Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1960-02-09
SPOTLIGHT
SPORTS
When Kramer Laughed Last
BY BILL FUCHS


in West Los Angeles reaching the boiling point The
subject golf tennis. Championing the for
the farway trampers everywhere Glenn Davis the
former a-Amercan football star at Army who is a
promotion for the Los Angeles Times.
Jack Kramer, who has peer in the knowledge of
tennis and who will bring his touring to Une Arena
Thursday and Friday nights doing most of the talk
ing for his game.
"As little golf I play" Jack shouted, II still
bust 80 on any course you name"
"Oh yeah?" a chorus answered
YOU KNOW WHAT happened next" said Myron
Mcnamara, who there Mcnamara, publicity
director for Kramer'S tennis tours continued:
"The money came out. Bets made. They-the
golf men-picked the Los Angeles North course tough
course.
The next day Kramer went out with his gallery of
hackers and hooters at his HE started out DOGGY
DOGGY DOGGY" Mcnamara says land they all laugh
ing Then he locked his jaw and they stopped laughing
He birdied hole and then began throwing pars right
down the alley. They ready to pay him off the
18th hole. He had it locked up then
me? Sure, l had money him. He plays golf
only in a great while with his dad but I've known
the guy long time; used to play doubles with him"
A REAL ATHLETE is like that Mcnamara says IF
he has that certain something whatever
it s-in sport he can handle all of them.
"Pancho Gonzales is like that Give him basketball
and hoop and he'll put it up there like it was on a
string. Baseball? He'll whack the ball country mile"
Gonzales champion of the tennis pros since 1854,
pounds
Over the last six years he has cut down methodicaly
Pancho Segura, Frank Sedgman Tony Traber Ken Rose
wall and Lew Hoad. Currently he is working the
est sensation, Alex Omedo the Peruvian who the
Davis Cup for the United States two years ago.
Hes like butcher cutting up meat" Mcnamara
says. HE has Xray mind He'll find your weak spot
and then you've had it. Omedo? He could give Gonzales
trouble Even Pancho this kid has all takes to be
the champion"
NEW AND WONDERFUL era for tennis is coming
Mcnamara believes Open tennis virtual certainty now
that it has been approved by this country Australia
will give the game tremendous boost Another thing is
the appeal being made at long last to the small fry
Tennis always has had bad name among lot
of kids" Mcnamara comedies Some think it's sissy
game, but lot of them get chance to play it
because there are no cut-down facilities
Take small kid give him a great big, heavy racket
and put him on huge court and he's lost He can't play
the game In baseball they have small diamonds, small
bats, small gloves My 14year-old boy plays in boys
league in Los Angeles. He loves it. He hits home
and thinks he's Harmon Killebrew"
Macs 9-year-od daughter Donna plays tennis. But
they're finally putting out rackets for children and
got her She loves it. We imported special balls
from England They are used for other game-I
don't know whatbut they're smaller than regular tennis
balls and they don't have much bounce.
This is the Give the kids game of tennis
they can handle and they'll love it."
THERE WAS A TIME when the ball-paying member
o1 Iue NcNauata nouSeIloIu Mike wouldn't De caught
dead with tennis racket That all changed after
noon.
Eroy Cray Legs Hirsch the pro football star
had taken up the game, and he and Mcnamara hooked
up in friendly match.
Mike watched bugeyed as his father experienced
in the game, Hrsch practically off the court Elroy
was hufdn and putin at the end
Gee whiz!" young Mike exclaimed you beat Crazy
Legs old man like you"
Whereupon Myron Mcnamara, aged 40, borrowed his
sons bike to go for ride.
That's another thing that's wrong with this coun-
try Mac Kids have to get chartered everywhere
in cars They're always sitting. Believe me, ride my
kids bike more than he does"