Davis Cup Appointment Causes Tennis Upset

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30405, 2 April 1964, Page 15

Davis Cup Appointment Causes Tennis Upset

(By Our Tennis Correspondent)

The New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, an organisation which seems to have a considerable attraction for dilemmas, has drawn another.

It has been forced into calling nominations for a captainmanager for the Davis Cup team, a move which has obviously embarrassed its officials.

When it was announced in mid-February that L. A. Gerrard and I. S. Crookenden would be the team for entry in the North American zone they were given freedom to play anywhere before Wimbledon.

The report said: “The players will be completely independent but may later come under the control of a manager as the cup tie approaches.”

There was little discussion of this aspect. In an article in the “Weekly News" on March 4, J. W. Gunn quoted Gerrard as saying: “A lot will depend on who is our captain. I am all for a resident New Zealander being appointed to take charge of the New Zealand team.” Soon afterwards the national management committee was unnerved when it received a telegram from the North Shore association, nominating Mr Gunn, one of its delegates, to manage the team. The committee left discussion to the next meeting. Then Gerrard wrote to the Auckland association saying that he and Crookenden had urged Mr Gunn to make him-

self available for the captaincy and the Auckland association sent the letter on with the request that it be given serious consideration. There was no intention of calling for nominations but the North Shore move has forced the issue. The committee said it appeared that associations were not certain whether they should submit nominations and it has now sent out a circular calling for them. The circular says: “The management committee recently decided to investigate the question of appointment of a captain for the period of the tie in Mexico and for any subsequent tie. “We intended to assemble relevant information and then appoint a man most capable of fulfilling the many requirements of the position. It was not intended to call for nominations.” The circular refers to the nomination of Mr Gunn and to “a certain amount of canvassing for support of the nomination.” It adds: “We feel that the matter has developed in such a way as to cause concern to

many associations and therefore propose to appoint a captain on April 6 and associations are invited to make nominations for such appointment." The committee says, in making the appointment, it will take into account the records as a player, coach or administrator; ability to take an active part in the final period of training or to play, if necessary; the cost to the N.Z.L.T.A.; and general suitability and acceptability to represent New Zealand. No captain is necessary until early July, the circular says. The conditions are such that the nomination of Mr Gunn—in his column and as a delegate one of the strongest critics of the association—may be unsuccessful. Mr Gunn was captain of the 1957 Davis Cup team, of which Mr J. E. Mercer, of Christchurch, was manager. Mr J. E. Robson, of Auckland, has said he is available for nomination, and Canterbury has already signified it will nominate him. He has been in four Davis Cup teams including last year’s.