Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-26
IN LAWN TENNIS
PuSHs RebIks - Players Who Act
UAfnirfy.
MEN WHO ARE XEYUND THE PALE
Cas- 81 one IN . Ts~r~s@ent wa Ne
--AeA So thaa His OPpoae-t De-
faulfeS-TAis Man Black
listed by several Cluba.

NEW YORK. July S.-Lawn tennis has
the reputation of being a gentleman's game
and for that reason the players are no,
watched very carefully as to points Of de-
cent procedure. But in this district only
recently two cases came up that have
caused a lot OF omment the more so per.
haps because they got some special atten-
ton from American Lawn TennIs, the Of
fetal publication OF the tinted States Ma
tional Lawn Tennis association. Two brief
editorials, one headed. The Cheat" the
other The Pothunter," caused no end OF
discussion. perhaps as much for the rea.
son that they called Alteration to a very
unfortunate state OF affairs az for any
other.
The publication Of articles that called at.
tention to vital defects in the makeup Of GER
tain men playing the 'gentleman's game
was deplored by some persons, but the edi-
torials were defended or the ground that
just because these evils existed and mad been
condoned on many occasions by other play
ers the only way to cause them to cease
was to call attention to them in the most
forcible way.
One Case fin Point.
The case OF the cheat was that Of a
young mar who, for three years, has been
barred from a certain tournament because
or his known habits. Invariably when he
u playing In a match where no referee hap
pens to be provided he calls the points to
his " advantage whenever the decision
rests with him. In q certain recent match
by dint OF calling close balls out when his
opponent struck them and by contendinR
nat his shots were In he forced the man
opposed to him to so desperate a mood tina,
the latter defaulted In the third set. al
though we'll In the lead.
his, 1t was said at the time. was a
most unfair thing to do, because it gave
the cheat the advantage which he sought
through his fraudulent methods. To be
sure, he did not get any further in that
tournament, because thereafter there was
a referee, and as the cheat is merely a
second rater he had no opportunity to
work his game.
Things like this call attention, too. to
tn" need OF competent referees for every
>iatch. To be sure, not all the men-not
even a small number OF those who take
part IN tournaments-would stoop to a
thing Of this sort. But with a referee there
would be rot the slightest chance for this
and his kind in subsequent tourna-
ments. As matters stand now. that
player is lakely to find his field
somewhat limited hereafter. His en-
try to to be rejected hereafter in
this tournament In which ne was an often
der this year, and no less than two others
have put him on the blacklist. AS he con-
tinues he is, likely to be able to play I'm
Few tournaments In the course Of a sea-
son,
bou the Pot Hunter.
The editorials in the United States Ma
tional Lawn Tennis association paper are:
The pot hunter thrusts himself UPON
every sport or pastime In some fashion
or other. and we must endure him as best
We can. In lawn tennis he is not so Oh.
trusive as In some other branches OF sport:
but ne Is in our midst nevertheless, ana
To him the ''pot'-the trophy which he
strives to win and always keeps in mind.
is the beginning and end Of his striving.
tition Itself, and the exhilarAtion OF the
pay ana the Joy OF the strife are subsidiary
70 the thought OF the prize at the end.
OF the genus, for he rarely gets within
reaching distance OF the tournament prize,
A wise rule restricts contestants for the
match actually played. and this is usually
effective, Sometimes, however, 1t is the
other way, A match can be, and some
AOoN NiiOhBh pHN payer ldYlnE
down" to the other, his inferior, end as
the letter of the law has not been broken
there Is no redress. ''Tis a pity that some
men, otherwise models OF rectitude, have
such blunt consciences, for II Is not easy
to sting them with the whip Of rebuke.
The particular case that inspired this
editorial was the elimination Of a series.
1t did involve actual quitting. A certain
player who had offended before was en-
tered In a tournament where the draw put
him In the first round against a man easily |
inferior. The second round would have
put him against one of two players, either
one of whom surely could beat him. To
win his first match and to lose the second
would put him out OF the tournament, and
at the same time would keep him out Of his
beloved consultations. 80 he borrowed
from another player a very poor racquet,
one Of a style to which he was not accus-
toned, and then deliberately went out on
the court to make an exhibition Of himself.