Evening star., 1937-02-07
TURF COURT GROUP
BESTS D|SSENTERS
West Main Loser in Fight
for Play on CIay-FeW
Rankings Changed.
BY BOB CAvAGNARO.


annual meeting, the United States
Lawn Tennis Association today shifted
the national intercollegiate champion
ships from clay to grass courts, with
the Merton Cricket Club, Philadelphia,
as the site for the 1887 event, June
81 to 26.
The tournament, conducted for the
last two years on the clay courts Of
Northwestern University. Chicago.
thus will return to the same setting
it had from 1900 through 1884.
Debate over the issue of grass versus
hard surface broke out in the midst Of
an otherwise perfunctory meeting
when former President Julian S. My
rick of New York proposed resembling
the 1884 action of the U. S. L. T. A.
in making it mandatory to play the
college tournament on hard courts.
Claimed Handicap to Colleges.
THE attack on Myrick's motion was
launched by Joseph w. Ivy Of
Kansas City. Mo. a retiring vice pres
ident. He was joined by Secretary
Ralph w. Westcott and James Stew
art, both of Chicago, as we'll as j. B.
Adoue of the Texas Association. The
Chicago delegates had been instructed
in advance to oppose any change.
There's hardly college or uni
versity in the country with sufficient
grass courts to prepare players" said
Ivy. They must do their practicing
on hard courts and 1t seems absurd
for them to have to play the cham
pionship on grass.
I'm in favor Of grass-good grass
but the tournament should be played
on hard courts in college. If We
don't play 1t on hard surface the
colleges may take the tournament
away from the U. S. L. T. A. and
withdraw from the membership. We
ought to try to keep the few colleges
we have in our membership and stim-
ulate interest among others"
Member Schools Apathetic.
WESTCOTT and Adoue Endorsed
Ivy's arguments and so did
Stewart. who went step farther.
Cruelty our sections if you will, -
said Stewart. but your purpose as a
game nationally"
Myrick supported his motion, which
was carried later BY an oral vote with
few dissenting voices, by revealing
that the new president, Holcombe
Ward. had canvassed 60 colleges on
the question, 80 of whom replied.
As far as grass VS.. hard courts
rnrnerrad fovorod 1G
clay and expressed no preference,
but. he said. sentiment was expressed
strongly in favor of returning the
tournament to Merton, where it had
been held from 1900-34, except for
the World War years. That was con-
sidered left-handed vote in favor OF
turf courts.
If the colleges want to run the
championship that's their privilege" :"
said Myrick. We'll be only too glad
to help them in any way we can"
Slight Ranking Changes.
NATIONAL rankings, with Donald
Bulge and Alice Marble head
ing the mems and women's divisions,
respectively, were approved without
a murmur although there had been
considerable pre-meeting speculation
on the possibility Of a dispute over
ranking Frank Parker No. and
Bryan (Bitsy) Grant No. 3.
However. two minor changes, rec
commended by the Ranking Commit
tee, were approved. Melvin Lapman
of New York was placed seventh in
the junior list. taking the place Of
William Talbert of Cincinnati, who
was dropped a notch. Ernest Sutter
of Tulane, intercollegiate title holder,
was ranked twenty-first among the
men, moving Bob Underwood Of Los
Angeles down to twenty-second. The
remaining players in both divisions
dropped down accordingly.
Elected with Ward, 1904 national
singles champion and member of
the first United States Davis Cup team,
were Joseph w. Wear of Philadelphia,
first vice president; Lawrence A. Baker,
Washington, D. c., second vice presi-
dent; Westcott, secretary, and Russell
B. Kingman, Orange, N. j., treasurer.
More Money to Give Out.
nELEGATES at large, elected to
serve until the 1899 annual meet
ing, are Alrick H. Man, jr., Kew Gar
dens, Long Island: Walter L. Pate,
New York; J. H. Bishop, Culver, Ind,
and Joseph w. Ivy.
Former presidents named to serve
on the Executive Committee are Hall,
Myrick, Louis j. Carruthers and Jones
w. Mersereau, all Of New York, and
Samuel H. Collom of Philadelphia.
Before moving up to the second vice
presidency, Baker, as treasurer during
the last year, announced that the
U. S. L. T. A. will distribute $19,025.03
among sectional associations during
the year. That is approximately $4,000
more than they received a year ago.
Tourney Sites Named.
THE convention approved the West
Side Tennis Club at Forest Hills,
Long Island, and September 2-11 as
the site and dates for the joint mems,
women's and veterans singles cham
pionships.
Other tournament awards:
Clay court, Chicago, June 14-19;
girls hard court, Berkeley, Calf, June
1927; junior and boys, Culver Mill
tary Academy. Culver. Ind, August
2-7: interscholastic, Merton Cricket
Club. not later than July IS; public
parks, Pittsburgh, August 1921; ma
tional doubles, Chestnut Hill, Mass,
August 1928; girls grass court, Phil
adelphia, sometime in early September.
The United States England Wightman
Cup team matches will be played
AUGUST 20-2l at Forest Hills.