Evening star., 1933-01-30
GENERATES POWER
BY SHIFT OF HEFT
Principles Don't Differ Much
in Tennis, Base Ball,
Boxing or Golf.
BY WALTER TRUMBULL.

w VILLAIN T. TILDEN, I'd,
M still the greatest tennis
w player in the world in a
single match, says that
the ability to hit a tennis ball
hard depends not upon size,
strength, or weight, but upon
proper coordination, balance and
timing.
When We think Of perfect timing in
forehand drive, the name which leaps
to our mind is that Of little Bill john
ston. He laid into a ball like 135
pounds Of dynamite. But, for all that,
he didn't hit ball as hard as Big Bill
Tilden. And Tilden is only light
heavyweight, scaling ITO pounds.
1t always is natural to pull for the
little fellow, and sometimes to exagger-
ate his virtues. 1t just might be that
there have been some big, tall generals
who were just as talented as Napoleon.
IN Baltimore, that giant, Dan Brouth-
erS, once smacked ball over thf
fence SO far from the home plate
that the management put up com,
memorating sign. A couple of afters
moons later, Wee Willie Keeler hit ona
over the barrier at the same spot Thf
management hastened to take down the
sign.
Yet. all fooling and hero worship
aside, Big Dan would, in the daily run,
have walloped ball that far so times
to Wee Willie's once. But the fans
merely used to say:
He ought to hit the ball into Mexico,
Look at the size OF him!"
So some of us still contend that Big
Bill Tilden, who isn't so big, unless you
are only measuring up and down, can
sock ball fast enough to avoid much
argument as to whether anybody on
earth can hit one faster-What does
the difference in ordinary bullet velocity
matter anyhow, at so feet?-and it
seemed interesting to ask him Just how
and why he did it.
The reason I can hit a ball hard
replied Tflden, lis because know how
to balance myself and get my weight
behind the shot. Balance" he con-
tinued, ''is matter of shifting weight
rhythmlcally and at exactly the proper
instant from the back to the front
foot
nNE characteristic thing about any
~ great champion is that he not
only does his stuff better than
others, but knows how he does it. These
born players either put in a lot of
practice somewhere along the road or
they never reach the top. There never
was truer saying than the one about
inspiration being mostly perspiration.
Wen, here was TIlaen talking like a
golfer
Yes" he said. "the principles of
hitting the ball in tepnis, golf. or base
ball don't differ so much It's some
thing the same in boxing Hitting
power. whatever you wish to call it. Is
anywhere mainly matter of balance.
The reason I can drive or smash a
ball harder than the 250-pounder is
that he has perhaps so pounds of his
close to 10. 1 shift the weight so as
practically to throw it all at the ball"
isn't it vitally necessary to keep the
ball well away from you to get that full
power?" was asked
NO" replied Bic Bill, that Is not
always possible. Moreover. 1 can hit q
ball close to me just as hard.
''THAT again." he explained, ais .
L matter of balance. Look. I'll
show you what mean When q
ball bounces close to many a player. he
will step back With his left foot and
leave himself in constrained position.
But step back with my right foot
This still leaves me in perfect position
to throw my weight into the shot"
Somewhat like boxing?" was sug-
gested.
Exactly" assented Tilden Boxing
writer's talk of the short, straight
punchers who do not have to draw back
their fists to hit. That, too. is a mat
ter of timing. balance and the sudden
shift of weight. That is about all there
is to hitting"
OF course, Big Bill was talking of
power and speed, not of direction or
change of pace and all those other
things he can do with tennis ball and
racket. Just then his close friend,
Frank Hunter, came along.
How about Hunters forehand?" was
asked. "Is that due to perfect weight
shifting?"
mo" said Tilden, that's due to a
constantly recurring miracle"
Under your tuition said Hunter,
grinning
II got you too late" retorted Tilden.