The New York herald., 1922-12-10
PLANS TENNIS TRIP
TO EUROPE in 1924
Has Always Experimental
With New Strokes and Ex-
poets to Do So Again.
READY FOR ALTERNATIVE
Will Play Even if Missing
Finger Relegates Him to
Ranks of Has Beens.
BY SAMUEL J. BRoOKMAN.

BY SAMUEL j. BROOKMAN.
att will be hard task to change
the tennis habits OF ten years in a
single season, but I'm afraid that's
what I will have to set out to do
So said Bill Tilden. worlds cham
pion, yesterday when he arrived here
Infection of the middle finger OF his
racquet hand sent him to hospital
and cost him a valuable portion Of
that valuable digit.
"You don't mean it will affect your
game to such an extent that you will
have to alter your style of stroke and
strategy" we asked.
Yes, 1 think SO. even strategy to
some extent. for I probably will be de-
prived of all the soft cut strokes that
] frequently used and that it will be i'm
possible for me to bring into play with
out the middle finger tip. You see. most
OF those soft strokes were made with the
tips of the thumb. foreinger and middle
finger, the racquet being held very
loosely. And I can't see how I can
possibly control those strokes in future
without the aid of the missing tip. or
course I may acquire the faculty Of
bringing the fourth finger into play on
the strokes. but doubt II. At any rate
1t will scarcely be as effective a shot,"
A student of the Game.
But although he shook his head wist-
fully at the bandaged digit now and
49, ytr~ L.. Ill
and apparently not greatly worried over
the prospect of revolutionizing his game
: Tilden has been through the process of
tennis experimentation before. He has
ever been a student of strokes. strategy
and conditions. and there Is a cheerful
ring to his comment on the task before
him that somehow convinces you he will
solve his problem satisfactorily.
One thing he is fairly certain Of even
though the infection has not been en-
tirely eradicated. and that Is that no
important tendons in the palm, wrist or
forearm will be affected. Apparently
the palm Is perfectly normal in its fiex-
fbility and so is the action of the knuclle
at the base of the middle finger, but
there is still considerable doubt as to
whether the remaining portion of the
middle digit will be more hindrance than
help. It has stiffened and probably will
figure out in advance just how it will
affect his grasp OF the racquet handle.
He has an idea 1t will take lot Of
sting out of his forcing drive and a
good deal of punch out OF his cannon
ball service He won't know for GER
tain for another six weeks at least. for
his physician. who has been dressing the
finger daily. tells him It will take that
long for the wound to heal
1t fg nearly two months now efnce
Tilden. In "a fall against a wire back
stop during an exhibition match,
scratched and bruised his finger and
started the Infection that at one time
threatened TO poison his entire system.
1T was a rather deepseated bruise,"
said Tilden. "and didn't neglect IL. ]
gave II first aid treatment, washed and
cleaned It as well as I knew. but the
Infection developed despite of that.
delayed my visit to the hospital. how
ever, about a week too long"
Strain of Tournament Play.
The worlds champion went on TO say
that at the time he probably was not
physically in At condition to fight off
the effects OF the infection. He had been
through the strain of long tennis cam
paign and a hard tournament in de-
fense of his national tennis title. par
ticularly In the uphill final against Billy
Johnston of California. and was badly
in need of a rest. He had promised to
appear at a number OF exhibitions. how
ever. and would not disappoint those
who were anxious to see him in action.
Tilden lost more than fifteen pounds
during his long siege of Illness and has
not recovered all Of the loss yet. Il
never would have believed" he said.
that an infected finger could take so
much out OF fellow. The pain was
excruciating at first and the poison trav-
eled through my system so fast that
some OF the doctors at the hospital
grew alarmed. / had called for treat
ment none too soon. they told me-"
When the news Of the operation and
the loss Of part of his racquet hand
finger was made public sympathetic ex-
pressions came pouring in--in letters
kilograms and cablegrams--so thick and
fast that Il was impossible for Tilden 10
read them all on the day they arrived.
Among others he heard from Ichiya
Kumagae and Seiichiro Kashio of Japan,
from Gerald Patterson in far of Aus
tralia. from Manuel Alfonso of Spain.
Colbert and Cochet of France. Roper
Barrett OF England and every proml-
nent tournament player IN the United
States He received scores of letters
from persons he had never known or
heard OF. who offered him and his doc
tors advice as TO the proper treatment
of Infection and sure methods OF saving
the finger In its entirety. Some even
we're willing to impart advice as TO how
20 change his game X necessary and
become proficient enough in a single
season TO retain his championship. The
Germantown Post Office handled more
mail the second week in October than
aver before In an entire month.
Ready for Any situation.
Tilden expects to be ready to get out
on q court by the time the indoor season
IS half over and then learn the extent
OF the task that confronts him. IF
find that am through as n title con-
tender or that cannot become proficient