Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-30
BOY TENNIS CHAMP
WAS S|CKLY CHILD
frankie (Parker) Paikowski
] Rose to Heights From
LoWIy Beginning.
Special Dispatch to The star.


MILWAUKEE, August 90 (N.AN.A).
When the father Of frankie Paikow-
ski, recently crowned boys national
tennis champion, died Is years ago,
frankie was too little to know Just
what had happened. He became
frankie Parker later, when newspaper
writers got hold of his name, but then
he was still Frankie PaikowSki, only
years old, tiny and thin.
His little hands were almost trans
parent and his eyes were so big in his
white little face that, looking at him,
his mother used to cry deSpairingly,
"Oh, frankie, won't you ever pick up?"
One day. not long after the fathers
death, Sylvester, another of Mrs. Pal
kowski'S five children, fell sick, and the
doctor who came to care for him found
what do you do now?' he asked her
why" she said, what can I do but
cry and think of the times that are
gomez"
Mother Finds Work.
But, Mrs. Paikowski" the doctor
said, "yoR can't give up like this. with
these five to live for You ought to get
out and work and try to forget" He
said he had some work for her and
her mother said she would take care of
the children, so Mrs. Paikowski tried 1t.
But it was hard to forget" she says.
Every time you look at the children
you see their father in them, and 1
think how happy it would make him
to see Frankie boys tennis champion of
the United States. The old grand
mother-she is 83-and she would al
ways wonder would she live to see the
children grow UP, and now here Tony
and Sylvester and John have nice jobs.
and my Genevieve she finished four
years high school in two (but she was
always smart; she skipped from first to
third grade at st. HedwigS and the
sisters always gave her good marks
and Frankie has 1t so nice. I wish his
father could only know"
People liked the pretty Polish woman,
always so neat and clean, her soft hair
brushed straight back from her face,
and after while, when her grief was
older, always smiling.
"They told each one another" she
says. naively proud, that was always
honest and worked hard, and had
more work than could do. I had one
lady so nice; after I washed for her
she let mesdo my own family washing
at her house Then I'd bring it home,
and every night I'd iron, because had
TO keep those kids clean.
When frankie first began to play
tennis at the Town Club he had just one
pair OF white pants and every night 1
washed those pants and every morning
ironed them, so he always looked nice
Then, when Mercer Beasley took an
interest in him and wanted to go on
trip out OF town to play tennis, he
said I should pack his grip.
Pack his grip" I said, land what
could I put in it but the one pair Of
pants he stands IMP" Mr. Beasley was
so surprised, because Frankie always
looked so fresh and clean I guess he
thought he had two or three pairs of
white pants"
Notes Boys Promise.
1t was at the Town Club. where
Frankie and his three brothers we're
''shags," that Mr.. Beasley noticed the
boys promise.
Paikowsk said, land he weighed only
about 20 pounds. Sylvester was walk
ing when he was months and I was
so proud, but Frankie never walked till
later, and 1 always wondered If he ever
would grow up.
Then Mr.. BeaSley began to bring
around extra milk for him, special rich
milk from the farm, and fresh eggs, SO
made eggnogs for him. All Of a sud-
den il seemed like frankie began TO
shoot up and I'LL out; and they sent
him TO country day school and he liked
that and then to Hollywood. to Black
Fox Military Academy. Not week I
didn't get q letter from him; always
on Monday came such sweet letter;
and then he came back to Delafield and
he looks so we'll"
Proud of him? You have only 10
look at her to know how proud. But
happy2 II am happy and am I'M
happy, If you can see 1t. I miss him.
Many times smiled him away and
cried when he was gone, was SO lone
some 1t Is easier now, with the boys
grown up and having jobs and know
Frankie Is so we'll taken care Of, because
Mr.. BeaSley's wonderful.
$50 I say-yes. am happy-such
nice family. and the old grandmother
yet with US But wish that Frankies
father was still here"
tOopyright, 1881. By the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc}