The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1922-08-24
0l|DDLE WEST HASNOT PRODUCED
CHAMPION NET STARS FOR YEARS
INV HUGH FULLERToN)

Queer - II not, that the middle west.
which used to produce so many cham
p!Onship tennis players. has not pro-
duccd one even capable OF challenging
either the eastern players or the coast
stars In the last 10 years? The east
and California have taken the lead and
held It. while tho great middle west
which once was the leader, shows MOTH
ing. In fact, save In doubles, the mid
west hardly Will he represented in either
the Davis Cup rounds or in the Ma
tionul.
Just now, however, there Is tremen-
dous revival Of interest IN tennis In
the midwest. The recent western cham
pionshlp. held on the courts OF the
South side club in Chicago, brought out
the largest field that ever played In mat
classic event. In fact. the western
is perhaps the oldest OF the fixtures IN
tennis that never has been interrupted.
In the recent tournament moro than "OO
wrro entered. and the class shown was
higher than that OF many years. Hayes
who had won the championship twice.
Was expected to sweep II again, but he
was out-tenn!sed and beaten. and the
hnal honor. were divided between John
Flenncssy. the tall. smiling younSster
from indianapolis and his new partner
In doubles. Walter Wes;brook. Of De-
troi;. who. playing together with prac-
Ideally no previous chance IN attain
teamwork, won the doubles then settled
the singles between themselves, Hen
messy winning after a desperate strug-
gle.
Burdiok Lacks Temperament.
The victory OF Hennessy was hailed
by some ms the revival Of Vests cham
rionship hopes, but that Is doubtful. lie
and WesthrOok. who is left-handcd, are
TO enter the National in doubles. but
neither Is considered 10 have chance
in singles. Westbrook has played tre-
mrndous amount Of tennis IN tourha-
ments In the last two years, ana ls one
nr the hardest and most accurate vol
levers out Of the air In tho country. but
not so good playing tho ball OFT the
ground. His service lacks speed NJ
times. and has not the power and smash
even Of Burdick, who was. until the
Western was played, considered ono OF
the great prospects. Burd'rk. however
seems to lack the proper temperament
FOR tennis and believe he lost the dou-
bles in the Western by losing his temper
and becoming irritated when the breaks
went against him and Fritz Rastian. his
mariner. Wcsthrook hardly can he con-
yldercd rs n probable singles CHAMPION,
as he lacks force. Henncssy might 90
but for physical flaws. He is a track
man at college. n football player ana
star at ba skctball, besides being a great
tennis player. And playing hard court
tennis, harder court basketball. some
ha scball, running and football does NOT
helm n pair Of feet. In fact. no has
banged tho old dogs Nil TO pieces In MIS-
athletic competitions, and during the
Western had to have them ued ana
tapcd together during the final DAYS 10
make them carry him through TO the
finish. Game boy, though, for he play
Cd n!nety-slx hard games on the final
day Of the western. and the day before
had rccn forced IN 90 nearly as many
games 20 win In tho scmI-firal doubles
md singles. He'd play until the feet
wore off TO the ankles, hut bad fcct DO
not help make champions
aame Learned ut College.
Rewriting to the scarcity Of star ten
Mis- playcrs In the west: Take the entire
list OF mid-wcstern stars, and you Will
discover that all tho leaders learned
their game at colleges. Williams, Burns
their game at colleges. Williams. Bur-
dick. Wcsthrook. StaGg. Green, Hennes-
Fy. HAYES, IN fact, almost all. got their
tennis experience at school and have
carried on outside.
II would seem. then, that the chief
reason the midwest has ceased to bring
forth champions is lack Of hard compe-
,tion. Over In England the claim Is
made that the reason the British nave
ceased To develop good boxers Is that
they cannot get enough competition 10
bring out the best that IS in them. II
seems that way In tennis In the west
There Is hope that the revival or inter-
est In Chicago, especially. but also in
me smaller cities and towns. viii bring
forth q new crop. In the western this
year there we're Is kids who started
all prep school boys, and they arc play
Ing corking tennis. OF the prep school
kids nine got into tho third round
against older and more experienced men.
'FRONT.' sing"
Tennis No Easy Game.
How IL IS that 90 many persons
who arc ignorant OF the game still
cling 10 the old idea tennis is soft
and ladyltkc sport? Take the final day
Of the Western. for instance. Here
were two boys at tho finish OF week
or hard play. They had played both in
doubles and singles for five days. Play
ing together In doubles. IL took thom
IOrty-SiX game 10 win. and more than
onc-third of the fOrty-siX were deuce
games. Without rest save TO change To
try shirts they went back and fought
each other through forty-eieht games
before Jlcnncssy won an llo set and
the match. They were on the courts in
heat and humidity for four and hail
hours.
There Is no telling how far they ran