Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-05-26
P[AY [OPSIDED
TENNIS IN WEST
TiIden Says Asphalt Courts Of
Pacific Coast Develop Awk-
ward Style
SOME GOOD JUNIOR S
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN. I'D
Tho World'a Tennia Champlon


NOTWITHSTANDING the fact that
~ the present. in the concrete form
of Bill Johnston, John Strachon ct al,
engrossed much of our time an( most
Of our skill the future Of Tennis in
California. In the embryo champions,
the juniors. claimed some of our at
tention. -.
There is one young man, hardly more
than a junior himself, since he Is just
twenty one. who is ably carrying on
the work of DR.. Marvin and aiding DR..
Sumner Hardy, president of the Pacific
Coast Tennis Association, to develop
future Johnstons, ETC.. from the great
mass Of boys who are playing the game
In San Francisco.
This man is Howard o. Kinsey. the
younger Of the two famous brothers
who represented the West in the East
last year. Howard took me on n per-
sOnally conducted tour of inspection Of
"his kids" so much of my story owe
to him.
Style Not Good
Let me say now that I do not con-
slider the style developed on asphalt
In the West Is comparable to that Of the
boys in the East. This hard court
game lopsides the style, for all the boys
here have overgrown forehand drives
and rather feeble defensive backhands:.
You see none OF the beautifully
rounded games as played by such boys
in the East as Arnold W. Jones, Will
or Sandy Wiener. However. the West
produces fighting winners, and after all,
the first requisite OF a champion is to
win-something I often forget, 1t seems
to me.
The two leading junior stars of last
year, Philip Bettens and Herbert Suhr,
passed from the junior ranks by age
this year.
Chandler Leading Junior
Their logical successor seems to be
Ed Chandler, a boy Of the same lop.
sided. fighting, aggressive game so typi-
cal of the West. Strong forehand scrv :
Ice and overhead, poor volley and rather
weak backhand.
Morty Liebes, last year boy, now a
junior. is another youngster who wins
despite holes in his game. EIe uses a
peculiar slice drive fore and back hand
but a good service and fine overhead
saves him.
Louis Heilbron. the boy who is con .
/ oidSicu pCst III thC hilNNh tiuoS
Is a disappointment to me. He wins to .
day because he Is steady and good
| fighter, but I can see little or no pros
pect for development in his cramped
and awkward style.
Young Bobby Sellars is a good pros.
pect, but is also more or less OF ar
untried quantity. He is only thirteen
His great asset is fighting tempera
ment and disposition to take the game
very seriously. He has free swing
but very poor footwork often neutral
Ices the value of his swing. He mus,
learn footwork and then go out after
sounder strokes.
Have Many Eaults
still see no logical successor TO Bill
Johnston in the West. Phillip Betten!
is still my best bet for the place, pro
vided he stays with the game an,
studies it seriously. / believe Howard
Kinsey who is fine student Of tennis
will do much to correct the faults O
style that are now holding back sucl
players as Sellars. Chandler and Liebes
II so. then any one of these boys ma,
press Bettens closely or some new sta,
rise to eclipse the present consultations
Copyright. 1923, bv Public Ledger Compar
Mr.. Tilden's next article will N
"Some Lessons from the East vs.. Yves
Matches