New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-28
ONE REASON WHY
DAVIS CUP WAS
LOST LAST YEAR
Lack of knowledge in the
Technique of the Game
Proved Fatal.
THIS AT LEAST is
OPINION OF VALE
Well Known Authority on Lawn
Tennis Writes Some Interest.
ing Comment on Sport.

P. 4. Vale, the international au-
Aority on lawn tennis, in answer 70
an article in yesterdays Tribune based
upon his conception OF the technique
and knowledge Of the game. has written
letter 20 Fred Hawthorne, Of The
Tribune sporting staff, IN which he
makes g number OF interesting and
timely comments on lawn tennis as Il
is played IN America, and as he would
hsye ,t played.
NJ Wales letter follows:
81 read your article IN this mornings
Tribune with very great interest, but
have no intention of undertaking q
lecture tour in connection with the
technique OF tennis, although, If suit
sble arrangements were made, ] should
be willing 20 go into the matter with
TIE authorities of some Of the leading
university or other clubs-those which
have the best chance Of affecting
thought in connection with the game
"You say: In discussing the future
81 lawn tennis in the United States
Vsile declared America has the most
wonderful young players in the world,
ard shat our defending team would
not have lost the Davis Cup last Au-
gust Y Mclaughlin. Williams. Bundy
ana BChr had not been lacking in their
knowledge OF true form and technique
Of the game.
81 have not mentioned the names Of
Messrs Bundy and Behr in this con-
nection. Your paragraph perfectly ex-
presses my views II you eliminate their
names, for ] am convinced that II was
sheer lack Of knowledge Of the tech
nioue Of the game that led to Americas
downfall in the Davis Cup matches.
1T was we'll expressed by one pro-
fessional, who said that the Davis
Cup was twisted out OF Wllliams's back
hand
Again. you say, There are many who
vii disagree with Wales theories. Not
few close followers of the game
maintain that Wildings backhand
stroke. particularly, is essentially Eng
lish in its conception and execution,
and that that is one Of the strongest
points of his game
81 have no theories about tennis
What know Of il is the practice Of the
greatest players in the world for over
twenty years, ground into conviction by
actual play. Vikings backhand
stroke is cross between the English
and the colonial, and is not good hold.
He cannot drive & straight ball with IT,.
"YOu state that Richard Norris
Williams. ID. the present national
champion, has a wonderfully varied as
sortment Of finished strokes. and his
style has been compared TO the best OF
the English players. Certainly II diff
fers in many particulars from the typ
lea American style-such as that used
By Mclaughlin, for example.
Il hope that YOU vii. not think that
] am a contentious person, but my
complaint is that there is no typical
American style.
There should be. and there would
be. u the technique Of the game were
understood A. present, all is chaos.
There is no. standard. but this can
be easily remedled.
"Your statement that 'England's his
tory on the courts has been fairly sue
cessful in the past, and while Il is true
that none of her players has gained the
highest honors on the courts IN some
years-with the exception, perhaps, OF
John Cecil Parke, the great lrlshman-
il must be remembered that her great
est players are all well past the age
when q man IS supposed 70 be al the
zenith Of his powers is unfortunately
true
"Nost Of England's players are senes-
cent and adipose. J. c. Parke is not, Of
course, Of the English school His
great forehand drive is essentially OF
the early English. now called the Co
lon!al or American, school.
What you say Of tn Dohertys Is
true. They were marvels, and they
conquered the worlds best when in
their prime including America, and It
was when they were doing 1t that
wrote Of the English game introduced
BY them in the preface 10 The Strokes
and Science Of Lawn Tennis that;
These faults still 90 q large extent
So. and we shall be lucky IF we sue
ceed iu retaining here those champion
.-.0s which we now hold. ! regard u
ss practically a certainty, unless our
methods are changed, that We shall
lose all our honoTs IN the lawn tennis
competitions.
This was in 1906. Within one year
ta-y were gone, and they have not re-
turned. nor will they so long as Eng
land retains her misguided one-grlp
policy. Modern tennis cannot possibly
be PLAYED with the unchanged grip.
"Much can be done 10 improve the
technique Of our players. Nobody who
saw the Davis Cup matches would be
guilty Of such base Aattery as TO say
that Mclaughlin or Williams showed
bsckhand.
Every tennis player knows that Mr..
T. R. Pell has a very fine backhand
stroke can produce a seventeen
year-old bow with an almost perfect
bankhand drive. which he got from
copying Mr. Pell's stroke
81 maintain that Mclaughlin and
Williams ought TO be able TO do the