New Britain herald., 1927-08-15
SEEK SPORTS PRESTIGE
Competition for International
 H0n0rS Keener Than Ever
By MARY K. BROWNE

United Press Staff Correspondent Copyright, 1927, by United Press)
 New York, Aug. 15 (UP)-Inter- national flavor" is the vanilla in the 'cake" of sports. Polo, ten
 his, golf are fairly bristling with the keenness of our challengers to wrest from America the prestige which this nation has gained since the war.
 The strong British lolo team is at the heels of the hard riding, long hitting American internationalsts. The Frenchmen are descending upon our Big Bill" Tilden two to one. Again France is sending a strong representative in Simmone Thion de la Chaume to have a fling at our women's golf championship. America is still the favored na- full in defending against the British, the professional open golf cham pionship which is the possession of Bobby Jones. The American team, headed by Helen Wills drove back the English invaders ard retained the international trophy.
 The polo. man's tennis and women's golf still hangs in the bal ance. There is sufficient doubt as to the outcome 10 stimulate unpre- cedented public interest.
 The gallery which attended the women's tennis at Forest Hills was the largest over drawn ty women's tennis. unassisted by male stars. That was concrete evidence of the growing interest in woncn's sports. The biggest factor in my estima- ton is the patriotism aroused by the element of international competi- tion. The youngsters and veterans give all they have in an effort to bring glory to their country and in- terest to the sport. The appeal is world wide.
 The interest of nations is simply colossal. Think of this. 26 nations compete for the Davis cup. inter- national tennis trophy. I imagine not many people could name twen- ty-six nations ;n the world regard jess of whether they play tennis.
 The only reason that women's in- ternational tennis is limited to Great Britain and the United States is because Great Britain agreed only with the understanding that the contest would be limited to the two nations. America has given her word and the Wightman trophy matches will never include any other nation unless England wishes if.
 Requests have cone from Japan, Holland, Cuba, Philippines and while Suzanne J.nnglon Was eligible France was very much turt because they were excluded. Great Britain was afraid that the event might take on the proportions of the Davis cup and it was not thought women were constituted to stand the strain of six months of strenuous interna- tioral play
 The country which succeeds in winning the right to challenge Amer ica in the Davis Cup must play half the year. not all hard matches to be sure. but it means keeping in train ing and practice and travelling thous- ands and thousands of miles.
 I shall name the nations entered in the Davis cup and it will not re- quire much imaginat ton to visualize the amount of play and travel in- yolved Czecho Slovakia. Greece. India Sweden, British Isles. Dem mark Holland. Switzerland. Austria. Ireland. South Africa. Portugal, Germany, Hungary, Italy. France, Roumania, Japan, Mexico, Cuba and Canada.
 Australia for many years held the trophy. But they have vanished from the competition because of their isolated position on the map which required a great amount of time and expense to reach other na- tions in order 10 compete.
 Germany this year was again ad- mitted to the competition for the i first time since the war.
 While it is agreed that world wide | competition would be hardship rather than a pleasure for the wo- men, still believe some plan might | be worked out among nations close ly situated to play an elimination contest and challenge the winner of | the Wightman trophy