The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-04
FIGHT ON NEWPORT
BECOMES CONCRETE
Committee Gives Reasons for
Taking National Tennis
Tourney Away.
STAR PLAYERS BACK IT

In spite OF the fact that the taking
pionship tournament from the Casino at
Newport and giving 1t to the West Side
Tennis Club. Forest Hills, l.. T.. was not
discussed officially at the recent meeting
OF the executive committee Of the United
states National Lawn Tennis Association
az the WaldorfAstoria. the unofficial dis
cuss.on must have been OF unusual
strength, for it has been followed by a
lot OF action in tho matter since then.
Nearly every year there has been talk OF
bringing the big tournament TO New
York. or at least giving II 10 one of the
other big cities, but the proposition al
ways has fallen through before the an
nual meeting Of the executive committee.
When the old subject. therefore was
brought up again this year many OF the
Wsedcres pointed to the past and pre-
dlcted that once more Il would die an
early death. Even when reports BEGAN
TO come in from various parts Of the far
West, middle West and South that the
players there were very much against
the Casino and very much in favor OF
the West SIDE club some shook their
heads and brought cut the fact that
three years ago there had been Just as
Dig hSht and IL had been squashed
They forgot to take into consideration.
however that at this time the main rea-
son why the tournament was kept At
the Casino was because there was no
other club prepared to take it, Then
the West Side club seemed to bear the
doubters cut by coming out with the
statement that under no condition would
Tie CLUB make a fight for the tournament
ana would take II only II 1t were offered
dlrectly by the national association.
While the club stuck 20 its original plan
or making no open campaign it soon be-
came known that ;he members were very
d,sirous OF getting the tournament and
would Work FOR IL even without the sane
uuh or the organization. Pretty soon n
party IN opposition to the Casino was
formed with Lyle T.. Mahan and Karl
Isenr as leaders. These two men and
Holcombe Ward were AZ the head OF the
party which almost took the event away
from Newport before ami did succeed in
bringing many pathetic speeches from
some or III" old timers who loved the
casino as the home OF Ann r-.can lawn
tennis and possibly as a social centre.
Mahtn and Behr were on a cornmf;tee
appointed by the Casino opposing party
ana al NEE ting held yesterday in Ma
hans Office at III Broadway il was an
houncod that the committee had been
Inundated wiki letters from players all
over the country wishing the party success
ana promising support in the fight. Ward
and Harold H. Hackett captain OF the
victorious Davis cup team in 1913 were
among the first OF the prominent PLAYERS
20 send in letters. and later missives came
in from practically all OF the ranking
players. None OF these letters would b.
given for publication, but It is rumored
that some OF the notes We're anything but
mlld IN their outcry against the Casino
inc committee IN a statement made yss-
teTday to point out exactly why the tour
nainsnt should be taken away from New
port said that last summer at the ma
uOAal event, the attitude OF the gallery
toward the players was practically like
thiU; of theatre patrons to vaudeville per
Formers, a thing which is hardly conducive
To the best interests Of an amateur snort
OF any kind. The habit of the spectators
talking loudly throughout matches also
was discussed at length This is one of
the worst features of the gallery at New
port ana has cost many a high strung
player match, for even in the most cru
ciHl moments Of a game the murrnlr OF
voices may DO heard all over the courts
The high cost OF living at Newport dur
ing tennis week has long been a sore
spot for both player and Spectator Shop
Keepers reap an annual harvest and ac-
commodations are very uncertain
A''''' III AdN VI or the a'INlnO-nnH
there are not so few OF them even among
New Workers as might be bel!eyed-haye
Deen limiting that those looking for the
change have Just been trying to control
politics in tho L. $. y. l.. r \. with
the disruption of that organization in
view. The committee in answering this
stated yesterday that IL had no intention
OF taking any part whatsoever in the
politics of the association and that this
move was being taken solely for the pur-
pose OF enhancing the general welfare
OF the game. Those in favor OF tho West
Side club have pointed out that the object
OF the national association should be
20 further the interest in the sport and
that keeping 1t in Newport, a place &C
cessible 20 only a select few. hardly could
accomplish this while the West Side
club can be reached easily from a radius
populated by more than ten millions OF
people.
Tho West Side club has not come out
fatly for the tournament vet, but sticks
to the original plan of taking the tourna-
ment II II IS offered The club has twenty
seven courts as good, II not better, than
any others in the country. all Of them
OF tho same quality as those on which
the Davis cup challenge round was
played last summer. The club proposes
to hold a series of special matches among
the first ten men some time in August,
and IL it gets the big tournament will have
IL played early IN September.
The club could handle a bigger crowd
OF entries than the Casino, for instead Of
playing only two hours each morning and
afternoon. as at Newport, to let society
have a chance for other diversions
matches would he played all day, The
party opposing the Casino expects a stub
born fight at the next meeting of the
executive committee, which will he held
early in February, just prior TO the meet
ing OF the national association, and also