Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-04-29
R|C0RS OF WAR NOT TG
HURT RICHMOND TENNIS
Conntr! Club Of Virginia Committee
Plans Big Season, With Several
Large Local Tournaments.
JUNIOR JOURNEYS ADVOCATED
Selection of. Richmond as Tennis
Center increases Importance OF
Game Hcrc-Prcsidcnt .Ndcc Sur.
vcyS Nations Condition.

tournaments for The youths Of Rich.
mond this spring and summer, if those
in charge or tho tennis arrangements
al the local clubs can prevent. Mem
hers OF the tennis committee at tho
Country Club of Virginia already are
1T work making arrangements for a
biz season. and, as in the case Of cities
Throughout, the nation. arc receiving
every possible assistance from officers
"f The United States National Lawn
Tennis Association.
With tho selection OF this city AZ
one OF tho major tennis ccnters OF tho
country. in tho plan for junior and :
boy tournaments made at tho annual
meeting Of tho L. s. y L. 7. ~. those
interested in the game here at once
began plans for stimulating interest in
tennis among the younger people OF
the city. y number OF Journeys are
| contemplated. and a campa en- for in
creasinC enthusiasm will be begun
shortly.
In letter 10 tho tennis committee
or the Country club Of Virginia rc-
Gently. Paul r. Williams field score
tarN OF the national organization. sa Id:
The national association urges all
IT'S members to hold preliminary open
tournaments whose winners will play
for the tennis center championships
The tennis center champions are eliri.
BILE TO play for the national junior and
national boys championships II the
plan of several preliminary tourna-
ments does not meet with your locni
needs. sanction viii he granted for
one big tournament for juniors and
another for boys. This is to be An
omen affair. made as popular as pos
sblc by tho cooperation of all Your
tennis interests.
Sanction can hc granted later for
/: the tennis center championship event
and the winner Of the big tournament
will automatically become tho tennis
center champion-by default, This
procedure is merely TO conform to the
regulations"
The following survey OF the condi-
tons in lawn tennis and proposals
conveyed were the result OF an inter-
view recently obtained with George
7. Adee. president Of the United States
National Lawn Tennis Association.
Adce. willing 10 answer questions per
tanning To lawn tennis tells OF tho
growth and interest shown in boys'
aud juniors tennis, with few GEN
erai remarks on the game as Il shas
come under his observation.
Have YOU ever seen bows or ,
juniors tournament" II YOU have. YOU
nave glimpse OF our tennis OF to-
morrow u is upOn tho boys and the
boys graduating to Juniors that tho
future foundation OF tennis must res,.
and we who are directine the national
{
duty that they shall have every on
portunity for the game Plans are
! only in the bud as YET. but for all
hat We have made a start and from
ms our project nf expansion will grad
uailN embrace all Of the younger play
crS OF the country.
no YOU recall that il was only "a
year as" that we first launched "a de-
iermined rampaiGn in favor OF the
boys and the juniors: Naturally tho
hfSt season was not all that could he
desired. And Yet there were 100 events
for boys played last years. and ,hs
total number Of contestants reached
more than ',50o. Thirty EIGHT were
PLACED in the vicinity of New York
rhSt is small, you may think as
compared With the clubs in tho metre
nohtan district. but assurediy II is n
beginning Of which we may feel prou1
Let me tell YOU that another season.
The one which is jus, short way from
beginning. viii see a growth that will
be- startling. Every club which fol-
lowed the suggestion of the annual
meeting and held juniors and hoys'
events was eratitied at the interest
shown
Public Pnrk system Aids.
We sometimes forget that the puh-
JIG park system Is doing u wonderful
work In spreading the game of tennis.
1t is Target? tho younger players who
take advantage OF the parks aud tha,
their interest is compelling is indicat-
cd by some OF the figures. Take phila-
dclphia alone. Consider the fact that
nc tennis courts OF the municipality
were used by 10000 PLAYERS on one
holiday aud some idea OF the popular-
ity OF the game may be gained
Figures or relatively as great i'm
portancc arc 10 be found in other
cities. where the municipal sport idea
has grown under favored conditions.
Dwight Davis has told me that 10000
have used the 81. Louis courts on a
single day. and like conditions. will.
am sure. he found In Cleveland Then
there rs tho tournament conducted in
this city each year by the Public
Schools Athletic League. That de-
hands III" attention OF hundreds Of
hoys.
of course. the United states Lawn
Tennis Association does not include in
It's membership all Of the clubs deyot-
cd To tennis. Hut our number is grow
lug and growing rapidly and some
day not far distant. hope. tho clubs
which arc outside the fold will Join
our ranks. In Il little more than a
year the number Of clubs in the asso-
citation has increased from $50 TO be
tween $40 and $40. with some 200 allied
clubs. As 10 the total number OF ton
mis- clubs in the country ! believe the
estimates ran all the way from 800
TO 900.
DO think that the advent OF the
Ca!ifornianS in eastern competition has
stimulated interest in the game? As
Suredly. intcrsectionai contests are
always to be desired. They bring
kcrncr rivalry into q tournament and
arouse both PLAYERS and spectators.
The same is true OF International
matches. The playing Of The Davis
cup matches was another contribu- &,
ton TO our expansion. II IS diiiicult
tn estimate the benefit which accrued
IN cold figures, hut all tennis men arc
agreed that the last Davis cup matches
We're q powerful incentive 20 players III
every section Of the country. And
when this war Is over will have
more or them
CALIFORNIA; renDl. Grows.
~, is astonishing that California
tennis has developed to such a marx
ed degree and in so short = space Of
time. | will remember when McLoush-