The Washington herald., 1909-10-24

New York. oct. eft there IS one ques-
ton that has been asked more than any
other relating 10 lawn tennis it is: Why
do William A. Larned the national cham
pion. and a group OF a few other players
consistently maintain their positions as
the top fight Of opponents OF the game?
There Is also a secondary part OF the
query. and that relates 90 the real des-
ignaton OF what actually constitutes
class. and 20 what degree the game
is dependent upon the limited number OF
men who season after season appear az
the top Of the ranking list or even because
Of that unexplained term. insufficient
data. fail TO be so rated. yet are so
placed In the minds Of an of the followers
OF the sport. because of their general SUI
premacy and skill The repetition of the
questioning has been insstent recently
because Of the failure Of the leading and
tried veterans 10 take their places upon
the American team 10 journey 10 Aus
tralia IN quest OF the Davis international
Challenge Cup Such action has bred
whole series OF questions the answers 10
which the lawn tennis following appears
DESTROYS 10 give. and 70 do an In its power
20 solve the problems which for number
Of seasons past have proved a discourage
ment and hindrance 90 lawn tennis
rather than an inspiration.
The position that Larned and few
others seem destined to hold 20 the end
Of the chapter may not be so secure as
Il appears TO be. There is no conceallng
the fact that there was host OF follow
ers Of the game who this year desired
and with mighty hope. that some play
ers would come out OF the all-comers
national championship capable Of work
ing the defeat Of Larned. While Larned
was showing such woefully poor form at
Southampton on the Meadow Club courts
and earlier when he injured his knee
az the Country Club. Of Westchester
there was something akin to general
rejoicing that at last there was the ex-
pectation that Larned would be beaten.
and that there might be a new holder OF
the laurels OF the courts. But as the rec
ords have shown. Larned remained the
peerless performer Of the American
courts. William J, Clothier, his challenger.
and himself former holder OF the hon
ors, never approached Larned, who could
have won In straight sets had he so
wished. No one present at the match has
doubted this.
Larned's Supremacy in Tennis.
And so Larned, the oldest player upon
the courts Of the country to hold and
maintain the highest honors. stands su-
preme at time and age when other men
who held the honors before him are only
appearing In their individual club
matches. and are acquiring an equatorial
waistline In place Of the former array
Of silver mongery which was formerly
their share Of the tournament plumber
Strangely ho
bered that with all Of his remarkable
performance upon the courts, Larned
has never actually won the all-comers' !
national championship through n chal-
lenge map. SO far Larned, in the two
years that he has played through the
All-cOmers and won the tournament. has
experienced the good fortune OF a de-
fault lie has been defeated as de-
fender. but as was the case this year,
when Larned found himself opposed by
man who had played two such Cruel
ing matches as Clothler had against
Maurice Mclaughlin and Thomas G.
Bundy, the freshness Of the defender
places a heavy handicap upon the chal-
lenger and Larned has always appeared
10 immense advantage at such odds
or course the fact that Larned does
continue 10 hold his honors IS not fully
explained by the foregoing That only
sheds some new light on an old subject
The best explanation as 10 the con-
tinuance OF supremacy on the part Of
small group OF wielders OF the racquet
was recently made by DR.. n. B. Hawk.
who again this year holds the place Of
chairman OF the national ranking com
mittee. it is the belief Of Dr. Hawk.
IN the first place. that the men who stand
at the top OF the game, or who NAV
easily show themselves 70 be rated within
the honor roll OF the first FIVE. or at
least the leading ten, are those who have
exceptional advantages in the way OF
an abundance OF time for practice and
tournament play. Such men keep along
with the game continually. as may be
clearly demonstrated from the records
which the officials Of the ranking com
mlttee accumulate each season. Even
when they do not take their places in
the line Of fixtures. they are known 20
he constant competitors I'm club and
special matches against picked men. so
that there IS never any letting down 20
their game. X Is this unusual oppor-
tunity for tennis. and tennis under the
best OF conditions. Dr. Hawk believes.
that materially aids these men in holding
10 their standing
Turf Courts I'm Few Meetings.
There is step beyond this. and it Is
a most important one. which is 50 gem
orally overlooked by the great mass of
lawn tennis that It almost appears as
II Or. Hawk, in sounding the situation.
had made a new discovery. Every one
OK the leading men OF this country"
says DR. Hawk. has exceptional oppor-
tunities for playing at all times upon
turf courts. Then just remember as
twin thought that the All-comers' ma
tional championship Is decided upon
turf. Fine. hard, turf. perfect in every
particular. I will grant you, but stln
turf. Now. here alone is a distinct advan-
tage for a few. and really limited few
at that in the matter of the national
tournament. In fact. nearly all the
tournaments In this country which may
be designated as OF a national character |
are decided upon turf OF a list Of nine |
the All-comers' at Newport r. l.; the /
national championship for women. Long
wood southampton, Seabright, Western /
championships, Middle States champion /
ship, New YGk State championship, |
and the Tri-State championship at Gin |
clnnau. all are upon turf except the last. |
OF course, the southampton and Sea
bright tournaments are strictly invita- I
ton meetings, yet as the leaders always 1
gather there. they must be included as /
a part of my argument.
with the leading men having such op- /
portunities, is Il 20 be regarded as /
strange that they should secure the most
important honOrs? Not a bit Practi- I
cally the entire list Of the national sched- /
ule. other than the tournaments which /
have named, are decided upon earth
courts. IL Is upon the harder and faster 4
playing surface that more than 90 per /
nnu f ~ "a Mo ~
their game, DO their pracucing, and /
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