Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-27

dition for the tennis player. Clubs else
wherse have been watching those expert
menus with molasses and IL is. probable
1t Will be rather widely used this year.
by prominent men throughout the world
as the game of tennis, unless it be golf.
The whole world is familiar with the
tennis cabinet" of the Roosevelt adj
been equally well patronized by kings and
potentates. The late King of Portugal
was one of the enthusiasts of the game,
ana there are many pictures extant show
Few games require such constant strain
on. the part of player. Once a ball
Is put into play. 1T is case of keeping
everlastingly at it for nearly two hours.
as rule. In many of the great tourna>
ments the principal contestants undergo
periods of training almost as strenuous as
those of a professional boxer. No one
who keeps late hours or otherwise vio-
1ates the laws which make for superb
manhood stands much chance of winning
the honors in an important match. Like
the man who would be a skilled marks
man. the good tennis player must have
a remarkably keen eye and a steady
nerve, and no form of dissipation will
permit man to retain these qualities.
4 =
Although the-game- of lawn tennis is
dispute as to
Modern Game Less it's origin.
Than Forty Years Old. t me q ea .ue
closely related to it was played on
court under the balconies of Queen Eliza
beth's palace, and that she greatly en-
joyed watching its progress. 1t is doubt
full If there is any single feature in the
modern tennis game that is absolutely
original. The Romans are said to have
been the first people who ever played
with a ball. In Europe game involving
some Of the ideas of tennis was played
by the kings and mobiles of feudal times.
II seems to have been TO tennis what the
old-fashioned long-town game of ball
was to modern base ball. Tennis first
was played with q cork ball and the bare
hand. The grounds were shaped some
thing like an hour glass. Later glove
was used on the hand. and this glove
was afterward, so improved that there
were strings leading from the forefinger
to the thumb, thus extending the hit
ting surface Of the hand. 1t was an easy
stage of transition from this to the mod
ern racquet. All Sizes. shapes and con-
ditions of racquets have been used.
The name of tennis is believed to have
originated from the French word "tenez,"
command to play. The modern name is
OuI pIioHStlC IehOltlou VI luis term.
When the game first attained national
standing in England it had the euphonis-
tic title of ''sphairstike." This name was
given it by Maj. w. c. Wingfield, an
omcer of the British army. who Is gen.
orally regarded as the father of the mod
ern game. He brought it out in 1874.
Members of the bennington Club claim
that they played it fifteen years before
the advent of Wingield's "sphairstine."
The first organized laws for the game
were formulated in March, 1875, by the
Marylebone Cricket Club. At the urgent
the 'Cavendish" Of modern whist, the
AlI-England Croquet Club at Wimbledon
was induced to take up tennis. 1t i'm
mediately became the chief tennis or
ganization of England. and its decisions
have obtained throughout the world ex-
cept in the territory Of the United States
National Tennis Association.