New-York tribune., 1903-02-14

Holder OF the Gold Prize, Amateur squas qtd 1itb
mis- Champion of America Qul lIusl Teioora,ns ST.
Fifty-four Photographs lriefna ana S1a'{en e Co
This detailed account of racquets and court
tennis presents a plea for careful training dl .
hao;nnine as well as a full exposition of the
methods apparatus and rules and CUSTOMS VI
nlav. The book is divided into separate DIS
cussiops Of the similarites and contrasts sno"it
in the three games, and then of racquels aii1
courr tennis in detail. Squash has been trealeu
Inv the author in an earlier book. He refers u
| If here as baby racquets." and recommends d
beginner to content himself with II unIi he
| has learned the rudiments thoroughly Lie Ae
stem naturally will be to take up racQue's' anu
thar, fnallv court tennis Squash is the simplest
game being played against a wall lnstedu VI
o,-ar a net and thus better adapted TO the ac-
quiring of skill. No fallacy is greater says MI
Miles than the notion that practice makes per-
feet Only the right kind Of practice Can 90
that and practice in unfortunate ways results
in bad habits, hard to break
The. advantage of course, OF these lhoooF
games is primarily that they may be played III
all sorts OF weather and by city men without
Ioss of time in reaching far off grounds says
Mr.. Miles:
In cricket, for example, and in many othef
branches of athletics, we have the aoVanldse y,
omen air in the country; but crlckel l4'olNS0 %
great deal of waiting and it has no system Oh
handicaps. Rowing scarcely exercises the w W.
sides of the body independently; II goes 10. neI,
courage prompt change of action: 1t IS largely
an exercise of strain. Running ana trdch az
Ietics are apt to be monotonous. Goi Is
pensive of time and money
The expense of court tennis is also the au-
thor admits, considerable and he urges cheaper
methods OF building and a consequent increase
of courts which he thinks might Well be naoe
Of wood English courts are, as rule, better
than
halls in use. and the project for a uniform
match ball. he says:
Asto a uniform tennis bali. suppose we shall
never see it: nor indeed would such ball be
altogether ideal For example the Boston CouLt ,
takes hardly any cut at all; Inc New Soi % N n
court takes q great deal. The same ball Is
hardly likely TO suit both By q curious per,
versity of fate. the Boston players use pan
which takes little cut and the New-York play
ers hall which takes much cut The insides Of
the balls are not essentially diferent, thlllh
1t is the covering that differs 1t seems 70 ile
that the Bostonians should use pan VIII Will
will take a great deal Of cut; the New orkers
a ball which will take very little CUT IN IdGI
the two sets of players should eScnaaee noth
and fast court. might use a ball between the
two At present, / believe that they have sew
eraI sets to suit the different players. This IS
not had plan. The English ball seems TO pc
a fairly good average for those who are III
doubt
He annroves the introduction Of the faster
| drive in tennis. which used to be steady ana
courteous. in fact somewhat like the minueI
In emphasizing the Importance or learning "
| serve adequately, we find that they 90 ho1
| serve who only stand and hit. Those VINO serve
| best. however are usually, by their eHor'S'
| least prepared to win the rally afterwaro'
In taking the service notice the opponent us
| body and especially his wrist; hslen aiSo ESQ @ Io
the sound which the ball makes when 1t leaves
the raclet IF YOU can observe closely what
hanpens after each position ana noVehheil'
and after each different souna, you wiz soo,i ~ M
| stinctiyely Judge what will happen on any o o
| casion AS a general rule, we would adVlse lhs s
| receiver of the service to STAND with Lhe neda eau
| of his racket supported by MS left nano Vi
| bald in the hand mirror position with his knees
| somewhat bent and with his feet not upon lnelr
| heels, but upon their paAs'
TO appreciate the full resources OF court ten
| mis- the author insists one must not oegln Win
| IT. The forehand and backhand strokes shouio
| be learned at the front wall OF squash court or
If this is not possible by work on the side "aiis
| OF a tennis court. Those who begin with tennis
| are almost invariably slow upon their Ieel'
| Even lawn tennis players often take long tilhe
| 70 master the most ordinary strokes. The
| transition to or from lawn tennis, under any
| circumstances is not easy, because of the ele-
| ynent NJ the side and back walls. court ten
| mis- plaver will instinctively let ball go by
| him on occasion In the expectation OF returning
| It from a backwau that does not exist. This
| account Of the games is marked by the SOUND
| advice of a player Of large experience, ahd Ihe
explanations are clear and full. II, indeed, more
| condensation would not have been an improve
| rrent In some passages. The photographs anu
| diagrams help to define the meaning of posi-
tions and grips and plan for building squash
court Is included.