LAWN TENNIS McKinley Suspended For Conduct At Perth

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29401, 31 December 1960, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS McKinley Suspended For Conduct At Perth

ST. LOUIS (Missouri), December 30. The United States Davis Cup player, “Chuck” McKinley said last night he saw no reason for his suspension by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in view of the "conduct of other players especially the Italians,” during the matches at Perth.

The U.S.L.T.A. president, Mr George Barnes, yesterday announced that McKinley had been suspended for “acting in a way detrimental to the welfare of the game.” Mr Barnes said he and the amateur rule committee acted carefully in handing down the suspension, which was made with the approval of the non playing captain'of the United States team. David Freed.

The suspension bars McKinley from participating in any U.S.L.TvA.-authorised tournaments or matches. It will stand at least until February 4, when the executive committee is expected to act on the charge at a meeting in New Orleans. McKinley said he had not yet been informed of the suspension by the U.S.L.T.A. “I heard it on the radio,” he said. “I don’t know why I was suspended . . . no-one has told me a thing. “I don’t know what the charges against me are, either. I still hope to play tennis and I intend to keep in shape. The United States indoor tournament begins on February 8 and maybe the executive committee will see fit to let me play when it meets the preceding week.” McKinley said he had no thoughts of turning professional at present. McKinley, commenting on his action in throwing a racquet into the stands during a doubles match at Perth, said he already had written a letter of apology to the president of the Australian Lawn Tennis Association. McKinley said: “I never intended to throw it into the crowd but the wind carried it. As for

the conduct of the team. I realise it wasn’t good, but I don’t see where it was any worse than the conduct of the Italians when I played them.” McKinley alleged that Nicola Pietrangeli had told him he did not want to play any more and had walked off the court during their match.

Mr Barnes said yesterday the U.S.L.T.A. was sending letters to the Australian and Italian Tennis Associations "expressing our apologies.” The U.S.L.T.A. would also continue to investigate other players, he said.

MACKAY AND BUCHHOLZ “Shabby” Change Of Status (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, December 30. The United States Davis Cup players, Barry Mackay and Earl Buchholz left amateur tennis for the professional ranks “not as gentlemen but as those who kiss and telj,” the “New York Times" sports columnist, Arthur Daley, said today. . There was something “inherently shabby” about the way the two Americans changed their status. Daley said. Of Buchholz’s comment “It gives us dirty feelings to take money under the table,” Daley wrote: “The poor boy’s heartless promoters doubtlessly tortured him into accepting their filthy lucre. “If the world of amateur tennis is riddled by hypocrisy it ill behoves those who have tasted its charms to go blabber-mouthing about it,” Daley said. “Any amateur who chiselled on expense money did it because he was a chiseller, not because villains in higher echelons forced it on him. So all pious protestations to the contrary are empty words of self-justification. “If the Messrs Buchholz and Mackay exposed the tennis authorities by their bleats about hypocrisy, they exposed themselves even more. The bribe-taker is still a slightly lower order of human being than the one offering the bribe.” he said. The problem of under-the-counter payments to amateurs might yet cease, because there would not be an amateur Jeft who was “worth a nickel,” Daley said After skimming the cream off the milk for more than 10 years the professional promoter, Jack Kramer, now was siphoning up the skim milk by signing up second-stringers. Mackay and Buchholz’s main claim to fame was that they lost the Davis Cup inter-zone final to Italy. .‘‘Except for the Australian Davis Cuppers, the amateur cupboard is mighty bare," he said.