The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-04-06
PROTESTS CONFLICT
AT TENNIS EVENTS
National Indoor Meet Inter
fercd With, Says Seventh
Regiment Club.

On behalf OF the Seventh Regiment
Tennis Club, which conducted the ma
tional indoor tennis championship last
week, w. Dickson Cunningham, prcsi-
dent of the club. has written TO the ex-
ecutive committee of the United States
Lawn Tennis Association protesting
against a repetition of the date conflict
list week when the Middle States indoor
title event at Philadelphia. a tourna-
ment OF major Importance, was held ST.
simultaneously with the national tourna-
ment.
He calls particular attention to the
case OF Vincent Richards who. after
sending in his entry for the national
event, withdrew on the ground that he
was not in shape 10 play. and then
entered the Middle States tournament.
where he triumphed in the final round
over William #. Tilden I'd, worlds
champion. In part. Cunningham letter
reads as follows:
WAS the Philadelphia tournament sane
toned by the executive committee? IL SO.
Tho national indoor championships were
scheduled for the week OF March 2I-April j.
inclusive. at least two months ego and have
been announced and published for that length
OF time. i. personally, had heard nothing OF
the Philadelphia tournament until Monday.
March 81. The Philadelphia tournament. OF
course. cut into our entry list and somewhat
into our attendance. but we are Directing to
the principle rather than TO the harm that
resulted TO our club. IT Is the first time In
my recollection that tournament of major
Importance has conflicted with national
championship. We have recently been
awarded the national indoor championship
for 1923. and emphatically protest now
against repetition OF what has occurred
this year.
THE course pursued by Vincent Richards,
however is what we object 20 most strenu-
ously. and think that a thorough investi-
CATION OF this should be made at once. We
feel that II IL important to TO into his atti-
tude in great detail at this point. The en-
tries for the national tournament closed on
Wednesday. March p, at noon. On Tuesday
afternoon, one day before the close of the
entries for singles. teephoned Richards.
naturally wishing 10 obtain his entry. He
told me that he had just got back from
Bermuda and had not realized that the ma
tiona tournament going to begin 50
soon. then asked him point blank " I
should enter him In the singles. He told me
10 enter him In the singles, which did. and
then gave his entry to the press. The draw
was made on Wednesday. the ed, at
THAT afternoon Richards called IN the
armory and told them that his physician had
advised him not 70 play In the singles. but
that he would be able to play in the doubles.
The armory notified me. IL was then too
late 10 scratch him in the singles as the
draw had already been made, and we hoped
tnat ne might reconsider MS ueclHlOn before
the start OF play on Saturday afternoon. On
Saturday afternoon ! again teephoned Rich
ards and asked him II he could play In the
singles. He said. Mo- but told me to en-
ter him IN the doubles with Frank Ander-
son. which ] did. lie was, OF course. then
defaulted In the singles.
ION Monday Richards said that he was
not In good enough physical shape to play
~ our doubles tournament starting on Tues
day. Richards played In Philadelphia on
Friday, and am not sure whether he played
on Thursday or not. At any rate. he played
I'm both singles and doubles In Philadelphia
three days after he had told me that he did
not feel well enough 70 play In doubles in the
national tournament. Three days, OF course,
may work change In ones physical condi-
tion. hut II seems hardly credible that three
days could work 40 great a change In Rich
ards's case"