New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-06
A LAWN TENNIS Warning
Clubs Urged to Stick Closely "a
Letter of the Rules. %
BLIND" SYSTEM FOR DRAW
Officials Of National Body Insist
That Names Be Listed as
They Are Drawn.

Lawn tennis officials Of the National A.
ISOLATION have made tho first movsn.,,
toward a more strict enforcement OF -.
rules The absence OF proper un1pires a,A
linesmen for matches. failure 10 ohss,v.
foot faults and other matters are being
rointedly brought 10 the attention Of ira
clubs II is limited that penalties Will IA
exacted against offenders. as the rules nnu,,
be observed, thereby doing away with TIA
adverse criticism which slipshod man.
agement has brought down upon the asso.
citation in the past.
1t is especially insisted that the draw !.
made according to the blind sys,em-th.
names being listed as they are drawn hap.
hazard-and that any infraction will render
a club likely 10 lose the tournament an.
other year. Furthermore that names mus,
not be substituted after the draw is oncs
made
The question OF foot fault observance.
go as 10 prevent the server from running
into court. also IS outlined. 10 move
mont that can be construed as a step
toward the net is 10 be allowed Ths
American tendency TO run in is to b.
checked, Cor in previous international
matches for the Davis cup the Engllshmen
and other foreign nations have complained
bitterly OF this American tendency The
chief features Of the circular which has
been sent to all clubs about 70 hold tourna.
ments follow:
The Draw.-Sec.ion 10 OF the rules for the
management OF tournaments, as amended
M the annual meeting Of 1911, now reads as
follows:
The draw shall be conducted in the FOL.
lowing manner: Each competitors narns
shall be written on a separate card or
paper, and these shall be placed IN
bowl or hat, drawn out one by one al
ra ndom, and copied on lst In the order
In which they have been er avn lh dtse.
organization liable 10 loss or It's tourna'
ment the following year. except that IN
invitation tournaments and compeuuohs
between nations. states, cities, CLUBS am
similar bodies, where the competition Is
really between such bodies and not between
the players as individuals. players may %
placed in such manner as agreed upon ~
the MANAGEMENT OF the competition, ana
except that in interconesia,e ana inter-
ranged 10 prevent members OF the same
school or college from meeting each other
in the first and second rounds. the draw
in other ways being arranged aosoiuteV
by chance. A. $500,
Use OF Spikes.-By vote az the annual
meeting Of 1911 the use Of spikes over one.
eighth of an inch in length was prohibited
I'm tournaments sanctioned by this as socll'
ton. and this provision is added 10 the
rules for the management OF tournaments
as section g.
Foot Faults executive COMMITTEES
believe that there has been conslderaos
Improvement, in the past two years. In ,hs
enforcement Of the foot fault rule, ous
urge further Improvement.
The rule law 81 and rs Official interpre'
tation are as follows
The server shall. before beginning %
serve. stand with both feet nj rest behind
q. e, further from tho net thanl tne
base line and within the limits Of the mag,
mary continuation OF the half court ana
side lines, and therefore the server snaI
rot run, walk hop or Jump before ths
service has been delivered, but the server
NAV raise one foot from land, II desired,
replace Il on) the ground. provided ina!
both feet are kept behind the base lss
until the service has been delivered ON
cial Interpretation Of law 6: II foot
lifted and replaced there must De %
change of position that can possipy :.
considered n step. 1t Is suggested that
bs Impressed upon linesmen and players
that any laxness IN calling foot faults :
an Injustice to the striker-out, and ina.
enforcement should not be considered Is
working a hardship 10 me server. as othe''
wise ne is given an improper advantage.