Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-06
ABSENCE OF TITLE PLAY
WILL KEEP STARS away
Followers OF Golf and Tennis Tour.
ncys Expect Decreased Interest,
Few Leaders Participating.
BASEBALL ESCAPES THUS FAR
War Brings New Order Of Things to
the Sporting World - Amateurs
Probably Will Re Hit Hardest.
Mines May Finish Season.

PHILADELPHIA. May 5.--There is
much speculation as to results i'm tho
decision Of the tennis and golf bodies
not to award championships this year.
and there is considerable interest as
TO whether entries to tituiar events
will not show decided falling off in
numbers. as they will undoubtedly in
quality. 1t seems pretty certain that
most of the tournaments In both sports
VIII be held as scheduled, but the
absence OF some definite thing to work
for will probably mitigate against their
success.
AS planned. the winner OF any Of tho
tournaments will not be known AS tho
champion in the full sense of the term
but as simply sort of temporary
champion, and all the honor he Will get
Will be- certificate that he was the
winner or the event. Just how SUCCESS
full tennis and golf tournaments will
be under this ruling is question, as
1t is felt that there would he little
honor and less glory in winning a
tournament when every one knows
that perhaps better men are serving
their country.
To great extent most players are
more intent upon playing tho game
than perhaps winning the event, but
the fact that no title goes to the victor
tries. Then. again, such a tourna-
mcnt would fail OF general public in
tcrest. and as the entries would proh-
ably be confined to tho immediate vi
cinity whore the event is held it would
lack that national flavor that has char
acterized the playing in tho past.
Thus tournament would become
more OF local affair and be confined
10 players OF mediocre ability. for
there is hardly chance that ranking
players living at any consider bic dis
lance. even though they were not
needed for more serious work, would
take the trouble to enter.
Tho now order OF things made ncccs-
sary by the war is stirring golfers more
than any other class. The reason is
that they have more tournaments than
does tennis and of Il widely differing
character. With tennis everything is
simply prelude TO the national anna
tsur championships. while the golfers
have not alone their amateur event. hut
an open one as we'll. in which profess
SIGNALS compete.
Amateur Events Hard hit.
OF these two, the amateur event
would be hit the hardest. but il is
generally felt that the war situation
cannot affect the national open tourna-
| ment nor the one for the womcns
| championship, SO far as quality and
| numbers of entries are concerned
| Neither volunteer recruiting nor con-
/ scription could affect either of these
To a noticeable degree. because in the
| womens events there is nothing to
| take tho golfers away from their
| homes. while most Of the professionals
are either foreign born or we'll over
| the age limit for conscrtption 1t
may even be said that there arc not
! a few amateurs also over the required
age
Looking at the matter from every
angle, il seems as though both tho
golf and tennis committees. as we'll
as several of the big colleges. have
been tribe hasty in their action, and
that IT would have been better to
have waited and taken action ii en-
tries for their scheduled events show
cd decided falling off, or that tho
public. with more serious things fac
ing them. failed to respond i'll sur
ficient numbers to make the cham
pionships worth while.
Thus, while the war situation has
seriously affected golf, tennis. amateur
athletes and the colleges in general. it
has so far touched baseball lightly.
| There has hecn no thought yet of
| ahridsinG the schedules in the mia jor
leagues and the minors have been go-
| ing on usual.
Even in the semiprofessional and
| amateur leagues. war has seemingly
not affected their seasons plans. and
last week witnessed the opening pc
many OF the regular schedules as
though the country was at peace. Base
ball apparently will go usual
whether OH the lots or in the high
priced parks unless CONSUMPTION should
break up the teams, though there is
| apparently lack of general public
| interest in the contests as compared
with previous years
Naturally. the schoolboys will he less
affected than their older brethren. and
their schedules will be played out, for
the youngsters must have some outlet
for their surplus energy and the train
ing thus secured will stand them in
good stead when they reach the age
OF military reinforcement.