New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-16
Doubles Champion ReSentS the
Structures by LampreCht on
Game in This Country.
ALL WRONG, he DECLARES
Takes Exception Especially to
Criticism of Volleying Method,
Which, He Says, Was
Originated Here.

piOnShlp, IN reply 10 inc 'tipSdtol 'IiN-
cism of American lawn tennis players by
W. A. Lamprecht. The doughty Bundy
has started a lawn tennis earthquake the
vibrations of which have been felt clear
across the continent.
Lamprecht is a German professional
who was imported to this country by
wealthy residents of Pittsburgh TO coach
at the. Allegheny Country Club. lie has
the distinction of being the highest priced
lawn tennis professional in the world and
of having tutored the Crown Prince and
Princess Of Germany upon the castle
courts near Berlin.
During the last winter Lamprecht visit
cd California and ofiiciated at several or
the tournaments at Pasadena. II was
there that the German tore the American
game TO shreds. 1t was everything bad,
without any good-a headlong, slam-oang
rush, without a vestige of science. X.
Norris Williams, jr., was the only Ameri-
can who found favor in the German
eyes. and he attributed the good in Will
iamss game TO his having learned II on
European courts.
With characteristic zeal. Bundy has
written to friends in the East that these
structures against the American game
should not be allowed 10 80 unchallensed-
In the first place" writes Bundy,
'Lamprecht evidently has seen very Few
of the really good players of America IN
action. If he has seen any other IMAM
Mr. Williams he evidently does not un-
dersiand the tennis game as 1t is played
here.
II agree with Mr.. Lamprecht in MS
opinion of the playing Of Williams. Inc
latter has devoted many years TO care
full study of the game. and has carrier
around with him a professional tutor'
and as a result knows the game letter
nerfect Wnliams's strokes are all Deau-
tiful models Of style. lie Is wealthy
young man, and can afford this lengthy
and extensive way of learning the game.
In this one thing alone do l agree with
Nr Iamprecht. In mis- other statements
he is very wide Of the mark. FOR IN
stance. he states that the American player
does not take the ball soon enough. This
is manifestly wrong. For instance. the
one thing that has so astonished the Tor
eign players when they come to THIS
country is the activity Of the American
plavers and their eagerness 20 take the
bail as soon as possible.
I'VE are really the orisnators of the
voleying game. 1t is amusing at times
10 watch the expression on the faces OF
foreign players when N contest the
American player serves and with the
same movement is in full Roadway 1or
the net. His same is built up around the
desire 10 smash the return from the vol
lev and not wait upon its bounce IN the
back court That is why the Americans
are such great net players.
80 watch Maurice Mclaughlin or any
of the other great American players in
action Immediately shows how wrong this
statement of Lamprechts is.
Il have known of only one foreign
player who equals this eagerness OF the
Americans TO take the ball and ne Is
Brooks. Of Australia. This wonderful
player would receive MclOughin's ter
rife service while standing few feet
within the base line. and would then step
I'm ON the smash and drive The al before
il had even reached the top of w bounce
This accounted for the defeat of the
Americans at the Davis cup games.
THE assertion Of Lamprecht that we do
not know how to play the half-court
game is shown to be wrong by the above
facts. The half-court game is nothing but
q rush to the net after the serve ana
desire to catch the ball on the volley' IN
stead of waiting for the bounce.
I'm regard 10 the half-volley game men
,ionad bv Mr.. Lamprecht as being outside
of our skill, l can cite Jack Duncan, OF
Southern California, who does not THINK
himself a good enough player to enter
ia national championship singles. Dun
IAN. In my mind is the peer of any player
In America or abroad in his half-volIey
All of the better players Of America use
the half-volley when necessary.
"Mr. Lamprecht speaks of the desire
of the American players always to take
the ball on the side where they are strong
est. or where they can use their pest
strokes. lie decries this. but our greatest
players have this same faculty. 1t means
foo,work of the most skilful kind and 1t
means that player must move win
lightning rapidly. Mclaughlin astonished
the players in Australia by his footwork
While having every stroke at his com
mand. he IS undoubtedly strongest at that
terrific forearm smash which has won so
many aces for him.
I'm Australia the players opposing Nc
Iouphlin endeavored with might and
main TO place the ball where 1t would be
,mnossible for Mclaughlin TO smash II.
Nv his wonderful footwork and judgment
Of how the return Of service was to be
,,laved he was able to step around each
time and receive the ball on his right
side wa.re he could use his killing
smash This footwork department Of the
came is one of the strongest points of the
American player.
THE American player plays to win. like
Americans do in everything. McLough-
lin. for instance. is one Of the greatest
winning players on earth. Style for style,
Williams plays more to the satisfaction OF
the sticklers for form. but In dash, ag-
eressiyeness and that indefinable some
thing called nerve Mclaughlin is easily
the superior Of Williams
Mclaughlin is not graceful on the
court He does not have time to be. In
foreign countries and in the East tennis
is somewhat of pink tea affair. The
galleries are filled with ladies with lor-
enettes. who regret exceedingly any show
Of perspiration or Of a mad desire to win.
The California players, as they hold
practically all of the tennis titles OF the
United States, should be considered, but
they do not believe in these pink tea af-
ternoons With. them a tournament Is a
stern duty and one that requires the
wearing OF the minimum amount OF ten
mis- togs which give the most freedom of