Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-09
THE WHOLE TENNIS WORLD
MOURNS WILDING'S DEATH

''Requiescat in pace" breathed the
lawn tennis world mournfully as it
read the sorrowful announcement that
Anthony Frederick Wilding had been
clsimed by the death-dealfng demon
WARM the vicinity of the Dardan.
Giles.
OF the millions of men engaged in
the worlds bIoodiest conflict, the cal.
cium OF death could not have placed
in its morbid spot one more promi.
nent than the magnificent Antipodean.
But few outside ef. their own country
men ever heard of Generals French,
Joffre, Won Hindenburg and others who
have occupied the, stage In the world s
theater of events since the advent of
the European war Yet Wflding was
known over the length and breadth of
the earth, not onlysby tennis men, not
only by those interested in every other
branch of the sport, but by men who
INDUCED in no sporting activity.
Popular King Of TennisGom.
While his death will De universally
mourned, it will be most keenly felt
by the tennis world, from which his
untimely passing removed one of its
most popular kings, leaving a void
which may never be filed For dec
ade Wilding was one of tennisdom's
star triumvirate, and his fame as play
er and sportsman has flashed over
the entire world.
Those who were unable to visit the
West Side Club last August, upon the
occasion OF, the Davis cup challenge
matches, missed the final opportunity
of seeing the wonderful Wilding play.
Eclipsing the joy felt at McLoughIin's
triumph over both Brookes and Wild
ing, and despite sorrow at the loss OF
the Davis cup, thought excursions into
the "reminiscences of those matches
have been invariably to the altar Of
admiration OF Wilding.
This Antipodean Apollo, despite his
hugeness, was the personification OF
grace on the court. His footwork,
stroke, style, temperament. behavior
ard sportsmanship totaled the highest
point of efficiency ever seen in the
arena of athletics.
Even in practise matches, in every
line of sporting endeavor. occasional
displays OF temper on the part of one
or more of the contestants are not in
frequent. In match play, with more al
stake, and where defeat or victory
means much to the club or locality
represented by the player, there is q
greater tax upon the nerves. and dis
plays of feeling are ofttimes attributed
to this. If this is so. how much great
er it must be In international compe
tition, with millions of ones country
men hoping for and in many case:
betting upon his chances to win.
Mental and Physical Strain.
! 1t is doubted IL one who has never
appeared in international competition
can realize the tremendous strain
both mental and physical, which the
| players undergo and which reflects it
i,self upon both their play and behav
kior under fire"
Virtually every prominent player il
the game is given to some idiosyn
cratic movement or expression wher
his shots are going badly or an occas
I ional decision displeases him. In tht
former case. Mclaughlin often throw!
I his head back, accompanying it Will
momentary expression of agony
National Champion Williams upon oc
casions snaps the fingers of his lief
hand when his shots just miss tht
mark. This is not mentioned in an!
sense of criticism. 1t is not consider
ed breach of tennis ethics. These
cases are cited of two VIGOROUSLY per
feet sportsmen merely to emphasiz,
that Wilding's court manners were pa
excellence. Not once, either IN hi
match with Williams or with Nc
Loughlin, did the Antopodean SHOW