New-York tribune., 1920-03-02
Belgian Body
Fails to Make
Shift i'm Dates
Committee Refuses to Ad-
vance Time; Teams Trip
to Wimbledon Uncertain
By Fred Hawthorne

Inc United States Will not send a
team to the Olympic lawn tennis cham
pionship tournament at Antwerp, Bel
GUM, during the week of August 15-23
This was definitely decided late yester-
day afternoon upon the receipt of a
cablegram from the Belgian Olympic
committee to the American committee,
regretting that it was impossible to
change the playing date to July 5-13,
as the United States had requested.
The message was received by Fred
erick w Ruben, secretary of the
American Olympic committee, and was
to this effect: Very sorry, but impos-
sible to alter dates, as grounds will not
be ready before August"
The inability Of the Belgian commit
tee to accede to the request of the
United States Lawn Tennis Associa-
tion in this matter will probably have
more far-reaching effects than prevent
ing American players from competing
at Antwerp. 1t had already been
planned to send team from this coun-
try to play in the great all-England
championship tournament on the courts
at Wimbledon, starting on June p,
after which one of the Davis Cup pre-
European nations be drawn by the
United States, would. be played on the
other side.
Heavy Expense Involved
In the light of yesterdays news from
Belgium, however, it is not considered
likely that America will send a team
to Wimbledon. No official of the Ma
tional Tennis Association could be
reached last night to deny or affirm
this probability, but l do not believe
that this country would be willing to
go to the heavy expense involved for
the mere desire to be represented at
Wimbledon.
Of course, should the United States
draw the British Isles team in one OF
the Davis Cup preliminary matches,
that would alter conditions, for we
would have to go to England to play
this match. But if France, Belgium or
Holland should be drawn against Amer
ica the chances are that the matches
would be played in this country.
The result of the draw for the pre-
liminary "ties" in the Davis Cup com.
petition will be made known in day
or two, and then the United States
will shape its plans for the future.
While there is bound to be wide
spread regret over the fact that we
are not to be one OF the competing
nations at Antwerp next August, the
situation has its compensations. The
early season tournaments in this coun-
try, including some of the more i'm
portant fixtures, will not be lacking
the entry of men like Tilden, Williams.
Murray, Garland and Wallace John
son, as would have been the case were
we to send team overseas.
Nav Go as individuals
1t may yet happen that some of the
"frst ten" men will make the trip to
Wimbledon and Antwerp, go ng as indi-
viduals and not as official representa-
tives of this country.
| do not believe that William NJ
Johnston, the national champion, would
make the long journey under such con-
ditions, for Johnston would find it ex-
ceedingly hard to take the necessary
time away from his business duties,
aside from the expense attached, but
some of the others l have named might
find their way clear to do this.
The indoor courts in this city will
experience their greatest activity of the
year within the next few weeks, what
with the womens national indoor cham
plonships and the girls championships
starting week from next Monday at
the 7th Regiment Armory; several in
terclub team matches on these courts
and the Heights Casino, of Brooklyn,
and winding up with the mems national
title Journeys at the 7th Regiment
Armory, beginning March 81.
BY the time these events have been
completed, it will be about time to go
and glance over the clay courts out Of
doors, and get out the roller and the
marking machine in preparation fo-. the
tournaments that will usher in our
greatest season of all time.
Gentle spring, thou are thrice well
come! Delay not they coming.