New-York tribune., 1910-05-22

sum Of money represented IN the courts
would go far toward duplicating the Rocka-
feller millions But there are stald New
Workers who are much shocked AT the use
Of anv portion Of Central Park on Sunday
for anything more exciting than a walk or
a drive along the roads. They feel as much
aggrieved as did many OF the nation AT the
time that President Roosevelt laid down 4
tennis court upon the White House
grounds, where he met the Bishop of Lon
don in memorable match In the stretch
Of turf which Commissioner Slower has
made available on the beautiful North
Meadow OF Central Park there is q total Of
thfrty-eight acres on which 10 courts are
laid out.
Altogether in the parks OF the city more
than twelve hundred courts are available
for players. Some OF these, as in the case
Of Central Park and Prospect Park, BROOK
lyn. have only turf courts. In the otner
parks and playground centres the courts
have the clay playing surface, which IS tne
more easily kept in good condition
One Of the attendants who has watched
over the park courts for many years says
that round dozen players commonly make
use Of a court in the course OF an AFTER
noon. while on a holiday If it be fine and
That means that the Park Commissioner
and his department furnish sport for
something like fourteen thousand devotees
each dav. while on the big days the total
Is sveIled TO twice that number With the
opanfne of the courts on Sundays the beIler
IS general in the Park Department among
those acquainted with the growth Of lawn
tennis that the attendance will be greatly
augmented. probably running from ten
thousand to fifteen thousand more
The field that Commissioner SJover has
opened is historic in the annals Of the
game in that there the first public lawn
tennis courts in any park in this country
we're opened about twenty-siX years ago
Then the game was in the early stages Of
its importation from England. The Central
Park courts served to pOpUlar1ze lawn
tennis Many famous players were sradu-
ated from its great championships, since
abandoned. among the number being Clar-
ence Hobart Edwin P. Fischer. J. Parruly
Paret, Q. V. Bostwtck and others
To what degree the Park Department has
besttrred itself because OF the increasing
vogue OF lawn tennis in recent years Is
shown by the new building in Prospect
Park. Brooklyn. which Commissioner Ken
nedy of that borough has had erected at
4 cost of $4,000. This building. by the way.
is classic in design, is the most perfect OF
its kind in this country and finds no dupli-
cate abroad Adequate dressing rooms are
provided for both men and women players.
with showers. and locker and store rooms
for the nets and poles. all under the most
careful and systematic supervision
One of the most diff1cujt problems that
confronts the commissioner is the sys-
tematizing of the permit form 50 that all
NAV be sure OF the use of the courts, and
the danger Of one set of players monopulIZ-
ing the pIay wing spaces for a whole day may
be averted 1t appears TO be the earnest
desire of Commissioner Staver to do all
that IS possible for lawn tennis players.
There IS even the likelihood of a building
in Central Park similar Z, but larger and
more elaborate thar the one in Brooklyn.
Accommodations are srf dually to be eX-
tended to other parks.
In the opinion of the Commissioner the
idea that lawn tennis IS only for the
wealthy has been pricked like bubble. for
the expense has been clearly shown to be
far less than that Of golf, and certainly no
more than that incurred in baseball. Any
way. the public parks are experiencing the
Increased demand for places where the
game may be played, and such requests
come from associations OF school teachers.
neighborhood clubs md students OF both
the grammar and nigh schools. II is in the
endeavor to see that the parks fulfil their
mission that Commissioner Slower IS acting.
and he believes he has the support of the
great majority OF the citizens.