New Britain herald., 1927-08-16
JOHNSON NOT ID
 PLAY IN TOURNEY
Will Not Take Part in Prelim.
 mary Davis Cup Matches
BY MARY K. BROWNE .

United Press Staff Correspondent New York. Aug. 16 Copyright 1927 by United Press)-Sounds
 which were comments have grown into earnest discussion and food for i is,, our ."Little Bill" Johnson. who threw a surprise party inshis own honor, announced that he would not come east to compete in any of the preliminary tournaments leading up
 to the Davis cup international ten- his matches.
 William Johnson believes that he l can reach top form just as we'll with ten days practice on grass, as by several weeks of tournament play which has been his usual "diet" It is the opinion of many that Little Bill' is expecting good deal of the ! Davis cup committee. for them to select him entirely on his past rec ord.
 The committee realize that this Is very crucial year in American ten his. They are conscious of the diff ] culties of recovering the trophy once it is lost. The vast difference be- l tween being the defending nation at home, or being the playing through nation. which earns it's right to challenge. abroad.
 But. never has a player so com pletely reduced a committee to single track decision. No matter how they look at it, they must take
 Little Bill'' if he only arrives 24
 hours before the matches. Johnson has an unbeatable record. He has won eleven out of twelve Davis cup matches covering 8 period of six
 years. Last year Johnson lost only one set in his two matches against Rene LaCoste and Jean Borotra Big Bill' Tilden lost 10 La Coste in the team matches and to Henri COchet in the national. but these re- verses have fired Tilden with a re- newed enthusiasm and interest in the game and he has devoted him. self heart and soul to tennis. elimi- hating even his beloved stage. Tilden has played enough tennis to spread thickly over two seasons. Johnson has taken the very reverse tact. He is conserving every atom of strength in his scarcely more than an atom of body Little Bill" is cutting
 out the grind of tournament tennis and trial matches entirely.
 Funny, we could not have two eX- tremely different methods of train- ing for the same event, but We have widely different types Of players
 Tilden has a strong physique and thrives on strenuous tennis and ar guments. while Johnson not so TO- bust. wits under both.
 Tilden proves that his way Is best for him. From all indications he is at top form. Lots of competition has always been the accepted meth cd of training and our Little Bill'
 is trying something new. entirely new.
 Personally. am not the least concerned over Little Bills" deci- sion. When the time comes he will be there with bells" never fear He is one of the best match play CTS in the game. I have known Billy Johnson for many. many years. He has often said that his greatest handicap is the lack of stamina. He has tried to put on weight but never succeeded in passing 1S5 pounds, which is very light, and he loses' pounds in tour nament play.
 Big Bilr' Tilden's tactics have always been to wear Johnson down by keeping the ball in play before he (Tilden) brings forth his best shots. Against an untired Johnson they come back" I have heard Tilden say. Now. hear the experts prophecy the passing of Johnson as Borotra in the championship last year.
 All these things simply support Billy Johnson in his decision to keep himself absolutely fresh and untired. when he enters this years DdNis cup Ii1lSllts.
 Johnson has such perfect form that he can get back on his game ! sooner than any player I know Tilden, on the other hand. relies on such variety of trick shots and spectacular plays that he needs more practice to reach top form.
 From the standpoint of morale 1 Billy Johnson is right, think, for if he should enter the tournaments and be beaten by any of the Frenchmen. he would give them confidence against him, as 1t is the French players have said that they fear Little Bill more than Big Bill. Logical conclusions based upon re- suits. Last years matches found Johnson winning with greater ease than Tilden.
 Of course. Billy Johnson is a
 pioneer in this new method of training with practice matches
 only and he may be more brilliant
 than ever or he may make a com-
 plete failure. But I. for one. am
 perfectly satisfied to trust to John- sons judgment and am inclined 10 think that he Is right
 Even though France will ma terially strengthen their team by
 playing Cochet in the singles in
 place of Borotra, still l do not feel that we will lose the trophy. I do