Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-23
RESTRICTION NEED
SEEN BY NET HEAD
Would Limit Tourney Stars to
80 Days Club Aided
Travelling Per Year.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.

chairman Of the United States
Davis Cup Committee and out
going chairman Of the Amateur
Rules Committee, unless 1t is
carried to excess.
Il do not think 1t proper for players
to travel from tournament to tourna-
ment with all their expenses paid for
nine months out of the year. The
Amateur Rules Committee has rec
commended that the new committee
work out some method of limiting such
| tennis tours"
If any one is qualified to speak on the
subject Of tennis it Is Mr.. Ward. Ever
since he and Dwight F. Davis, playing
for Harvard. were intercollegiate doubles
champions. in 1899, he has been actively
| interested in the game.
From 1899 to 1902 Holcombe Ward
and Dwight F. Davis were national
doubles champions. From 1904 to 1907
Mr.. Ward and Beals c. Wright held
the doubles championship. Holcombe
Ward was indoor champion in 1901
and national singles champion in 1904.
He and Dwight Davis, donor Of the
international trophy. played as the
| United States doubles team In the first
Davis Cup contest ever held, and won
their match.
Vivid Interest In Tennis.
So, while Mr.. Ward Is now In the
wooden business, 1t is natural that he
| still retains vivid interest in tennis
and has served ably in many capacities
having to do with the government Of
| the sport. One Of the finest sportsmen
know, his voice always has been lifted,
! without fear or favor, for what he be-
| lieved to be the best intesests Of the
game. Sitting in his Office, he looked
strong and active enough still to be a
formidable opponent on the courts.
What do you think would be proper
| limit for tours?" asked.
Approximately 90 days" he answered.
1T seems to me that If a tournament
tennis players expenses were paid for
total Of about one-quarter of the year
that should be enough. Such q ruling
would, of course, only affect the rank-
ing players. The others are not of
enough value to clubs to warrant the
payment of their expenses.
Tournament tennis Is, as a rule, o
young mans game, and If no expenses
are paid some of our best youngsters
couldn't afford to play in tournaments
and the standard of play would be
lowered. Nobody cares. of course, how
many tournaments they play in If they
pay their own expenses. But when a
player is good enough to get his ex-
penSeS paid for three-fourths of the
year his next step Is to begin writing
tennis, to which we have made no OBJ
sections, and gradually doing other
things which, from a standpoint of
amateurism. bring him close to the
| border line"
Sees Chance for Davis Gun.
What do you think" I asked. "of
the chances Of the United States for
regaining the Davis Cup?"
We first have to get BY Mexico
Canada, South America and the win
ner in the European zone," said Mr..
ward, before we can do much figuring
on the challenge round. We don't know
thing concerning the tennis ability
OF South America. They might have
some fine players there Of whom we
never have heard"
Assuming that we do finally play
the French, what thenp"
I believe" said Mr.. Ward, chat we
have a chance" Knowing that he
never entered match in his life with
out the intention and confidence of
winning; this didn't mean anything, ex-
cept display of his competitive spirit
How good chance?" I asked.
Probably better chance than we
mad last season. Our young players
nave had more experience, which
counts heavily. We have no one 10
equal Cochet, but Borotra is a year
older than he was. The matches were
pretty close last time It was a blow
20 us to lose the doubles. but Van Ryn
and Lott have been playing together
and they tell me they form the strong
est doubles team that we have seen in
some time. am sorry that Lacoste
mas appendicitis for more than sympa-
thetic reasons. He has been out of
competition and 1t might have taken
MIN more than this seasons play to re-
gain his peak"
DOeg Not Apt to Play.
Who are the most likely members
OF the United States suuad?"
IT too early to tell that" replied
ward. That Is matter for the Selec-
lions Committee. But" he added, AZ
nave reason to believe that Johnny Doeg
does not plan to play much tournament
tennis this year and that he will not 10
abroad. In that case, the most likely
members Of the squad would be George
Lott, John Van Ryn, Frank Shields,
Sidney Wood, jr., and Wilmer Allison.
-Four out of those five probably would
go to Europe. We want to keep the
squad as small as we can from motives
OF economy. Last year 1t was larger,
put this year doubt whether it will
consist OF more than four men,"
Providing the United States wins in
this zone" I asked, when do you think
the squad should sail?"
THE players should 60 over by the
hrst week in June" said Mr.. Ward
That would give them time to get In
shape and to play in the Wimbledon
tournament, which starts June ~, and
then 60 to Paris for the interzone
finals, beginning July II. The chal-
lenge round starts July as"
Open Tourney Likely.
I asked Mr.. Ward whether there was
any chance OF an open tournament this
September. He answered that the
United States already had gone on rec
ord as favortng an open tournament
and would hold one as soon as the In
ternational Federation gave its consent.
He said that the matter probably would
be taken up again In March.
Having already taken a good bit Of q
busy mans time, I came away and left
Mr.. Ward, surrounded by samples Of
wool, to his knitting.
(Copyright, 1881, by North American News
paper Allianee.)
ANNA AAa@