Evening star., 1961-07-04
TennisVeteran
FacesGrueIinu
Seniors Slate
BY STEVE GUBACK
Star Staff Writer

to stay put, frankly admits that
he's one of tennis biggest busy
bodies.
A few months shy of so, Hoff-
mann is testing his endurance
and stretching his luck this
week at BetheSda's Edgemoor
Club in the National seniors
clay courts championships.
The busiest guy around, he's
entered in the singles, the
doubles and the father-son
tournament-and, what's more,
stands q solid chance of win
ming all three. He's seeded No. 2
in the singles and No. in both
doubles, which may be the tip
off on the type of tennis he
plays.
"I guess I'm nuts" says
Hoffman,, looking ahead at a
schedule that's packed tighter
than his valise.
Could Make Three Finals
Yesterday, when all seeded
players advanced in routine
fashion, Hoffman, breeze
through his firSt-round singles
match in 36 minutes, but he
faces the taxing assignment OF
two or three bouts a day from
here on out. theoretically, he
could be playing in three finals
Sunday.
If that happens, it won't be
the first time. Two years ago,
he played for seven consecutive
hours in the finals Of four
Philadelphia tourna m e n t
divisions - mems singles and
doubles, then seniors singles
and doubles. Unwilling to settle
for that, he drove that night
to st. Petersburg. Fla, for the
National seniors-and reached
the finals of all three divisions
there.
The key to Hoffmann's game
he's ranked No. 4 nationally
among the seniors-obviou
is his stamina. Hes like iron,
says Don Floyd Of Arlington
another of the ranking seniors
"He never seems to wear out.
Attributes Stamina to Diet
A trim 6-foot-2, 185-pounder
Hoffman, operates on a year
round diet of tennis, vegetables
and fruits. A vegetarian, he
spurnS meat the way he SpurnS
rest. His lunch yesterday con-
sisted of peanut butter, crack
ers, grapes and a peach. u
haven't eaten meat since I was
49," he says, land my two sons
never have eaten it. Maybe my
diet accounts for my stamina.
It may be that Hoffman, is
so active now because he's try
ing to make up for a late start
He didn't begin playing tennis
until he was 18 and didn't par
ticipate in his first tournament
until he was %. When he
finally won one, he fell flat on
his face afterwards trying to
leap over the net. Nowadays
I walk around or just lean oyel
the net" he laughs. "I've
learned my lesson the hard
way" ..-
The manager Of a housing
development, Hoffman, uses
his vacation time to hit the
tournament trail. When doubles
play begins today. he'll COLA
borate with w. E. Hester, jr., OF
Jackson, Miss. In the father-son
he'll be playing with his Oldest
boy, Harry, jr., "a. In both
brackets, the Hoffman, pair
ing is rated No. / nationally.
Conditioning No Problem
Hoffman, says he has nc
worries about conditioning. IT
get all the conditioning I need,
he says, playing in these tour
naments, stringing rackets-
I've done about $50 on the side
in the last two monthS-and
gardening"
Fittingly for a tennis-playing
vegetarian, he even shows a
net-profit there. He grows his
own vegetables.
Results of yesterdays play:
First-Round Singles
Walter Woernle, Baltimore, defeated
Eugene Wood, Washington, 60, 6-1.
Edgar Lee, washington, defeated George
Rigeron, Bloomfield, N. j., 81, .6-3;
Roland walther, Washington, 81,
t9-7. Wesley Michaels, Moorestown'
n: J., defeated Andrea de Zersga;,
BiddIe, Trenton, N. J., defeated r.
Walter johnson, Lynchburg, Va, Go
60. william Reese, Washington, de-
field, N. j., S-6, 7-5.
N. z. Powell, Lakeland AFB, Tex,
defeated Carl Fontanini. WASHINGTON,
6-3, 90. Randich Nicola, Middle
washington, 6-2, 6-2. Chauncey
Steele; SsmSridEss s.rdSsn Mass defeated
6W2. Jack station. ST. Petersburg'
Fla, defeated James Heiskell, Washing
ton, 6-2, 60. Milton Bush. Nash
vile. Tenn, defeated Carl Herckner,
Haddonfield, N. j., g., 6-3. Robert
Hagey. Chicago, defeated Maurice Jack.
son, Washington. 60. 60. Fred
steinman, Philadelphia defeated
Wendell Chaplin. Bay City. Mich,
defeated Frank Roberts. Baltimore
s&;Sl;, 6-2 .,da1Ty Harry Eofimann, dI.. Phila-
Setfstsd dssS cssDaF saR Hayss ssnRsi
Arbor, Mich, defeated Hal shaffer,
Washington: 81, 60. Dick. Coving-
ton, Asheville, N. c., defeated Melvin
Bell, Washington, default. Henry Bass
ford. Staten Island. N. Y, defeated
Alex Keiles, Washington, Ga, 6-4: