The sun., 1916-01-10
ACTIVE SEASON IN VIEW
FOR RACQUETS PLAYERS
Waterbury, Defeat for Championship Last Year
byPell and Mortimer sVictory Over Latter at
Tuxedo Yesterday Add to Interest.

The disposal of Lawrence Waterbury
a. king of the racquets courts last year
by Clarence &. Pell. one of the younger
players. served 10 awaken great interest
in the sport. and as result there has
been unusual activity among the players
in preparation for the regular compet.-
tive season, which starts at the end of
this month. Pelrs defeat 10y Stanley
G. Mortimer in the Tuxedo Club tourna-
inent final yesterday is sSll another
item 10 increase interest. In the last
few years tho sport. which had been
dormant for n long time. has shown a
healthy growth. and at the present time
there are more young players OF ability
than ever before in the history OF sport
in this country.
In former years the ranks OF the
racuuets players We're made up pr!n-
cipally Of the men who played tennis
court tennis. as the more punctillous
prefer to call IL 10 distinguish Il from
lawn and indoor tennis. This was due
10 the fact that wherever rHrquets court =
have been built. court tennis enclosures
usually were found under the same roof.
As in court tennis, there have been few
additions to the number of racQuets
courts in the last quarter century. In
the earlier days Of the sport there were
courts in this city, at Chicago, Boston.
Tuxedo, Philadelphia. Newport and
Aiken. and the same condition exists
to-day. The racquets players Of to-day,
however. for The most part restrict
themselves 10 racuuets to the exclusion
Of court tennis. I'el the present cham
pion, completes to some extent in lawn
tennis, hut has not taken to court ten
mis- seriously.
The one thing that tends to keep rae
Quets from being one Of the most popu-
lar OF sports Is the expense attached to
playing the game, II is easily one of the
best substitutes for outdoor sports be =
cause tho courts are large and well
ventilated. There is little chance for
the development of the game among
Young players juniors. IN this country,
ae only two or three prepa aratory schools
can boast of courts. and the youngstcl =
get no chance 10 play In the city clubs,
In England, where the game originated.
.hc condit ions are better for all sorts Of
PLAYERS and hence the greatest OF the
stars have hccn Englshmen In John
Bulls dcmcsuc there are courts at ff-
reen schools and the sChoolboys have
,an incentive to learn the game in the
,nature of an annual schoolhoy cham
pioushp.
The racQuets court seen in the clubs
to-day there are not more than thirty
IN this CountrN--lS usually about 80
feet high, about the same width and
epproXimately twice as long. The gal
leries are high up near the roof at the
back of the court, and here, with the
spectators. e!t the referee aud marker.
The lighting II obtained from the roof
The floor and walls of court are
made Of an especially prepared cement
and this alone Is no small item in the
cost Of building court. The racquet
or bat from which the game derives
It's name. unlike that used in lawn tennis
has a wooden hoop about seven inches
IN diameter, perfectly round and tightly
strung with catgut. The handle IL about
thirty inches long and the weight varies
with the player, some preferring the bat
light and others heavy. All secm Ia
agree, however, on the fact that the bat
must h" strun- tightly.
The balls are four and onc-half inches
In circumference and closely resemble
those used in the irish game OF hand
ball. They are made of closely com
pressed strips Of cloth wrapped on q
cork centre aud covered with white
skin They are made only in the Wool
wlch ncighhorhood OF London. The
strips are of tho best wool cloth obtain