Evening star., 1933-02-12
U.S.ASSOC|AHON'S
ACTION SURPRISES
Sudden Approval Of Pros Re.
wards Long Fight Led by
DM Tilden.
BY FOSTER HALEY,
Associated rress Sports wrstar-

n IEW YORK, February IL
M With only one dissenting
/ Y voice, the United States
Lawn Tennis Association
today approved holding a national
open tennis tournament this
year, marking the first time an
amateur association has so far
recognized the man who plays for
pay.
Contests between amateurs and pro-
fessionals have been played abroad for
several years, but championship recog-
milton has never been granted before.
The convention attached the PROV.
sion that suitable date, which would
not interfere with the amateur sched-
ule already adopted. be found for the
tournament, but, with the weight OF
official opinion strongly in favor Of the
event, that was considered only q minor
detail.
THE action approving the open cham
L pionship. urged for several years by
William T. Tilden, Paul Gibbons,
Samuel COLON, former associate presi-
dent, and other Philadelphia tennis
powers, came with startling sudden
ness, but there was no question as to
the mind of delegates.
Only Holcombe Ward, Eastern Asso-
citation president and newly elected first
vice president of the National Associa-
ton, voted mo" when the question
was put.
Louis J. Carruthers of New York, the
retiring president, indicated that for
etgn opposition to an open tourna-
ment had disappeared within the last
year.
The delegates approved the commit
tees report that players be required to
give an itenized account Of their ex-
penses at tournaments.
THE outstanding tournaments of the
i year-the national mems and
women's singles and the Wight
man Cup matches-again were award
ed to the West Sde Tennis Club at
Forest Hills. The mems singles viii be
held the week of September Z; the
women's, the week Of August IA, and
the Wightman Cup, August As.
After prolonged debate between rep
resentatives of the Germantown Cricket
Club Of Philadelphia and the Longwood
Cricket Club OF Boston, the National
mems doubles and mixed doubles were
awarded to the latter for the week Of
August Il.
There was no opposition TO the ex-
ciusion OF Mrs. Helen Wills Moody from
consideration on the grounds OF sin
sufficient data" because of her failure
to play in three or more United States
tournaments, nor the placing Of Sidney
B. Wood, jr, above Frank Shields In the
mems hst-the only two points On
which disagreement was expected. Re-
vision is expected only In the lower
brackets.
THE slate Of officers also was In
i stalled without opposition, the Mid
West being voted the presidency
for the first time in over a decade.
The officers named were: President,
Harry 8. Knox, Chicago: first vice pres
ident, Holcombe Ward, New York; sec
ond vice president, Joseph w. Ivy, Kan
sas City; secretary, Lawrence w. Baker,
Washington, d. c., and treasurer, Wal
ter Merrill Hall, New York. Ivy, Baker
vice president last year.
The West Side Tennis Club, Forest
Hills, Long Island, again drew the most
national championships, being awarded
the mems and womens singles and the
Wightman Cup matches with England.
Association finances, due to the $50
600 profit made out Of the last national
mems championship and the $4,000
received from France as its share of the
receipts of the Davis Cup challenge
round, were reported in the mcst favor
able condition In some time.
THE election of Knox was the culnni-
i nation of a prolonged political
fight, led by the Western Associa-
ton, to have the office of president ro-
tated. Previously it has been held ex-
clusively by members Of the so-called
Eastern "Old Guard" or their associates.
The retiring president, Carruthers,
was the recipient of gold watch and
laudatory speeches.
The convention. In effect, approved
the 1892 national top rankings, In which
Helen Jacobs replaces Helen wills
Moody as the women's No. l, but re-
ferred the whole list back to the Rank
ing Committee, with power" because
Of demands for revision in scme of the
lower brackets. It was explained by
Sam Hardy of New York. for the Rank
ing Committee, that more complete data
from the sectional associations was
needed.