Evening star., 1940-07-18
Maryland s Wealthy
Net Fans Support
Meet Heavily
Alice Marble Is Center
Of Attraction in Event
Crowded With Aces
BY BILL DISMER, Jr.


After our annual peek at the
Maryland State tournament, this
department still is convinced that
what Washington tennis needs is
an enterprising contact man like
Bud Winchester and several gen.
erous (and wealthy net enthusiasts
like certain members of Baltimore
Country Club.
Winchester, let 1t be known, is
the amicable middle-aged toy man
ufacturer of Baltimore who COM
bines business with pleasure in
travelling about the country following
tennis tournaments and making
friends with the participants.
1t was he who three years ago
conceived the idea of bringing sew
eral nationally ranked players to
Baltimore for the annual State
tournament and the event has in
creased steadily in prestige and
size until it now ranks as one of
the major Journeys of the year.
The first year the tournament was
held, 9 of the first 20 men players
of the country were present; last
year, 10 showed up. This week, IL
OF the first 20 are there in addition
to National Women's Champion
Alice Marble and three others of
the first 10 fair players.
Players Well Entertained.
According to Winchester, the
process is simple:
"All you have to do" says the be-
spectacled man who knows all, 'is
to show 'em good time. Word of
the tournament spreads and the
next year you've got more players
wanting to come
How about expenses? we asked
Bud. Does the tournament pay for
itself?
mot entirely" Winchester replied.
"You can generally count on gate
receipts providing the living ex-
penses for the out-of-town players
during their week here. That in
cludes guest privileges at the club,
dancing and theater party or two.
''On the whole, though, we usually
lose between seven and eight hun
dred dollars on the tournament,
which represents the travelling ex-
penses of the players from and to
their homes. This expense, how
ever, is underwritten by some of
our club members who don't mind
forking out for the sake of seeing
high-class tennis"
Admission prices are nominal.
Apparently. Baltimoreans don't mind
paying either, for yesterday more
than 1000 were on hand for an
ordinary weekday schedule. They
expect to turn 'em away for the
finals on Saturday and Sunday,
although arrangements are being
made to accommodate nearly twice
as many.
The whole setup is major leaguish
In every detail Every match-and
there usually are dozen going on
at once-has its own umpire, while
the outstanding ones on the first
three courts have a corps of at least
four linemen. It's the center court
that fairly radiates class, however,
with public address system handled
by the umpire and a full corps of
linemen at every possible point.
Naturally, therere a lot of tennis
celebrities to see, what with Don
Mcneil, S. Welby Van Horn, Elwood
Cooke and our own Gil Hunt bearing
such national rankings as 2. 3, 6 and
9. respectively. In addition, there
are such p-and-coming youngsters
as Jack Kramer and Bob Harmon,
who yesterday knocked off two more
of the first 10, Gardner Mulloy and
Henry Prusoff.
Alice Marble Natural"
But We have an idea Especially
If you're a NAM that your fancy
will be captured most of all by lovely
Alice Marble, tennis first lady, and
a sight for sore eyes on or off the
court. Even if she couldn't hit
lick, Alice still would be the center
of attention wherever she went, but
playing like she is at present, the
gals a natural. Possessing a rapid
gait and hitting out like man,
Miss Marble goes about her game
with a confidence and determina-
ton that becomes model for those
who would emulate perfection and
her every move indicates that she
knows what she wants to do and
how to do it.
Against any other player, little
Hope Knowles of Philadelphia
would have had an excellent chance
yesterday, but against the champ
she was just another player. Keep
your eyes on Miss Knowles-shes a
conner and she's young. But for the
moment, keep. your eyes on Miss
Marble. She's marvellous.