New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-08
Forest Hills Club Casts
EnpiouS Eyes at Newport

utes Had the stands been more com
modious the attendance would have
been larger The matches, however,
were a great success from a financial
point OF view. New York is willing 10
pay handsomely for what u wants, and
IL wants the best in every line OF sport.
All those Who attended the Davis
Cup matches at Forest Hills were low
ers of lawn tennis. 7. was interest in
the game itself that drew those thou
sands 20 the courts. They were not
there because they regarded the oc-
casion as social one and an oppor-
tunity for exchanging gossip on every
thing but lawn tennis
The wide stretch Of turf on the West
Side grounds is ample enough 70 per
nit the laying of two dozen grass
courts, and upon these the largest field
that ever entered a national champion
ship could be handled with ease and
dispatch.
OF course, there are not the historic
associations at Forest Hills that there
are at the Casino at Newport. The
ground is not yet hallowed by the
memories of champions Of other years.
There is no Bellevue av.. with its col
ony of millionaires; no Bailey's Beach
or Ochrc Point, but there is a great
army Of followers Of lawn tennis.
The men who conduct the national
tournament at the Newport Casino do
their work well, and the matches are
run off per schedule. Tom Petit, the
club professional, is a past master in
the art of grooming grass courts, and
the seating facilities are more than
ample for the attendance, which never
exceeded five thousand at the last
championship tournament.
But there are numerous disadvan-
tages at the Casino. One of the most
glazing is the lack Of discipline among
the ballboys. These youngsters made
existence a misery for hundreds Of tho
spectators By their continual and Ut
terly unnecessary noise.
Somebody had intrusted 70 the care
of these ambitious and thrifty urchinS
the handling of the camp chairs, with
the privilege Of extracting tips from
those who were disposed 10 give. The
consequence was that the boys kept up
a constant bartering, aided by raucous
shouts OF "Chair here, mister, right IN
the centre" and other forms OF bland
ishment. When this failed to produce a
customer, the next thing was 10 thump
the chairs on the floor OF the locker
house porch or let them fall down a
fight of steps.
Amid this continual din it was i'm
possible TO hear the referees calling
of the points, or even 20 watch a match
with comfort. But there was no effort
made to stop the nuisance, and the boys
reaped a harvest, the biggest spolls GO
ing to those who cried their wares the
loudest.
When several of the most important
matches were being decided on tho
championship" court in front OF the
grandstand there was continual
movement among the spectators, some
of whom insisted upon going out or
coming in, utterly without regard 10
the feelings of others who were inter
ested in the play. Even the players
were sometimes annoyed by persons
who persisted in passing back OF the
base line during the playing OF
matches.
The entire tournament took on the
appearance of lawn party. the play.
ers and their work being apparently OF
secondary importance.
All these props" that are necessary,
however, can be transferred 70 Forest
Hills. and while the West Side Tennis
Club has put in no bid for the national
championships next year, 1t is known
that il would welcome the opportunity
Of handling the event.