Evening star., 1924-05-13

Oelving at considerable length into
various phases of the player writer is
sue, defending his course of action and
suggesting remedies for the situation.
1Hdens statement asserted that the one
ana only cause OF his withdraw wal from
International play was the report of
ttolcombe Ward, chairman of the anna
!eur rule committee of the L. s. l.. T. A..
IN Which the national champion, figura
uVely, was held up. he said as an EVIL
ana harmful influence to the game"
Attacks Amateur Ruie.
He attacked as out of date the anna
teur rule definition that an amateur is
one who plays tennis solely for amuse-
rnent and the physical benefits to he
derived therefrom and merely as a pas
time"
Il venture to state. said Tilden.
that under strict Interpretation of
this rule no man who plays tourna-
ment tennis is an amateur. If he is
called upon TO play a. hard match. in
which he is extended to the limit. he
ceases to be an amateur. because in
that match he is gaining neither
amusement nor physical benefit, and
the object is not mere pastime.
Surely an association which sends
man $4,000 miles in Il period of
eighteen months with his sole object
to play tennis in order to bring home
trophy tthe Davis cup). as they did
me in 1920 and 1921. has profession
allied that man under the amateur
rule. The fact that the material gain
is swallowed by the association and
not the Individual does not make the
player any less professional under
the definition of an amateur. ] can
not see how any association. which
so openly violates officially its own
definition of an amateur, can success
fully support so high an amateur
ideal for its players.
& rC
L. :. l.. t. A., not by its players. The
huge gate receipts of the national
championship and Davis cup matches
are far more dangerous an influence
articles"
Suggests Remedy.
The national champion suggested
that if a player-writer rule was con-
sidered necessary it be laid down on
this formula:
"On and after a given date all
titles of the L. S. l.. r. A.. either
official or championship, may not be
used in connection with the sigma
ture of a writer of an article on
tennis in daily weekly or monthly
periodicals. nor in the advertising
matter pertaining thereto.
This" the statement adds. will
surely relieve any criticism of COM
mercializing titles, vet leave a man
free to develop any talent in writing
tennis. which he may possess. and
still provide the sport literature so
necessary to the growth of the game.
Il am not in this fight to save my
personal amateur status, nor from
any sense of pique, but from the firm
conviction that the player writer in
depreciation infringeS the inherent
rights OF the individual, and, If not
defeated, will work injury to the
game and ultimately wipe sport litera-
ture of all classes out of existence.
All I ask is d rehearing as soon as
possible of the Interpretation and
vote of the member clubs on the
question. now that they have had
real chance to express their Senti-
menta
Should I be upheld in my stand,
and my service still be desired in
the Davis cup this year, they are at
the service Of my country, provided
the special meeting of the u. S. L.
r. A. has been held to allow the
clubs to place the final word on the
player writer interpretation. | would
be willing to withdraw my reSigna-
ton from the Davis cup team-which
was caused by committee action
the day the u, S. L. T. A. calls IL
special meeting and would then be
willing to let the tennis players of
Anne RIGA settle the entire question"
NEW YORK. May 13.-F'rancis r
Hunter of Beckley. w. Va, member
of the United States Olympic tennis
team and No. 5 ranking star, yester-
day issued d statement asserting his
belief that the tennis player-writer
rule is unjust.