Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-20
TENNIS RANKING IN SYSTEM
Committee Issues Blanks to All
Players.
MARKS ERA IN THE SPORT
NJ Means % system Officials oan Get
Fullest Possible Lawn Tennis
information and Keep Per-
feet Tab on Players.

information and Keep Per-
feet Tab on Players.
NEW YORK. Nov is-seel1lng to OBJ
tain the fullest lawn tennis information
possible upon which 20 establish the ma
Aonal ranking list for the season OF 1910
The committee recently issued blanks to
the players. As one OF the officials stated,
the sport r. now to be systemadzed in
All OF its branches" In its comprehensive
scope the document issued is the work Of
the committee. Edwin F. Torrey, IT,. chair
man, OF Clinton, N. Y; Miles 8. Charlock
secretary Of the Crescent Athletic club,
and Henry Terrence, st., Of the Engle-
wood Field club. There Is much more i'm
portant and far-reaching action contained
in the obvious request for the players
-ecord in tournament and championship
than the tabulated form reveals. The buff
tolored sheet Of paper is nothing short OF
ne herald OF the new era In American
iawn tennis, Of which the first signs we're
discernable during the playing Of the ma
tional championship tournament on the
courts Of the Newport Casino last August
It IS a notable fact that the plan just
launched and put into operation was freely
discussed by officials during the deciding
Of the national title. and that Il bears the
approval Of Mr.. James Dwight, president
OF the United States Lawn Tennis ASSOC
riation and nearly all OF the executive
committee which includes william A.
Larned, Palmer r. Presbrey, Or. Philip B.
Hawk, Ralph Holtershoff. L. d. Scott,
william j. Clothier, Edwin r. Torrey, ir..
Raymond D. Little and Louis Henry Waid-
ner.
Hnphazard Days over.
It is evident that the days Of haphszard
lawn tennis affairs are over" remarked
an official yesterday, land the players
and clubs that fail to take an accounting
OF the new order OF things are likely to
have a rude awakening before long. It
rs my opinion that players who wish to
receive an adequate rating at the hands
OF the committee will do well 10 I'LL out
these tables and return them at once.
Such circulars as have been issued In the
past have been sporadic efforts. This one,
from its makeup, means that the ranking
committee is 70 be established hereafter
as a department of record for the sport"
Speaking Of the new effort that was in
process OF formulating to overcome the
difficulties that had beset lawn tennis,
Secretary Charlock said that the work Of
the ranking committee was but the open
ing wedge Of a carefully thought out plan
which is TO touch upon every phase Of
lawn tennis. In way campaign Of ed
ucation for the thoughtless followers of
the sport and with goal Of results which
will do away with the acrimonious criti-
cism OF the past
The document sent out TO the players is
ruled TO contain records OF fifty-seven open
tournament and championship matches.
Three main division heads had tabulation:
Opponent "''won and Lost and Ny Score"
SCORES Of MY Matches" The subdivisions
rT.TH - 81
Opponent" ''Von and Lost and MY Score
written first. The sheet is arranged to
be filed in a binder according to name.
number and division. Thus, in addition to
furnishing data for proper ranking. It will
furthermore establish a permanent record
of the players performance Of each season,
the names, addresses, clubs, tournaments
and all other important details that for
thirty years have been lost TO American
lawn tennis annals In complete form. With
such wealth OF data as II is planned to
gather and file in permanent form in the
archives OF the National association not
only will a complete history OF each play
er's individual work be at hand. but
comprehensive view OF American lawn ten
mis- will be presented in the future.
Impetus TO Better Conditions.
The impetus in favor OF better conditions,
especially toward the rankings, over which
annual wrangles were held and which led
TO the controversy between Clarence Ho1
bart and A. L. Hoskins, was shown with
the appointment OF Philip b. Hawk as
chairman OF the ranking committee several
years aEo.
The establishment OF the present plan is
IN a large measure attributable to the
foundation upon which Mr.. Hawk built
Ia, IA
nonal executive committee at the annual
meeting a year ago. II is evident that the
most careful rating OF the players that has
ever been issued in this country Is to be
promulgated before the first OF the coming
year.
Careless players. who in the past have
felt that the occasional communications
from the committees meant nothing and
that the requests were to be thrown Into
waste paper baskets, will find themselves
mistaken from this time forth It might be
said, as a word OF advice here that the
player who wishes ranking had best exert
himself and let the committee hear from
him, otherwise he may find himself disap-
pointed and awaken to realization that
the United States Lawn Tennis associa-
ton has started out to do things. That such
is the case Is made only too obvious from
the wording OF the last paragraph OF the
official letter sent out with the record
blanks. 1t reads follows;
Ability e. Considered.
The ranking committee is DESTROYS OF
giving fun consideration OF each players
playing ability. together with each players
record OF matches won and lost during the
year Therefore IL the committee does not
receive from You inolosed record OF your
matches you may not receive any ranking
this year on account Of insufficient data"
The ratings OF the players for the season
Of 1903 were the best that lawn tennis has
ever known. The list for the present season
win be even better. or It win be alone the
PLAYERS fault The matter OF the ranrints
is but the beginning Of better things. that
I'm time win include a marked improve
ment In the plans OF holding the annual
meeting Of the national body, the manage
ment OF tournaments and the revision OF
the rules. which have become almost OBJ
sOlete.
rrwW