The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-12-05
THden May Take His Racquet Off American Courts

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 4.--Annoyed by the secretive attitude of the American Davis cup committee and also byN criticism from Harold Hack ett member of the committee, Will liam T. Tilden, Jr., Americas great est tennis player, threatens to pick up his marbles and quit. Tilden said Tuesday in reply to Hackett's s outspoken comment on him, that he was thinking of quitting Davis cup tennis until there should be a new spirit among the committee.
 The controversy between Tilden and Hackett arrays the greatest one of the greatest doubles players the game has yet produced. who also ranks now as a foremost authority on tennis technique. Tennis men generally concede that Tilden's peer at singles has yet to be discovered. But they also acknowledge that Hackett, four times doubles cham pion, was given place on the Davis cup committee because of his know ledge of the game qualified him.
 The row has been brewing for. a long time. Tilden, for all his wizardry. courage and strength as defender of the singles title and the | Davis cup lacked something in his personality to make him as popular as little Bill Johnston of California, who is not as great a player as Til- den. The champions literary out givIngs also cooled the atmosphere. some of his writings being regarded as lacking in tact.
 Last year, for instance. Tilden of- tended the umpires by writing that 1 courtesy demanded that player throw" point to his opponent If he felt that an erroneous fault had been called in his favor. Observers of the big tennis matches were in- clined to regard this as public in- suit to the umpires who are not mercenaries and who make a few mistakes anyway.
 O O O
 TiIcen IrratibIe.
 Tilden, in a tournament at Indi- annapolis last summer, made himself conspicious by railing against the | spectators because some incidental noises from the gallery disturbed his mental pose durng the play.
 | It was a paragraph by Tilden in a recent article that brought into | the open the trouble between him and the Davis cup committee which dates from a specific incident in the last defense of the Davis cup. Til- den expressed restentment because a member of the committee had pre- sumed to give him some technical advice between the third and fourth sets at Forest Hills, when Tilden and R. N. Williams were going very badly. The champion said that ad- l vi af Of no Do s too late.
 l Hackett retorted that Tilden had parked his intelligence outside" and implied that Tilden was so conceited | that he couldn't see his imperfec- tions as a doubles player.
 '.Hackett seems to be under a mis- | apprehension as to my views of my self as doubles player" Tilden said | Tuesday. T have never considered myself a first-class doubles player, l but 1t seems strange to me, consider ing that the Davis cup committee regarded me so hopeless In compet- ing for the doubles, that they chose me to play.
 "The air of secrecy of the com mittee on all matters pertaining to the Davis cup has so estranged me that I am of the opinion that I have made my last appearance as long as the same attitude exists. It Is quite conceivable, Judging from Hackett's statement, that the committee has beaten me to it by not considering me as a Davis cup possibility"
 Their selection two weeks before the contest so they may practice to- gether. This year, he said. he and | Williams were not notified of their honor until 36 hours before the match. He denied that the advice of Hackett after the third set was re- sponsible for his change of strategy In the ensuing sets and for the uphill | fight to victory. The change of his game was due. Tilden said, to the fact that he gradually mastered the right court and played better through his own improvement.
 Tilden said secrecy lost the Davis cup in 1914 because the doubles de- lenders. Bundy and Mclaughlin were not notified of their selection until 12 hours before the contest.