Evening star., 1923-04-22

In most communities there are Oh
or two tennis clubs. but the member
ships always are restricted. ana ~
number Of people who would Ike +
play always Is greatly in excess q
| those who can play.
Many people who live In SINAI
towns or suburbs have ample room ii
their own grounds for one tenn
! court, but II has never occurred +
| most of them that. by rearrangin
! the shrubbery, a court at small cN
! pense could be built that would b
| both useful and attractive. Through
! out England and Ireland private zen
! mis- courts are almost universal The
| are not perfect. and the play is usual
| ~ not OF high standard, but they scrv
! as a gathering place for the who'll
| family, from grandfather down. an
/ make possible a wholesome spor
| that is convenient. inexpensive an
| which adds much to the family If.
| he wire backstops are covered wit
! vines and climbing roses, and n
| court, when not in use. gives the az
| pearance OF an attractive grass t. +
| race.
In America, where the possfbilit
| of grass court is confined almos
| exclusively to the Atlantic coas
| clay or dirt courts can be made b
! simply leveling the ground, wop
( which can be done in spare hours b
| the members of the family. Neigh
! boring fences form natural backstopl
| and all that is necessary is to put u
| the net, mark out the court and pro
| vide few garden chairs for the or
| lockers.
Tree on His Home Court.
Where the lack of space makes
| home court impossible. vacant II
| IN the neighborhood can frequentlI
! be obtained. often free of charge d
! at nominal rental Two or thre
| iamilles can combine in building an|
| caring for such court, and in TIL
| way there is very little work for ca i
1mdlvidual TH and almost no expensI
| Ihe ground can be graded withou
expert help, and once this is done ii
court requires only rolling and wate
| ing: Tennis; with its universal a I
peal should be within the reach 4
! every American family, from "A
school children, who see in it an Al
| tractlVe sport. to the tired busine1
man to whom an hours outdoor exc
else on summer evenings means IN
renewal of youth.
| 1t was on such a homemade couI
| that five California champions wei
deyeloped, three of whom afterwa
! held national titles. The court
! question was originally a crouu(
| lawn in my parents garden N
! brother Sumner and I became cod
verted to the fascinations Of tenrI
at the ages of twelve and ten. "A
! spectively, and our court soon becan
| the most popular spot in the neig|
] borhood
! Unfortunately there was a, lar
| acacia tree in one corner Of the coul
/ which my father refused to sacrifi
! and which necessitated some renar
| able feats of agility when 1t becar 4
| necessary to return a ball from id
mind the tree Tildan
remarked that this probably account
| for my peculiar form, However, nj
| brother and / persevered and f. i
! years later, when l was fifteen, VI
/ had the satisfaction of defeating I'd
| experts of the big clubs and winnin
| the Pacific coast championship. / cid
| this instance merely to show Wild
| can be done with practice on a hop,
! made court.
Pointers on Construction.
In building a court the folIowin
| directions may be Of help: Choose
| site at least so by 100 feet that
! almost level, and with ordinary gar
| den tools even all irregularities
surface. If possible. plan to lay IN
| court north and south, so that III
| sun will not shine in one PLAYERS eve
| more than in another's. Drench tn
| court thoroughly at night. and earl
\ the next morning, while the groun
! is still damp. roll 1t thoroughly. Al
! ing in all depressions and scrapin
| of high spots. Usually a roller ca
| be rented or bought secondhand {
| low cost A whitewash brush an
| some whiting will serve to mark tn
| court
| The only real expense is for back
| stops, and often neighboring build
| ings or fences supply these Whe
| nece ssary use four by four posts te
| feet high and covered with chicke
wire. Posts made of the same WOO
| can be used to sustain the net, an
should be firmly sunk into the groun
three feet outside the court. A nt
| can be purchased for SO or 81. an
once in place the court Is ready fC
| play. Those wishing more elaborat
| equipment can easily obtain it, but
| is the purpose Of this article to poir
\ out that tennis is within the reac
| of almost all families with PRACTICAL
no outlay.
Every boy and girl needs the trair
| ing that comes from sport. The phys
! ical benefit is obvious, but quite 8
| important Is the moral training z whic
| a child acquires. To be good spor
| the ambition of every athlete, near
\ the development Of the spirit of give
| and-take, of losing cheerfully an
| winning modestly. and because thes
| high standards are part of the TIE
| dition of tennis the game should /
| in the life OF every American youth.