The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-12-15
ROOSEYELT'S TENNIS PLAY
CHARACTERISTIC or TEE PRESE-
DENTS CAME.

ne scroOwss Up and Gums Che @aTn ~ WIN
the nlE stAck-Less Laght and Active
Than Ambassador Jussornmn. Tor IN
stanee-Makes work for ms PHrfner.
WARRINGTON. Dec. M-ThO mestingS
Of the Tennis Cabinet. which have oesD
more or less interrupted by had weaehSr
Iatelv. viii o be forced 20 submit "a .
long adiournmenk. Tho hlgh screen q
xreen canvaa already strains at tts moon
inRs an ths wintry wind whistles through
the Cruscent shaped aperturos with wni0h
the Inpper .naVflOn Of the screen IL orna-
There are two Of these canvas walls. one
Mt eaoh end Of the famous court just B0ush
Of the new Office wing Of the White Houes.
Fortunately for purposes OF privacy ns
White House lot ut this point 10 very nnuOh
higher than the street running betwoen "
and the State. War and Navy Building.
The bank, topped with a thick hedge.
belps to isolate the court. n tho high grsen
curtain enectuaIly Finishes the work. The
.creen at the opposite end and tho wall OF
tho Office wing Complets tho snclOsng Of the
court on three sides.
It in omen 70 the south. though IL ID pro-
tected sven In that direction oy . neuge
and by a burIy policeman who takes spell
ho,,nd lntere.t In the games. The court
h paved with asphalt which ioois pfseey
uitty-the black. coarse variety.
There are mo chairs or benches; no rocxn
Hor thsm In fact. The court ID . STRICTLY
,dlstarian affair without any frtlis whsS-
ever with the exception Of those crssosns
.haped holes with their carefully bound
edges.
When the President comes out 20 play
he looks like a big. self-satisfied boy. A
very big boy. in fact. for although NOT q
fat as he was he nevertheless makes . very
husky looking figure.
He wears no hat. has ON q heavy daFk
blue sweater of the peeler variety ordinary
DARK trousers and black tcnnis shoes. Even
when the other players disport themselves
in Hannels and soft shirts with rolled up
sleeves the President sticks to his sweater
and his heavy trousers.
The reason for this 10 perhaps his desire
further to reduce his weight by getting
into a good pe~rspiration. But II that 70
the reason the wonder is that he doesn't
play a more active game.
II he really wants TO perspire under bis
heavy clothing let him do a. M. JUsserand
does. The latter dances nimbly about
the court, covering about ten miles to tho
Presidents n e
At the same time the President. though
a rather ponderous player. seems 20 keep
ND his end Of he game. He gets most
Of the balls that come his way. though
II he were to try singles IL might DO q very
different story.
When his partner is serving the Presi-
dent stands too close to the net Tor 30 sta
tionary a player as he is. Ball after ball
goes by him. The other fellow in the back
court. chasing from side to side. does all
the work.
Al least he does the lions share Of IL.
although when a stray ball does chance
to come near enough for the President
to get il h latter shows a very valuable
trait in a net player. He 10 cool enough
to make use Of his position In placing the
ball for a difficult return.
His play is not at all free. He rarely
uses a shoulder swing. His arm works
almost entirely from the elbow.
The whole impression has in watching
him is one Of tightness. Of concentration
While the ball is in play his muscles seem
to be screwed together. He lunches bis
shoulders. crouohes his knees. sticks his
head forward.
He Is like a great animal orOuCnou AOH III
attack. And when the ball comes near him
he gives it a sort Of cuff with his racquet.
the motion being made without releasing
the -tenseness of his attitude.
When the ball is no longer in play he
Strengthens up. throws back his head, and
with chest out. chin in. tramps sondly across
to the other side and tightens up for the
next ball.
His own serve is unlike that OF any other
member Of the Tennis Cabinet. He attempts
no overland work. no cuts or drops or fancy
business Of any description. He holds his
racquet above his cad In exact position
for striking the ball a straight, lUard blow. =
The ball itself he holds right against the
racquet. For several seconds he stands
absolutely mOtiOnless in that position and
then, smack he hits the ball one ~ n
hard, short. straight blows.
He makes comparatively few false serves.
He does not take advantage, a. most players
do. of the first try by attempting to get a
difficult and hazardous ball over the net.
Sometimes he serves an entire game without
making use Of the second try.
His serve should MOI be very hard 10
return. The balls are swift but they are
strai ant: and owing to his habit Of posing
his racquet so long before hitting the ball.
which meantime is also right in position, a
shrewd player ought TO DO able to~tell just
where to expect it.