El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-10-03
INDUSTRIAL WORKERS BECOME
STRONG BOOSTERS Of TENNIS

I TIE development OF lawn tennis as
1 business asset is attracting con
siderable attention One OF the surest
indications as to the growth OF this
idea Is the increasing number Of com
mercial enterprises that have applied
20 and become members Of the United
. states national lawn Tennis associ-
alton 1t Is the most amazing devel-
opment IN the history OF the American
game For that matter. It is without
a parallel in any branch OF amateur
sport and IS an endorsement that has
been completely overlooked
II has for some time oeeasfOned
remark that the gallery at the na-
uonM championship tournaments
was composed OF people who thor
oughly understood the nature OF
the competition They were alive
10 the fine points Of the playing,
] always intelligently nppreciafinE
the changing aspects OF the duel
WnEed across the net In n way
that was not TO be found in this
country n decade ago.
This aspect OF great tournaments
has become more marked during the
Z past three or four years. Further
more, those who have given study 70
the remarkable change found that the
thousands who sat about the courts
were not TO be designated as repre-
senting any one distinctive class OF
society. The democracy OF lawn tennis
was all too plainly an established
fact.
Big Firms Enrolled.
EEen casual perusal Of the mem
bershlp list OF the National association
reveals the startling fact that such
corporations as the American Bridge
company. OF Philadelphia: the neparf-
ment Tennis league. Of washington.
ID G; the philadelphia and Reading
Railway Athletic association 81
Philadelphia; the United Shoe Ma
chlnery Athletic association. OF Bev-
erly. Mass. and others are nationally
represented The scope OF the move
ment IS bit bewildering 10 those Of
the period when only colleges and a
limited number Of clubs composed the
roster OF the national governing body.
strong In Detroit.
Considerable OF the activity that
has more recently been manifested in
the vicinity OF Detroit may be directIy-
traced 10 the courts adjacent to the
great factories connected with the au-
tomobile Industry. While the activity
OF the players who use the courts has
almost entirely been local the great
number Of players recruited to the
game has been considerable From
the numerical standpoint II is produc-
ing following that gives promise OF
eate- l44snllE lawn tennis as one OF the
dominant sports OF the country.
Commercial League.
Many OF the large corporations in
the vicinity OF Chicago have taken a
great interest in lawn tennis. buIldinr
ana maintaining courts. setting aside
Lunls Ior the same as part OF their
athletic expenditure. They have also
donated valuable prizes 10 the COM
petitions usually limited strictly 10
their employees Five OF the largest
business enterprises. the CHICAGO
Telephone company, the PEOPLES Gas|
company, the Commonwealth Edison
company the Western Electric COM
lany. and the great mail order house
ne Sears Roebuck company. comp6se
IN organization known as the Com
nercial league that conducts some
competitions.
This league has been very pron,-
lnent and active in lawn tennis.
but 50 Tar has not In any way d.
rectly affiliated with the Chfca.-o
Tennis association. However. one
OF the corporations a. also an In =
diTtdunl member Of the Chicago :