf affairs and the improve
ment shown in golf in the past ten years.
sir. Hilton, the famous English player.
says that the Improvement in clubs is re-
sponsib.s fer the advance Of the game. He
gives the Improvement made in green's
keeping some credit. but none at all to the
improved ball. This is nothing OF a sur
prise, for American players are wont to give
the ruber bail all the credit for improved
scores
As a matter OF fact. frst-class scores
made by hrst-class men in hrst-class COM
petition have not improved. All the open
championship scores stand as made with
the gutta. The amateurs have improved a
good deal. out the standard is the profess
sloraL. For It is true that the amateurs OF
Amsrica-beinE young in the game-would
have improved as they had been improving
from year 10 year IL the rubber ball had
never turned up
Mr.. Hilton says that the man who made
the bulger driver did a lot to improve golf
He also gives much credit to the men who
invented short-faced clubs. such as mashies
and irons. He thinks well of the wooden
putter. but better OF the aluminium and
one.
Mrs. Ralph Orthwein's great greyhound.
Tiburon. q crack upon the coursfng neid.
was beaten BY a mere fuke in the
greatest curs.ng event Of America last sea
the field for greyhound pr-zes
az the Chicago bench show last week He
won thrse frsis in open competition and two
<pecial prizes. as well as a handsome silver
cup for best greyhound In the show This
is a notable victory on the bench for a St
[ ouis-owned dog. J. B. SHERIDAN