The Wilmington morning star., 1947-05-25


Since Wilmington is today the scene OF the wilson
Wilmington tennis clash out at Robert Strange courts,
report on the newest venture in the tennis world SHOULD
prove timely.
The question of the day throughout the nation is,
Evil net fans support organized leagues: Tony owen'
president of the Professional Tennis association. is cur
rently visiting New Orleans, New York, Chicago, Phna-
delphia, Boston, Los Angeles and Miami, sending out
feeIers to find the nations reaction to organizing tennis
schedules on a similar standard as major league base
ball is handled.
Owens argument is that good pro tennis stars like
Don Bulge and Bobby Riggs are raklng In more cash than
most good major league ballplayers, and certainly more
than pro grid players, and therefore the game should De
organized in a league form and have weekly matches playec
with advance notice. Briggs and Bulge reporteoy maze
about SIS, 900 apiece in 46)
There are all sorts of possibilities in this thing,
but Vince Flaherty. of the Los Angeles Examiner gives
the best reason why he thinks the forming OF a pro ten
mis- league won't work, when ne says the equipment
Is too expensive.
Flaherty wasn't speaking of an expense to present day
adults. His idea was much more far reaching, and IS IN
teresting.
"Tennis doesn't appeal to the masses" Flaherty
claims. It doesn't, because kids don't grow up with
it. You see poor youngsters playing baseban on the
corner lot, because the lot doesn't cost any'nlng ana
there's one in every section of a city. A ball and bat,
and maybe a couple of gloves, and a score OF KIDS can
have a swell time"
He points out to those who would endeavor to make
tennis as popular as the national pastlme, that a racquet
costs upwards of S., and then the kid who owns one has
to find a pal who also owns one before they can play. On top
of that they must find a tennis court somewhere, ana Wheh
they do, the chances are that the few courts are already
taken by adults.
In football, a group of boys need just a ball. and a
wide open space to tear each other apart in delight
while learning the game learning it so they Will
enjoy watching it later on if they aren't good enough
to play.
You like what YOU understand, and have played, Flah-
erty says, and no one can argue with him on that score.
Another point the Irisher from the West Coast
has to strengthen his belief that tennis cannot become
inbred in the majority of youngsters, is that applause
and loud cheering is barred during a match. FOR that
matter, we can't understand this ruling. Riggs himself
once said applause was as necessary to tennis contest
ants as it was to football and baseball players.
It's a natural thing to do to honer when your
choice scores a blazing ace, or makes a difficult retrieve.
yet the only c]apping come between plays, and is little
better than nothing at all. The murmur of appreciation at
a tennis match is the loudest of its kind in any sports, with
the exception of golf.
In golf, it's understandable to keep quiet, but not
50 in tennis.
Nevertheless, Owen thinks he has a grand idea, and if
he can sell the thing to the kids of the country, and keep
on selling it through the future generations, he might come
through with something really big for the net game in
America.
1t will take a lot of doing, and the beginning will
be slow. The youngsters will have to accent the game.
They'll have to forget an erroneous idea that tennis is
a "sissy' affair.
But, more important the cities throughout the country
will have to provide more courts, and racquet producers
will have to come down in the cost of bats. If they are
willing to take a chance on selling more r%acquets at a small
er profit per racquet, the net game might start going over
big.
Because, although not a sport of great scope,
those who do like the game, and play it, are probably
the most enthusiastic sport fans in the country.
Unless it's boxing, no game in the world proves which
contestant is the superior after a match. That's one thing
the net game has on football and baseball, where the real
star may be concealed by his fellow men, or an unusual turn
of events. Or, in fact, where there are no stars.
That's a big statement. but in a wav it's true. No
football hero, including Red Grange, Charley Trippi.
Ernie Nevers. Tiny Thornhil, or any other great YOU
can think of, is any better than the ten men who play
with him.
In tennis a star is a star. No one helps him win or
lose. Somehow we'd like to see Owen fake good in his effort
to raise the interest of American fans in the game.
But, money enters the picture SO strongly. and
the job has to begin with the children, that he may be
fighting for a lost cause.
Someone, however, once said a lost cause was the on1v
kind worth fighting for.
QTTDD ArrCDTc