The Washington herald., 1908-03-08
By DEXTER MARSHALL.

prince II was his custom.to impress the
royal and noble personages about him 10
play with or against him, and he will
doubtless continue this habit as King
He is the champion lawn tennis player
of the North countries. When he was
crown prince his den was decorated prin-
cipally with loving cups. vases and
racquets. trophies of hts numerous vic
tories in tennis at home and abroad. not
a few OF them having been carried by
him from British soil, where he journeyed
for the express purpose Of engaging in
tennis tournaments. AS King he still
keeps his trophies about him; some of
them help 10 decorate the royal library
in which his father was wont to pass so
many hours; the rest find placement in
the Kings own living room
Lawn tennis owes its hold In Sweden,
and IN Stockholm, especially. to Gustav
v As youth he was rather delicate,
and that he might grow robust he was
sent into the country 10 live in the open
air. There he grew psssionately fond OF
outdoor sports. and by the time he was
nearing his thirties, he had become
Swedens leading exponent of outdoor
exercise.
Played Since Middle '70's.
About this time lawn tennis had its
birth in England; this was in the middle
'T0's. Gustav. while on a visit to English
royalty. made the acquaintance of the
new game and was speedily enamored OF
f. During subsequent visits he became
proficient at It. and his enthusiasm led
him TO introduce It among his own royalty
and the nobility. AT first his efforts were
not SO successful as he desired, but he
possessed his soul in patience and in
time was rewarded by being sought out
as an instructor in the imported recrea-
ton.
Though now at an age when most men
fined themselves Handicapped with stiffen-
ed muscles-he is fifty-the king still puts
up a speedy and smashing game, and his
numerous trophies speak for its scientific
qualities. When on the tennis court he is
as cool as a Swedish spring zephyr: at
other Il nes his nervous temperament Is
rather darked. President Roosevelt. in
order to keep down his avordupois, plays
the gar ie in sweater and heavy trousers.
as General rule; Gustav dons the con-
Ventional tennis costume. The President.
when waiting for a serve. is tense in
every muscle, and 10 the spectator calls
TO mind the picture Of an animal waiting
the psychological moment 10 pounce on
its victim. Gustav, until the ball is served
and is coming his way, is relaxation per-
sonifed; then he gets under way with re-
narkable swiftness. for one reason be-
cause he is not oyerburdened with much
flesh. 4
Gustav a Good Player.
Though crack shot. an expert horse
man, and an adept at his country's own
outdoor sports. the game he most delights
in Is lawn tennis; and doubtless Gustav
the tennis player mourns the fact that
Gustav the King cannot give as much
time to the game as could Gustav the
crown prince. AS president of the Stock
holm Tennis Club. Gustav has been at the
back Of practically every tennis event OF
Importance held in Sweden in recent
years.
Washington, just now, as every one
knows, is full Of more or less noted lawn
tennis players. but no one connected with
the present administration is a more con-
sistent wielder Of the racquet than was
Richard Olney, when he was in Wash
ington first as Cleveiand's Attorney Cen
eral and then as his Secretary OF State.
Almost every afternoon. when the
weather was right, he made for a lawn
tennis court, and never left Il until the
dinner hour was dangerously near. Not
infrequently one Of his opponents was
a young man OF the name of Theodore
Roosevelt, then a national civil-service
commissioner This was the case while
Olney was Attorney General; about the
time that he took the State portfolio
Roosevelt went to New York TO become
president Of that municipalities police
board. But for over two years the two
men often found themselves on opposite
sides OF a tennis net, and the victory was
not always to the exponent Of the stren-
uous life, either. Lord Pauncefote, then
British Ambassador, Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury Curtis, and Mai William
2. Hall. the crack pistol shot of the
army who. by the way. still handles a
racquet with considerable skill. were the
other prominent members of the Olney
tennis cabinet"
Ordered TO Play Tennis.
Olney. however, did not limit his ten
mis- court associations 10 officialdom.
When he could not get his usual tennis
cronies out. he frequently called up on
the phone young folk Of his aequaint-
ance and begged or good naturedly or
dered thern to appear before him dressed
for an afternoon OF tennis. One memoir
able afternoon. when q summer sun was
softening the Washington asphalt 10 "a
depth Of an inch or so, and everybody, |
nearly, was hugging the shade. Oney
got into his tennis duds. spent an hour
getting together three young devotees OF
the game, and until twilight gathered |
kept them hustling for dear life.
Though he has been a man of large
YODCfhf1iffnQ n
and especially when he was in Wash /
ington. Olney's health has always been |
Of the best and this she ascribes directly |
70 his love OF tennis. for II has not only !
given him the needed exercise, but has |
caused him to spend a goodly portion |
of his life out Of doors. When Wash |
ington began 10 take interest in Mr. /
Olney's lawn tennis feats he was fifty |
eight; to-day he Is in his seventy-third |
year, and more given 70 watching a game |
than in taking part in II.
Prior TO Mr., olneys advent in Wash |
ington. one OF Civil Service Commissioner |
Roosevelts lawn tennis companions was \
the present German ambassador. Baron /
Speck Won sternburg who now plays |
with and against the President on the /
famous White House tennis court with
the dark green shield.
Took Liking 10 Each Other.
When Roosevelt went to Washington
az civil service commissioner. Won Stern.
burg was stationed there as German
charge d'affaires. The two men met in
an official capacity. Immediately took 2
liking to each other. and Roosevelt learn
ing by experience that Speck Won Stern
burg. despite his delicate physique. WAS
a splendid cross-countrv walker and a,