New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-23
CHOP-VOLLEYS AT NET
HIS MAIN STRENGTH
Puts a World Of Overspin on
His Smashes and Is a
Strategist.
By LANES s. O'NEALE.

tall that her head bumped the ceiling.
We do not know what manner Of
cake Walter Merrill Hall. tenth man
In the national tennis singles list, con
sumes. But We do know that he is
the slowest starter among the eI-
rerts and that, fgurstively at least, he
eats piece Of cake and bumps his
head against the ceiling as he suddenly
reaches his top form after playing
slowly in his first sets. When he il
thoroughly warmed up Halls drives
immediately accumulate great sting
and his game speeds up immeasursoIy'
We can prove this assertion with evl-
oence irrefutsble. In the finals OF CLUB
championship once upon time and
somewhere we were smaEed At our own
t.merity as we reeled OF the first six
games against the ranking man. But
that was nothing 70 our smazement
when Hall finally got warmed up. MS
drives passed us like the proud owner
Of foreign car giving I'm Lizzie
the dust.
II once took Hall three years 20 get
warmed up. He was ranked tenth IN
1911, in the second ten the two follow
ing years and IN the third ten IN 1914.
he simply could not get gong IN ms
les; style. But suddenly he olossomed
forth last year and resumed his for
mer FIRST ten position in the charmed
circle. All his friends pray that he
will keep warmed up all this year.
Walter Has His Assets.
Hall HIS several noticeable points
about BIS game besides general ef-
fciency and the long warm up. he Is
IKE the famous southpaw pitcher Ruoe
wsadell, who was once asked by MS
manager in the tenth inning OF base
@Do you think you can keep it up,
Keep it up" rejoined Wsddell.
"I'm just getting warmed up
The New Yorker is noticeable for the
affective way he chop-volleys at the
net: for .uperhne footwork, despite the
fact that he is a sturdy and apparently
not too fast specimen, Cor the way ne
ALWAYS carries his racket head high,
and for the great amount OF top ne
puts on his service and drives but
most noticeable Of all, perhaps, ls the
clever manner in which he combines
tbs long and short game: in which, &C
ecrding 20 experts. generally, the great
est future development OF high ella"
play lies.
Is a Good Guesssr.
Merrill is at times uncsnny in the
~sy he outguesses opponents IN this
long and short game. When his an
taeonist expects long drive OF ser
vice Merrill will top his stroke just as
much as ne ordinarily does and will
hit the ball with the same notion but
n will not strike beyond the service
line. Instead il will force his opponent
20 run forward and hit up, only 70 be
promptly passed with deep SLASH
down the line from the cunning Hall,
Who has rushed 70 the net.
Or, volleying at the net. Hail VIII
make effective use OF his chop-volley'
which is especially dangerous when ne
barely drops the ball over the net; for
the chop makes the sphere hug the
cround Closely. Even II the perspiring
opponent does reach II, he is again
forced 20 hit up to Halls waiting
racquet
when Hall, at the net. sees his ad-
versary dart forward. expecting an
other short return. he chops the ball
deep 20 the corners.
There Is an aneodote one OF the m
finite number-sbout the inimitsoie
Clarence J. Peck Griffin. national
doubles champion with William NJ
Johnston. Several years ago Peek lost
TO Mel Long on the Coast because OF
Tire fine long and short network OF the
tall Californian. who before he gave
up his tennis ambitions for those OF
Susinsss was acclaimed greater than
Maurice Mclaughlin. The etoeky
Peck's explanation Of his defeat vas;
az was short and he was Long: be
came 10 the net, and that 10 the long
and the short OF Il"
Plenty Of OverspinL
cxeept for the chop-volleys Hall tops
his strokes more than most good play
ers. His forehand has as much over
,pin as that Of the internationaist'
frederick p. Alexander. Alexanders
oyertpin made him effective in doubles
pisv when he and Harold II. Hsckett
used 70 win the championship every
wear. Hall tops his backhsnd even
more than Alexander.
II Is Q curious fact that Hall teamed
with Hsckstt several times last sum
n,r. and the pair went so well together
that they were ranked eighth in the
doubles list; Notwithstanding the fact
that the veteran Hackett has seen his
best days. This team wts often
termed "the aboriginal combination
for both players wear glasses, and, 70
keep the perspirstion from the lenses.
broad, white bands around their fore.
heads. Consequently. they appeared
to be about 20 embark on the warpath.
Halls footwork is admirable. He Is
slways In position more quickly than
bis opponents.
Merrill has played the court game
from boyhood up. His father, the late
fAkr w Hall uas ore Of the found
erC of the Hamilton Grange Tennis
Club.N~ne OF the city's oldest. and he
brough. Merrill UP Cd the courts.
A Real New Yorker.
Hail 10 really the only one Of the
frat ten who is entirely a New York
player. -Four others Of the first ten
are New Workers, but they acquired q
large part of their skill, while travel
ling around TO other tennis fields. Hall
has travelled also IN late years. but
be acquired the strength Of his game
here. Miss Marie Wagner, also a real
New Yorker, has been q clubmste OF
Halls at Hamilton Grange for years
The subject OF this sketch is q
banker and sticks closely 20 business.
Consequently, he plays in fewer events
than most Of the tournament crowd.
lie is handicapped, In consequence. and
his feat Of landing in the charmed
circle is all the more admirable. Even
when he does play he usually does not
leave his Office until late. Darkness
often overtakes him before he is
warmed up.
Never Stops Trying.
IN his short season last year Hall
an the Edgemere invitation and was