Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-04
LAWN TENNIS MEETING
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
New Measures OF Widespread Inter-
est VIII Come Before Annual
L. 5. y. l.. T. Cnnclavc.
AMATEUR LAW IN SPOTLIGHT
Designation OF Fifty Cities as Tennis
fcntcrs and Change i'm System OF
Holding Doubles Championships
Also Will Get Attention.

Legislation on - great variety of
matters affecting tennis Will be con-
sidcr"d At ;hc thir,y-sixth annual
meeting "f tn" I. :. y. l.. r. ~. which
takes place at The Waldorf Astoria
Friday. The meeting Will begin at
o'clock. and. after AN interniSsiui. for
dinner. VIE continue through tho
| evening The dinner IS a subscription
affair Op"n TO delegates and members
OF clubs belonging TO the national as
socia lion. Reservations already made
Indicate that it Will bn wolf attended.
IN order that there may bc no delay
IN getting down 10 business Secretary
Edwin +. TCrrcy Will be ready 10 re-
civ" credentials AT . o'clock. so that
delegates can he properly accredited
when the meeting is called TO order
The meeting is open and any one
Interested il lawn tennis may attend.
hut only delegates may vote OF haze
tn" priv!l... OF the floor.
TIL" t. :. y l.. I. y. is a democratic
Organization and every club belonging
10 IN" national body has a vote al the
annual meeting Each active associa-
rion. such rs the Pacific States Laws
Tennis Association, has TWO votes ana
one additional vote fog every hv.
clubs or fraction thereof members OF
i; over ten" Thus ii is plain that the
delegates hav. the control %! affairs
III their OWN hands.
After IN" usual prclimuari-s, the
orGcr oi business calls for the reports
of officers and Of various committees
These ar" heard and officers are elect
"a before dinner SO that with routine
matters out of tho way. there may he
plenty OF time FOR miscellaneous
business" at The evening session.
Amateur Rule 10 BE Considered.
miscellaneous business covers Il
variety OF subjects This year. First in
public interest are the changes which
the Executive Committee have sug-
gest"d. looking toward the adoption
OF q more stringent amateur rule. II
is practically certain that a compro-
mise measure viii he suggested from
the floor. along the lines laid down in
the open letter Of Richard y. Williams
and George w. Wightmau. proposinr
that legislation on this question should
no; be retroactive. Tn" action "t the
Delegates however. cannot be forctold.
new definition or an amateur in
wolves an amendment Ia the consti-
tuition, so that Il two-thirds vote OF
the delegates present is necessary To
pass the proposal.
Other amendments are recommended
by the Executive Committee, on" Of
the most important being change in
the system OF holding the doubles
championship. The plan proposed
would have the doubles championship
decided by one open tournament. just
as is the singles championship. Many
arguments are advanced in support OF
this move and there seems Ia have
been 40 opposition. The champion
team will be required to play through.
1t is recommended, further. that the
sectional championships he continued
and that the rule adopted las; year,
requiring at least one member of
team TO be resident or the section.
be rcscinded.
An additional section will he created
in the geographical divisions Of the
United States, if the proposed amend
ment 10 section of article is adopt
ed This would set apart Oregon.
Washington and Idaho north of the
forty-ff;h parallel of latitude. as the
Pacific Northwest section. Montana
and Southern Idaho would continue
with the Intermountan section. This
change was proposed by men interest
cd In tennis throughout the territory
involved and with the consent Of all
concerned Its rccommc ndahon is an
indication Of the home rule policy fla
vorcd in the conduct OF the associa-
tons affairs.
One amendment about which consid-
cradle difference OF opinion has de-
veloped. proposes tn limit the FUR
thcr award of "championships' for
ractional bits of territory. This prac-
ticc has grown to such an extent that
many titles overlap and are meaning
less. The recommendation Of. the cY
ecutivc committee seeks TO standard
iZe the procedure to avoid further con-
flcts in the future.
Sectional Championship Applications.
Applications for national and sec
tional championships are made at this
meeting and the dates are awarded
by vote Of the delegates. There Is
more of contest for the clay court
CONTINUED on Second Page.)