New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-07
That Is the Question, and
IN Answer in Affirmative
Anglers Fair Sex.
By JAMES s. O'NEALE.

There are three ways one can tell
when things on the stove begin TO boil
without actually seeing them bubble
and there is ono sure way to make a
woman tennis player furious.
That is by suggesting TO her, cas-
uslly and coolly. that i'm your opinion
any one Of the first hundred men ten
mis- players in this country, counting IN
acknowledged stars who have played
n too few tournaments 70 obtain a
ranking, is capable Of beating the best
woman player.
We propounded the opinion 20 sew
cral female parts Of the human race,
and that We escaped with our life is
due entirely % the driving influence Of
fear and our long legs. When chivslry
goes out audacity rushcs in where an
gels fear 20 tread. so we'll pursue the
question still further. having row no
regard whatsoever for our Young life,
since we have already estranged what
Centler sex friends we once had.
4 Disappointment.
Only one who has reported women's
tennis tournaments realizes what a
disappointment the play OF the women
is. Well-meaning friends approach
the reporter softly and whisper: This
IS fine thing. Here you 20 write up
the women as playing sensational ten
mis- and all that drivel. and look al
'eml | could beat EN- myself"
Too true, yet the women hate TO ad-
nit it. There really is no reason why
they should not readily. even cheer
fully. agree that the mems game is far
more effective than the women's be-
cause there are wei recognized limita-
tons of women that preclude their
playing with the efficiency OF a Nc
Loughlin.
We have often wondered why their
hesitancy in admitting their inferior
ity did not spring from the general
movement that is bringing about a
change in the status OF the seX-that
is. their desire to be considered equal
10 men in any respect even IN the
physical.
What few women have admitted TO
US that the hundredth man could beat
the first woman have done so in such a
frigid tone that we immediately eX-
perienced that feeling Peary had when
he was ten miles away from his base
and ice doomed all around. So seldom
do men play women singles that a ba.
sis for comparison IS not exact, and
most spectators. seeing women play
each other, fail TO realize that the
splendid strokes speeding down the
court would avail little against the de-
termined net play of man.
Not so long after the close of the
women's national indoor champion
ships held in this city IN March we
had the pleasure Of witnessing q prac-
tice match between Miss Molla Blur
stedt. who had won the singles and
doubles titles with riciulous ease and
was at the top of her form. and Allan
Behr, a we'll known local tournament
player, who was, however, unranked.
Behr won after three desperate sets.
Miss Bjurstedt hates TO lose at any
and oil times, and there was no indica-
ton that she was not trying her hard
est in the match. Behr. avowedly, was
out to win
Easy Prey.
THAT match, coming after the freely
expressed disappointment we herd at
the indoor tournament by spectators
who had never before seen the. women
stars play, plunged US into the long
and laborious process Of thinking Just
why. in our opinion, the best woman
player would be the prey Of any OF the
first hundred men.
Mrs. Lambert Chambers, who was