Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-07
JAY COULD'S TENNIS TRIP
In England for Bis Second Try at the
British Championship.
CHAMPION DECLINES TO PLAY
Miles Refusal TO Defend Title
Creates Surprise and Disappoint-
ment-Has at No Time Warmed
20 the Young American

NEW YORK, April Sit was surprising
and disappointing to American court tennis
players to learn that EIstace II. Miles will
not play in the British championship this
year, although he will play in 1908. Then,
should he keep the latter promise Miles
will have to play through the preliminary
tournament and he may not reach the posi-
ton Of challenger No one will feel more
establishment at the announcement than
young Jay Gould, who was twenty-four
hours out aboard the Kronprinz Wilhelm
on his quest for the title when Miles,
cable reached this country.
at savors more of proteid biscuit than
English roast beef or Of English pluck,
was the comment OF one disguised Ameri-
can. king Edward should force Miles to
play out his hand for the sake Of interna-
tional sport"
The allusion to proteids is due to Miles
theories in regard to concentrated foods,
cause he has championed in books and
pamphlets, besides promoting in a utilitar-
ian way by a selling agency OF certain bis
cults Of as many Wanted merits as the
fountain sought by Ponce de Leon. When
in this country, in 1900. Miles lived at the
Tuxedo Tennis and Racquet club, and he
won all our championships at court games
He did some newspaper work, but accord
ING 10 Some blOOu pOlhtu III pbENuub pIuAi-
nifty 70 the lines that divides professional
and amateur. While no one has ever char
acterized Miles game as classic or grace
full, there is no question Of his resouroeful-
ness. He, has been the leading tennis
player OF the amateurs since 1897 and nearly
as prominent at racquets. One reason is
that Miles is always in strict training
Court tennis and racquet players, who as
q class are over q and not too stringent
in their training, as they play only for
recreation, are often at the mercy Of a
long winded player, temperate and as hard
as nails in flesh. Miles had nothing on Jay
Gould in point of condition, for the young
ster does not drink or smoke and is always
IN hard training
Miles idea of Fairness.
Gould made no complaint on his return
last year Of any discourteous treatment by
Niles but It is evident from what some
other Americans familiar with the situation
have said that the champion was always on
his guard against the youthful aspirant to
his title. For instance, Gould never saw
Miles in the court untif he raced him as an
opponent, but the champion was a close
student Of the Americans game in each
of tho preliminary matches More than
once Miles made an engagement for a
single OF IOuI-nAnQ mALCn WIN Gould DuN
he did not keep any Of the engagements.
After going through the tournament which
IN England is termed "the preliminary
ties" Gould expected that he would next
be challenger to Miles for the title. In
stead he had TO first play and defeat PEN
nell. winner Of the preliminary ties in 1906
and champion in 1904 After winning the
FIRST set with Miles, to 4, the American
displayed symptoms OF fatigue, and Miles
won out by 6-1, 6-4 6-3 This time Gould
will only have to play the winner OF the
tournament to be champion, unless the
Pennell precedent established last year is
violated.
Gould n Sensation.
To have the golf championship come to
tho United States in 1904 was a surprise
TO Great Britain but Travis victory was
not such a sensation as the prowess of
Gould in the tennis championship last year
The youth OF the visitor, for tennis is not
deemed a boys game in England, helped
10 make him the marvel of the season.
Tennis Is the most aristocratic OF English
games the one most aloof from the hurly-
burly of modern life and richest in literary
associations, the complexity Of the play
being one Of It's charms. To have Yankee
boy excel at 1t was as II Pocahontas on her
famous visit should have danced the minuet
The revelation brought chaos TO the idea
that tennis had its best players in English
men OF family, in whom skill was to a
degree hereditary. The courts are antique,
mostly ancestral possessions, the excep-
tions being the new ones at great country
houses or at the clubs, Princes, Queens
or Lords. The game is a part OF the train
ing Of an English gentleman, as the use
Of the foilE and the grand tour used to
be- and to have an American boy assume
command seemed iconoclastic. Miles, be-
sides refusing an advance game, withdrew
on the score OF business from an inter-
national four-handed game between Gould
and Joshua Crane and Pennell and him
self. but otherwise the English amateurs
revealed only friendship for the American
and no trace OF chagrin.
Vane Pennel said Gould was the finest
player he had ever seen, not even except
ing Miles, for he judged his game from the
entire performance at the championship