The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1909-10-07
BREAK TENNIS RULES
No Other Game In Which Such
Laxity Is Permitted.
ENFORCEMENT is NEEDED.

quentiy Missing at Tournaments
Score Not Announced Plainly--Resu-
Istions Should Always Be In Force
Even In Championships.
Many weeks of competition have
passed. and there has been afforded O
moment FOR serious reflection as to the
prominent features that have predcmi
mated that period of competition. And
SO IL is that the absolute absence OF
rule government becomes Of paramount
Importance. Its prominence is empha-
sized because In all other American
amateur sports and pastimes--and
lawn tennis is most emineutly patron
lied and followed by amateurs-golf.
rowing. polo. track athletics. football,
baseball and throughout the eutire list.
the rules are obcyed. Furthermore.
players and officials know the rules
and compel observance. But many of
the lawn tennis tournaments of this
season have followed American tradi-
tions and have entirely dispensed with
umpires. liupsmeu aud referee
True. In these tournaments there
was name printed in the circular
announcement. but few really saw the
individual mentioned The name usual
ly occupied Il place at the bottom of
the page There had to be referee.
and so a fanciful myth was perpetrat-
ed AS for umpres and lnesmeu. a
handsome prize might have been Of
fered for any person. player or spec
tator who might discover one of the
species upon the courts. and the club
would retain the prize in its keeping.
The farce of the whole thing lies in
the fact that all of the rules are found
cd upon decisions to be given by um-
pires. The entire book is filled with
them. and yet such an important tour
nament as the middle states champion
ship progresses TO the finals this year
without the appearance of an umpire
for the matches. The players did the
best they could as to rendering their
own decisions. They were above re-
preach and did the best they could
Yet there were many errors as TO judg-
ment thar certainly had important
bearing upon the final outcome of the
Abroad in the English and European
tournaments there is no difficulty ex-
perieuced in securing the proper Off
Gals. That is due. according to the
estimate of Frederick B. Alexander,
for he had the opportunity to partici-
pate In the inside management of the
tournaments upon the Riviera early
this year because of appointment to
the committees, to the fact that
abroad they have proceeded from the
beginning ON the superstition that the
rules were to be strictly enforced.
Then the players have become ac-
customed TO expect that they will be
called upon to umpire and take line.
In all courtesy they accept the duty as
a part of the sport.
While rules for an official who so
rarely appears as TO be something of a
when he is seen may be odd.
here is also the peculiar fact that the
lmpires have not learned to lift their
roices loudly in this country. 1t has |
Deen said that their scoring and calling |
VI decisions annoys some of the nerv- |
,us American players. This Is another |
contrast with abroad where the prog
'ess of the score and points and deci-
,ions are called loudly and clearly. The |
of umplres has led to many
of a costly nature. likewise
o such a remarkable decision as the
ollowing being handed down on q pro-
est to the national association: A play
r serves. He hears the umpire call,
,ut cannot hear what he says. He
.nows that the only two things that
he,umpire should call are fault" and
LETT and that in neither case can the
'all be In play. He therefore does not
eturn 1t, only to find that the umpire
as called ''play." Has he any redress?
Strangely enough. the national asso-
iation decided that the player must be
victim of whispering umpire. 1t Is
his sort of thing that has caused
1any of the men who have had expe-
fence to return everything in the way
( service. good or bad 1t leads to fire.
uent confusion, but they are, at least,
n the safe side.
1t is the belief of those close stu
euts of lawn tennis affairs in this
Duntry that the enforcement of rules .
nd regulations and the study of them
y the players would greatly improve .
lie efficiency of the American game. !
ct so long as tournaments are allow
TO be run haphazard without Off !
ais nothing can be ACCOMPLISHED