The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-01-21
GAME OF LAWN
TENNIS I'M FAVOR
PROSPECT FOR A LivelleR SEA.
SON iN THIS SPORT THE
PRESENT YEAR.
BRITISH PLAYERS ARE COMING
English Experts Fail to Favor New
FootfauIt Rule-Effort viii Be
Made TO Make Regulations Of Both
Countries Uniform 70 Eliminate
Possibilities Of Dispute.

fSestDhthGo OF bibPutSs
The prospect is for a livelier season
In lawn tennis the present year. The
British players will be here to play
the preliminary matches for the Davis
international trophy, and that means,
too, according TO announcement, that
they will take part in our champion-
ships. Further than that, before they
do get here an effort is to be made to
make uniform the playing rules OF
both countries, and at least on impor
tant points to eliminate possibilities OF
conflict or dispute.
One Of the most important points
that any joint rules committee can de-
eide upon Is the rule regarding foot
faults. It is very clear to those who
have watched lawn tennis that it is
unfair that player at the moment
Of striking the ball should be well on
bis way up to the net to get the return
OF service. In the first place the closer
he is to the net the better chance he
has Of making an unplayable service
and the more direct force from above
he can bring to bear on the ball.
Again, he is right up where he can
take the return of service and be in
command Of the play from that on.
There are Of course fundamentals Of
fair play, and 1t stands to reason that
no player should enjoy such adyan.
tages.
The truth of the matter is that the
rules OF the two countries mean to
prevent any such unfair service. and
It also Is a matter Of fact that the
English referees do take measures to
see that no player gets or takes an adj
vantage Of this kind Over here the
system Of conducting tournaments,
even the national tournament, which
should be model, is so lax that,
whether by accident or design. play.
ers do foot fault continually and with
out incurring penalties.
II we were to meet a team Of Brit
ish players here naturally all our best
men would be engaged, and our best
men luckily know enough not to foot
fault, and. furthermore, do not do it.
II they should do so in their eager
ness they might foot fault at time
when the loss Of the service would
lose them point, game. a set and
perhaps an important match.
There has been not a little com
plant against our players who go
abroad that they are careless about
their footwork The British rule is
explicit that no player shall be in mo-
tion toward the net from a point be-
hind the base line before the bali is
struck by the racket He must have
both feet squarely on the ground. Our
rule does not so regulate the feet, but
the sense is the same. The facts are
that in England most tournaments are
models-they have to be to attract
good players and there is generally
an effective corps OF referees. Ref.
erees in tournaments outside Of the
national championship here are rare.
and there is too much slipshod and
careless work in the conduct Of
matches.
In some cases the managers make
an honest effort to have a good man
for every match. not Just the one
where two good men happen to be en-
gagged. The New York state tourna.
ment, the East New Jersey tourna-
ment and a couple Of others that
might be mentioned were well man
aged IN this regard. The Middle
States tournament conspicuously was
not, and that may explain to the man.
ayers Of It why the championship that
should be next to the national has
fallen on until it is very poor and
draws fewer men than the Long Island
tournament.
There was some discussion last
year when an American player, D. P.
Rhoades. won several matches in
London. Rhoades' foot faulted several
times IN the case Of Miss Sutton no
mention was ev1f made OF her foot
faulting. but II she served as she did
in America last season she foot
faulted
The movement to codify and to uni
fy the tennis rules Of the two coun-
tries is approved by the best men on
both sides.
Cross Has strong Team.
According to Monte Cross the vat.