The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-22
Yankee Bats Worry CleUeland Lndians Early
Badminton And Tennis Incompatible, Says Freeman, Yet He ExcelS At Both
Champ Bats Bird Because He Can Do It Naturally
BY HARRY CRIMSON NyE A cn.,.,enA Own.-A~ RAAkOu.


 NEA Service Sports Editor
 David Guthrie Freeman doesn't think much of Mercer Beasley's Idea.
 Beasley, the coach who brought out Frankie Parker, asks 2O-year- old Dave Freeman to work with him in co-ordinating badminton and tennis.
 Beasley proposed that som c bright prospect thus be developed Into the greatest of tennis players.
 It is barely possible that Beasley has Freeman, the worlds top bad hinton play, in mind as something more than Q teaching colleague.
 Walter Pate, the non-playing Davis Cup team captain, wanted to take Freeman in tow as @ tennis player.
 It just 50 happens that the Pasa- dena wonder is the only athlete who plays badminton and tennis superlatively.
 That in itself is extraordinary, for as he points out the games are incompatible, but Freeman is a re- markable youngster. He'd stand out in any game.
 Freeman, who says he sticks to badminton, because he can play 1t naturally, won his third consecu- tive national singles amateur title in Cleveland, where he became @ triple titleholder - doubles and mixed doubles, too-for the second year in row.
 He easily beats topnotch profess sionals.
 FREEMAN HAS QUALITIES GAMES HAVE IN COMMON
 Freeman annexed the national junior singles and doubles tennis crowns In 1888, when Welby Van Horn was the runner-up and suc- cessful partner.
 With Ted Schroeder, Freeman was ranked fS0rth in doubles in '39, during which year he repulsed Jack Crawford, Charley Hare, Frank Guernsey and Hal Surface in singles. He once repelled Jack Kramer of the 40 Davis Cup team though sore shoulder forced him to serve underhand. He annexed Ave titles one Sunday ekternoon in two southern California cities.
 Freeman Is the tennis players in- ternational table tennis champion and has won California honors in the miniature game.
 He shot 100 the first time he tackled golf, and has whittled his score into the 70's.
 He has twice won letters as 0 member of the Pomona College var sity cross. country team.
 The action and muscular move- ments of badminton and tennis are not harmonious, but Freeman pos- sesses to an unusual degree the qualities the games have in conn mon. IIe is a ball hawk, swift Of foot and eye and has lightning re- flexes. Badminton has no such va- riety of strokes as tennis, but 1t re- Quires e sharper eye and taster footwork. volieying in badminton is twice as fast.
 DAVIS WILL QUIT WHEN GAME BECOMES TROUBLESOME
 Tennis is a forearm game, while in badminton its Q twist Of the wrist.
 For this and other reasons, the better tennis players will not play badminton for fear of ruining their
 But Freeman, who plans to conn pete in the tennis intercollegiate, will go right on with his badmin- ton.
 He contends @ tennis star has to be made that he IS more 1or- midable if his game Is built on mechanics, which is why the Clare- mont junior prefers badminton.
 Freeman, Q blue-eyed, carrot. topped, B-foot-li, l50-pound son Of presbytern!an minister, never prac- tices any game, but plays them TOT
 He is taking Q pre-medical course
 . aspires to be Q fine surgeon. His brother, Robert G., is Q cancer specialist. ..,,.,,
 "When e sport becomes too much trouble, I'll quit," he smiles: :,
 Dave Freeman, as personable ana pleasant as his play is colorful, comes as close to anybody we ever knew to being the perfect aSnateur
 playing games for fun.