Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
THINKS OFFICIALS
ARE TOO PAMPERED
Says Game Would Be Better
Off if They Thought
Less of Dignity.
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN, II.
HH ,ADET PHTA Octohar II


r. Every year the discussion
i RACES about the throwing"
of points in tennis matches
to make up for errors by umpires
and linesmen.
I have heard all the arguments
of those who are against the prac-
tice. I have heard how it is an
insult to the linesman or umpire,
how the breaks of the game even
up in the end, and this and that,
but I have yet to discover any
argument that changes my opin-
ion that throwing a point under
certain circumstances is the only
sporting thing to do.
I believe in throwing a point when
you are convinced your opponent has
suffered an injustice, or when he clearly
shows he believes it even though you
are not in a position to see definitely
yourself. In other words, throw a point
whenever your own sporting standard
Is outraged or violated
There is no intent to humiliate or
insult q linesman by this act of re-
turning O point. In most cases and
know in my own, the linesman does
not center out the matter and in most
cases is not thought of. If hnesmen
and umpires would think less Of their
dignity and more of the fact that
they are on the line to help the play
ers there would be far fewer unpleasant
incidents in tennis matches.
However, it is not the throwing Of q
point that influences the match result
so much as 1t is the incidents that us
ually accompany such an action. Ordi-
narily there is just q glaring error by
hneSman, so bad that not only the
players but the gallery see it. II the
error Is persisted in by the official the
gallery usually halts play by Its dis
approval, voiced in no uncertain terms
by catcalls and whistles.
Then the innocent victim feels
aggrieved and the one who received
the benefit Is usually In wrong with
the gallery. The latter player throws
the next point. Instantly he is a hero.
The whole gallery bursts into applause.
The matter. stops play and completes
the wreck Of the concentration of one
or both players.
Such an incident Is clearly shown in
the critical moments of the match be-
tween Henri Cochet and myself in
the finals of the French champion
ship at Auteun this year. had won
the first set and the score stood at
Sail in the second. Cochet, by q
miraculous burst of super-tennis, had
pulled even from SIS down.
A close shot of mine to the base line
caught Cochet going backward and
was allowed good" by the linesman.
Cochet evidently thought the ball was
out, and as for the gallery, its protest
could have been heard miles.
I could not see the ball myself.
looked at Cochet and asked How was
it?" He shrugged his shoulders, but
showed he thought 1t out. The
umpire in the chair said the ball was
good" attempted three times to
serve, only to be whistled and booed
out of action.
Finally, after about three minutes
pandemonium, I deliberately served q
double fault. Instantly the crowd went
crazy the other way. They cheered me
five minutes before play started again.
The result was my active concentration
collapsed and I offered no resistance
until I was down Al in the third set
and a set-all.
Cochet might just as well have been
the victim. Now, II the gallery and
officials had allowed Cochet to signal
his views to me and allow my deliberate
double fault to pass unnoticed, neither
of us would have been affected by the
incident. although the result of the
match in Cochet's favor would not have
been changed This matter Of throw
ing points should be purely matter Of
the personal desire of the player. He
deserves neither praise nor blame, for
all he does is to be true to himself and
uphold his own sporting standards.
Let us attempt to recognize that all
tennis players are sportSmen and their
actions, which may not please the on
locker, are still governed and directed
by their own sporting spirit, which In
most cases is at least as good as tie
spectator who only sits and criticizes.