Bridgeton pioneer., 1913-05-22
DAVIS CUP DEED
NEEDS REVISION
II France Wins Tennis Trophy
Trouble Is Expected.
BOARD COURTS The CAUSE.
Frenchmen Prefer Play on Place Of
This Sort, and There Is Nothing In
Regulations to Prevent Them From
Demanding II.

Regulations to Prevent Them From
Demanding II.
While the English tennis committee
which is in general charge of the ar
rangements for the coming Davis cup
series has shown a generous spirit in
the Interpretation of the deed of gift
which governs competition for the
trophy, it is the opinion of some of the
leading tennis players in this country
that steps should be taken leading to
revision of the terms of the document.
Close scrutiny of the deed Of gift re-
veals the fact that there is vagueness
in many of the clauses. the meaning of
which should be made clear beyond all
question. 1t has been discovered, for
instance, that should France succeed
in winning the coming international
series there would be nothing In the
regulations to prevent that country
from demanding that challenging ma
tons play on board floor instead of
on turf. There are some conservative
tennis critics who believe that this
loophole would be equivalent to giving
France perpetual possession of the
Davis cup.
M. Decugis and A. Fl. Colbert, the
two French cracks. are splendid play
ers upon turf court, but upon boards
1t is doubtful if any two men in the
world can compare with them. For
some reason, perhaps the Temperament
tai fitness of the nation for fast and
exciting species of play, the French
are particularly good at floor tennis.
If France should come through the
coming Davis cup series successfully
there would be nothing in the Davis
cup deed of gift to prevent that nation
from asking all contesting nations to
play on boards in 1914.
This is but one of the opportunities
for clashing interpretations of the
Davis cup regulations that are reveal
ed by close study of the document
The era when it can be taken for
granted that the worlds tennis cham
pionship must fall each year to one of
the English speaking nations is fast
coming to close Colbert and Decugis
won the English doubles championship
in 1911. Belgium. Sweden. Germany
and Switzerland are fast developing
crack players.
Before very many years have passed
some one of these nations is going to
come through and capture the Davis
cup. Before this happens the deed of
gift governing competition for that
trophy should be modified or amended
in such way that the meaning of each
clause would be unmistakabe. There
is no question but that the spirit Of
Davis cup play calls for tennis on turf
courts, but it is much better TO have
the specifications clear, especially when
the trophy coming into the possession
Of the French.
Decugis, who is one of the best play
ers on the continent. is not the kind to
let pass the opportunity for advantage
which play on boards would give him
When Decugis loses a match he has
been known to hurl his racket clear
across the court and start for his
dressing room weeping loudly. Several
times he has refused to shake hands
with men who have defeated him.
When victorious he is in the habit Of
kissing his partner. Decugis. as far as
personality goes, is not over popular
either in England or upon the CONT
nent