New-York tribune., 1911-12-24
Campaign Against Newport Be-
ing Vigorously Pressed.
MAHAN LEADS MOVEMENT
Smaller Field of Contestants for
National Title Also Earnest
ly Sought For.

| AGAIN tne campaign as 10 whether OT uo
the Casino at Newport. r. l., will continue
to be the scene OF the all-comers' rationa
lawn tennis championship tournament Il
! being vigorously brought to the attenu I
! of the followers of the sport With the
annual meeting OF the United Stntes Ma
| tional Lawn Tennis Association only siS
weeks off. the factions In favor Of and
against are drawing the lines sharply
! Lyle Z. Mahan for the second time stands
as the leader of the forces which would
| take the blue ribbon meeting OF the Am RI
can courts to some other setting. Mahan
! Karl II. Behr. Marshall Mclean and the
others who were identified so prominently
with this movement a year ago have had
"A whole twelve months I'm which TO perfect
their plans Of action. Because Of this there
is good reason at this time for predicting
that the campaign to take the tournament
! to some other courts will be more effective
and better conducted than the sensational
only few votes. ...
There Is TO question that the tournament
at Newport last August was better con
Quoted than ever before. Henry W. Slo
cum, A. L. Hoskins and others who es-
poused the cause OF Newport at the an
nual meeting worked zealously In the hope
that an ideal tournament would hush tht
opposition, but the idea appears to have
gained more widespread favor as TO taking
the great meeting 70 some her place. Tc
offset this feeling, those who favor New
port plan 10 offer a resolution requiring 4
certain qualification as to skill in order for
player TO be eligible TO enter the all
comers'. They favor limiting the list tc
fifty players. so that the tournament may
bo positively finished In one week and not
continue over two weeks. as il has done
for several years past
They point out that last August the en-
try list was actually 2o+ players; that in
1875 the entry was l05 players, and that,
continuing at this ratio. the national cham
pionship is sure to be of urwieldy proper
tions. even as they regard it now. They
point out that the list last August did
not include more than thirty men of class
and that the opening rounds provided Moth
ing more than a dreary eliminating process,
compelling the expenditure of unnecessary
time and effort.
The campaign 10 cut down the size of
the entry list is being vigorously conducted,
and an open letter is being sent 10 many
OF the leading players and clubs through
out the country. This letter has also been
circulated through American Lawn Ten
mis-" and In part is as follows:
The size of the entry at Newport for the
national championship has come TO be so
great that an increase Will make the pres
ent system, which is bad CROUCH as 1t Is,
virtually impossible. The time already re-
sr.I g.l.aNF AaENN
hiuitiVe TO most business men. The out
come must DC restriction and regulation OF
the entries, just as 1t is made necessary In
golf.
There has long existed strong feeling
of dissa tisfactiOl among a large majority OF
the players at the time consumed in play
ing off the national singles, and there Is
also a growing conviction that the tourna-
ment Is not what 1t should be-the classic
Of American tennis; that. Deing strung out
so long, It loses its charm: that 1t Is in no
wise from start TO finish, test of skill
that. instead of being a contest between
men qualified to compete for the champion
ship. il has 10 a large degree served as a
means of amusement 10 over hundred-ond
tennis players who may al the most hope 10
win four matches before meeting defeat.
To suit the pleasure of these players who
have no more chance TO win the champion
ship than an equal number Of children. the
premier event Of the American seasJn IL
spread over an interval OF ten days or two
weeks. when IL should by no means last
more than one week.
The direct effect Of this condition is 10
destroy the charm Of the meet; TO prevent
the competition Of number OF the best
players i'm the country who cannot afford
10 give such length of time to the affair;
and, lastly, II Is often the cause OF great
unfalrness. Many times the draw has so
resulted that a toprotch player has reached
the semi-iinal round without meeting a soIi-
tary opporent OF equal calbre, while his
opponent in that round has been forced 10
play perhaps three gruellng matches In
succession This leaves the Overworked
man in no manner the physical equal OF
his Opporent i'm the seml-fnal. and IN a
great injustice TO him.
In no other sport Is dub" entitled 10
play against a first class man for ma
tional championship, and the writer sub
mts that our present system Il absurd,
obsolete and often an unfair means OF
ascertainlng who shall hold the national
championship. Those men who. through
their enthusiasm for tennis have spent
should be entitled 10 compete for the cham
piOnship. The tournament should be so ar
ranged that the first class players and their
qualified opponents should be able to com
pete together. The event should De regu-
lated for them ana the better tennis play
dred hopeless players who are so selfish
that they are willing To delay the outcome
number or days simply for the pleasure
OF getting match and a season ticket"
The writer believes II is high time this
country sets an example n making its ma
tournaments Of other countries need not be
pointed out as examples 20 follow. Amer
lea Is quite capable OF setting her own ex-
ample. Win. View 10 helping the correct
solution Of this problem plan is herewith
submitted.