The Washington herald., 1916-12-19

thirteen seems TO De q lucky NUMBER
for some people. II was in this position
that the ranking committee Of the United
States Lawn Tennis Association placed
Connie" Doyle and the whole local
tennis contingent is priding itself on the
fact that the District champion was
thought so highly of in elite circles. As
a matter OF feet many believe he is
entitled to even a higher place on the
national list. Doyle has been playing
now for several years and has beaten
such players as Wallace johnson. Gustav
Touchard. Fred Colston, Charles Bull,
Fred 1nman and a number of others Of
national repute, but this was the first
year that he has ever ranked within the
1rst twenty. This was largely due to !
the fact that he had not played in suf- !
ficient tournaments and the committee
consequently did not have the necessary
data. Doyle's rating in the list just
issued Is based to a great extent on his
showing in the clay-court and national
championships, where he met and de-
feated some OF the country's best. in
cluding George NJ. Church, who is given |
third place. On this trip. he also gave
Karl Behr one Of the hardest battles Of
his life and lost by a small margin in
the NTH set Unfortunately for the ten
mis- world. Doyle is not one Of these fel-
lows with nothing to do It'll tomorrow, !
and tomorrow never comes" He can
not AFFORD the time nor is he financially
able to enter the various events through
out the country and for this reason alone
he cannot hope to reach much higher
Than the position given him for 1916 Was
Doyle In a position to travel from one
tournament to the other during the sea-
son, meeting the best players of the
various sections, there is no doubt but !
what he has the natural ability to pull
himself to the very top.
President Daniel L. Hazard. Of the Ban |
nockburn Golf Club. viii spend his Christ |
mas holidays at his home at Narragansett |
Pier |
The week just closed has been an ex- |
ceptional one in that not more than ten |
or twelve golfers have played on all Of !
the local courses combined-R condition |
that probably will not again arise |
Throughout the whole winter. All of the |
local courses are still covered with snow
and only the real dyed in the wool I
players have attempted to play At Co
lumbia, Bannockburn. Kirkside, Washing
ton Golf and Country and the Town and
ountry Clubs, not a single player was
cut for the first five days, while at Chevy
Chase on these days only one or two
braved the conditions.
J. n. Hancock. one Of the best players
on the Dumbarton Clubs tennis team, |
has Just gotten his racquet restrung with |
extra heavy gut and expects to play ali !
winter. using the cement court at Column
bia- We don't know OF anyone else who !
wants to play with the thermometer
down to the freeing point and are won
dering where he is going to get his op-
ponents.
Members of the Columbia Country Clup |
have been talking for number of year rs
of opening up an indoor golf course IN /
the downtown section OF the city and as !
usual the story started the rounds again !
this year. George James, captain OF the |
golf team, states that there is nothing |
to It and that the idea has been given up !
The fact of the matter is that Washing |
ton has such mild winters that there is |
hardly a week but what there are one or !
two days in which the weather is good /
for round Of the real thing
The board Of governors Of the Ban
noc1burn Golf Club has appointed J. Mar
tin Scranage chairman of a special COM
mittee for promoting the transfer Of as
sociate members to the active list and !
he will call a meeting at his home this 1
week. The secretary and treasurer have /
given Chairman Scranage the data rela-
tive 10 the eligibility OF various associate
members to become active ones under
certain conditions laid down by the board |
Of governors and with this information.
he expects to start OF with a rush and |
to wage a hot campaign.
One Of the most interesting talks Of
the local season was that made by s. w.
Merrihew, editor Of American Lawn !
Tennis at the recent tennis dinner Of the
Washington Tennis Association. Mr.. Mer-
rihew's topic was Tennis Rules" and !
he gave those present quite a good deal
to think about After touching lightly
and giving suggestions in regard to I
minor infractIons, his talk turned to the i
much discussed rule regarding foot faults.
According to him, this is one OF the most |
important Of tennis rules. and in send
ing his ideas home. Mr.. Merrihew gave
an interesting sidelight on the LndIey \
Murray-lchiya Kumagae match, which
shows how a match may be won or lost I
on account of slight advantages gained
because the rules are not enforced to
the letter. In this match. the Japanese
player apparently had all the best OF IT,
When Murray served, his opponent got
the ball back so quickly that he could
not get Up to the net In his anxiety, |
he foot-faulted in the last two sets and |,
according to Mr.. Merrihew, it was these |
foot-faults which enabled him to reach I
the net In time to take the Jap's returns, I
and to ultimately win the match. OF 4
course, Murray did not break the rules
Intentionally. but the fact that he was
not called" for IT or penalized gave him
a big advantage over his opponent and
probably cost the latter the match.
The improved thirteenth and seven-
teenth holes at Columbia are now ready /
for use. Number Is green has been re-
modelled with a terrace effect while the
seventeenth has been raised in back and
lowered in front. and the green has also
been reduced in size The green commit
tee Is also having a number of bunkars
built. A large one has been placed on
the side hill in the elbow going to Num-
Der II. which forces the play uphill A /
new bunker is planned for the thirteenth
hole. while rough one will be put in on
the old fifth green. One or two Others
will be planned from time to time
through the winter.
The suggestion is frequently made that /
the putting green cup should be consid- L
erably enlarged. II probably never via
be although there are some GOOD reason.