Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-28
~ PAUL w. GIBBONS.


i When the tennis player learns how
Ito volley, then he may challenge the
good players or course, he must first
learn stroke, as applied to off the
ground shots both f0rehand and back
hand and also must acquire the foot
work and body position necessary to
execute a ground stroke, which is alb
solutely essential in the development
of a sound. fast driving game in what
is classified as base-line play. But the
yolley is important. 1t is the stroke
applied to the ball before 1t touches
the ground, and volleyer is the term
given to the player who goes into the
net at every opportunity and takes his
opponents returns before they touch
the ground.
The volley is the most aggressive
play in tennis, and usually il is the
winning one" wrote Raymond ID. Lit
tie IN Tennis Tactics. when play
er moves up to the net. it is to get
chance to kill the ball, and there can
be no such thing as safety play from
the position; II is make or break
The volleying strokes are made like
the ground strokes, with a full arm.
except that the ball often is sent di-
fectly at the player and must be met
well in front Of the body. The Yolley
from about the level of the shoulders
| Is the simplest stroke in the world to
play, and really requires little more
than hitting the ball squarely. A play
from below the level of the net, how
ever, is more difficult matter. To
meet this ball successfully the racket
must be held with a very rigid wrist,
and with the lower edge of the racket
advanced farther than the upper. This
causes the ball to rise above the net
and still not go very high above 1t,
also giving the ball slight backward
spin which deadens the bound.
This is the most advanced form of
tactics and the American players were
the first to exploit this style of game.
In its original form. tennis was played
entirely from the base line and when
experts met the rallies were intermin-.
able. The coming into vogue of the
vOlleyer marked distinct advance
ment in the game, and to convince
yourself of this 1t is only necessary
national championship is being played
and watch the women's doubles The
Hour players stand one in each corner
Eof the court, and the ball goes back
and forth diagonally and vertically by
the intermingling Of cross court shots
and those sent straight down the line,
but the playing Of each point is so pro-
tracted that while the stroking is we'll
nigh perfect the tennis spectator ac-
cushioned to watching the play of men
who volley becomes bored.
The playing of base-line game ex-.
clusiyeiy disappeared when D. S.
Campbell won the title for the first
time in 1890. Campbell was the first
tennis player to see the advantage OF
and to exploit the net position in ten
mis- tactics. He discovered what every
student Of the game since has recog-
nized. that by coming into the net
one forced his opponent to cover twice
as much ground In about one-half the
| time as when opposed by play from
the base-line. Campbell found emula-
tors all over the United States, and
Immediately following his win of the
American championship everybody
went to volleying. Everybody. great
and small. during that epoch charged
the net both at the right and wrong
times
Campbell was followed by Bob
Wrenn. the present president of the
United States National Lawn Tennis
Association. Contemporary with
Wrenn were Bond and Nell. two west
ern players who. while neither
achieved the American championship,
were both among the most expert vol
leyers of their time. Both were very
severe at the net
Subsequent to Wrenn as the Amer
lean champion came Whitman, Larned,
Doherty, Ward, Wright, Clother. Me-
Loughlin and Williams. While ALI
were expert volleyers. Ward, Wright
and Mclaughlin developed the volley-
ing game to the most proficient de-
gree. Until the advent Of Mclaughlin,
Beals Wright was considered to be,
with the possible exception OF Nor
man Brookes, the best Eolleyer the
game has ever produced
McLoughlin's game, although last
year he was rather successful in devel-
oping his ground stroke, has been al
most entirely volleying game, and lis
backed BY the poorest ground strokes
of any American champion in history.
On the other hand. Whitman, who was
unbeaten American champion for three
years, and William A. Larned, who
won the American title seven times.
were considered to have the best de-
veloped all-around game of any OF the
American champions.
In regard to volleying. WiIding In
"On the Court and Off," said: "The
fault of most beginners is to hit rather
than push the ball. Lobs and balls
shoulder high may be hit, but yolleys
below the shoulder should be swept.
The low volley requires particular care
and accuracy; one Of the most diff
cult arts in the game is to execute it
well. BY pushing mean holding
the racket firmly with steady, for
ward motion. The strength Of the.
push must depend on the pace at