On the Courts

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 82, 5 April 1924, Page 18

On the Courts

AMATEUR DEFINITION

SHOULD PLAYERS AS WRITERS

BE BARRED?

COACHING THE YOUNG.

COMING EVENTS. Otago Championships, at Dnnedin—Easter. Canterbury Championships, at Christchurch—

Easter. Waikato Championships, at Hamilton—Easter. Hawkes Bay Club Championships, at NapierEaster. Wellington Hard-court Championships, 'at Wellington—Easter. University Championships, at Wellington— Easter. „ ' Birkenhead and JTorthcote Handicap Tqurna- , ment—Easter.

(By "Htoa.")

In all the New Zealand cities there are hundreds; upon hundreds of school children playing the game of lawn tennis, but they are mostly allowed to hit the ball over the net in any old way, and it is only a very few who are given any coaching or advice as to how the .game should be played. " The whole trouble is that so far there has not been enough attention given to school tennis by the various associations in Ne\v Zealand. Each association should be directly asked by the New Zealand Lawn Ten-nis-Association to endeavour to form a schools' association at -its centre, with proper constitution and rules. .When that has been done, annual school championships should bo conducted (some few associations do so. now), and the most likely t players encouraged to enter for the junior New Zealand championships. But much good time will be wasted unless the youngsters are given advice and coaching by some qualified person. It- is. welcome news to hear that Geoff. Ollivier, the well-known - Canterbury player, has offered.-to give tuition and advice to. the young players competing Nin. the schools' tennis tournament at Christchurch. The Christchurch "Star" hits the nail on the head when it says that "early training is more essential in tennis than in any pther game, yet almost everybody drifts into tennis, and. early faults take years to eradicate, and may -never be overcome." The Canterbury boys and girls are indeed fortunate in having such an enthusiast as Ollivier in their midst, and it will not be long before good results are forthcoming from the igood work, which, by the way, is being given gratuitously. Prominent players 'in other centres can well follow in Ollivier's footsteps—it is well worth while, for there will be splendid material to work upon. In Wellington alone there are thousands of children 'who are anxious for a'dyice arid coaching, and whilst it-is admitted that-several good-sports do their best for the youngsters, a great deal more can be done i£ we had those 75 courts at Miraruar ready for play. It lias been suggested that an appeal should be made to the parents of the'tennis playing children • for support, and steps are now being taken in that direction. After all, good playing areas are required before the children 'can be properly coached, and it is up to the children themselves to get their parents interested in the association's grounds at Miramar. Once those courts are laid down, then it will be possible to engage coaches for both old and young, and in a very few years we should have players considerably superior to what we have at present. ■ . • .

TILDEN RETIRES.

The United States Lawn Tennis . Association decided at its annual meeting that tennis players cannot remain amateurs if they write about lawn tennis for money,. But the rule'was not to come into force until 1925. Now it appears that the American Olympic Committee has decided that it will not allow any of the members of the Olympic team to write about the Olympic games in France for money. .Tilden, who is a journalist by profession, at once retired from the' team, as he had entered into a contract to write two articles a week on tennis.Possibly he had also arranged to report the Olympic tennis games, and may still do so, but, of course, will not bo playing himself, It is indeed hard luck for any tennis player who is a. journalist that he cannot write about or report matches that he happens to be playing in. _ Now comes . the test—will tho United States Association stand by ■ the committee that has framed this new rule or will the committee' be thrown out of office so that Tilden, as well as some other players, can still play, write, and earn a Jiving? One American puts it'as follows:—"Why should a tennis player be a professional became he 'happens to be a writer instead of a grocer? Everyone knows that proficiency in athletics of any kind will add to the receipts of whatever business the athlete happens to engage in.' 'Why bar the 'poor writer'?" The new rule, which was carried by 47,000 votes to 6000 by tho United States delegates, will bar from amateur competition players who write newspaper articles on the game for substantial compensation, without the permission of the Management Committee. Seemingly, a player can still break tho spirit of- this so-called amateur rule provided lie gets permission to do so from the committee. The committeo could thus give permission to some players and-refuse others. That in itself makes it more open to ridicule than ever. It will not be surprising to hear that the committee has been, ejected from office, and that Tilden, Richards, and Co. will still play and write, and draw large salaries for writing-about the game, but not for playing it.

THE OLDEST PLAYER.

H. M. Rice, belter known as "Horry" Rice, was. born in 1873, and has-been a representative player of New South Wales sinco 1894. Ho has represented Australia as a Davis Cup player, and has at one time or another won the most important events in" the Australian States.and in New Zealand. He also won the singles championship of Scotland, doubles and mixed championship, wid also the Irish doubles championship with A. B. , Jones in 1913. He is still 6omg strong, and last month was a competitor at the Victorian championships, and since then has been playing with great; success at Adelaide. ' The genial " Horry " is possibly G best-known tennis player in Australia and New Zealand, and nearly every tennis player knows tliathe is well advanced in years but one and all readily admit that he U still a great player. " Huka " knows, or thought he knew, just how long Rice liad been pluying the game of tennis, but through the kind agency of a friend has

just received a clipping from a Melbourne paper, with the results of the Victorian championships. In reporting the match, O'Hara Wood and T. Thomas v. H. Rice and Rowe, the following appears : —" Rice has been representing New South Wales in Interstate games for ..over a century, whilst Rowe is one of the younger brigade." Who would iiave thought it! The scribe goes no further. It is well known that Rice has taken part in over fifty Interstate matches, and the grand " old man " of Australian tennis is still to be reckoned with, especially in doubles, so possibly it was meant that be was" " not out,," bad topped his century—in championship matches, and so he has quite easily.

THE TRUTH OP IT,

There have been many reports about Mile. Suzanne Lenglen defying the authorities, during a tournament at Cannes. What occurred was this:l During' the final of the ladies' doubles championship of the Gallia Tournament at Cannes, Suzanne was foot-faulted by an English linesman,, whereupon she stopped playing and declined to resume until the linesman had been replaced by another one. Her reason for adopting this course was that she was foot-faulted v without being given any previous warning. Seemingly it -is the custom in Prance to warn a player before footfaulting him or her, and there is a similar convention in England among some players and officials. Even here in' New Zealand some umpires and linesmen contend that a player should be warned before any foot-faulting is done. That, of course, is all utter nonsense. The rule is quite clear,-and nothing should be grafted to it by the umpire or linesman which ought not to be there. They might, as well warn a player that a shot was half an inch'out, and if the player does it Jgain that they will have to call it "out." But it is astonishing liow the champion players are pandered to by somt) officials, and these so-called sports mostly get away with it; but if they strike someone who does not believe in making fish of one and fowl of another then they drop back on the old cry of " I won't play." Lawn tennis has probably, says an.English tennis journal, as satisfactory a code of laws as any game in the' world, but this will be of little avail if their provisions are allowed lo be slowly undermined by,conventions that run counter to them; Apart from the harm which will accrue to the game itself as a game", its players will inevitably become the laughing-stock of player of other games, with whini it is an article of faith that the laws were made to be kept—not broken. Mile. Suzanne Lenglen should have been'given a lesson —it would have done her good, just as ifchas done other champions ' who have said "I won't play " when they could not have all their own way. lTPlay or you will be scratched," brings them into line at once. Sometimes, of course, there is a bit of bluff, and you have to scratch the offenders, but they do not place themselves in your power to do so a second time as they know once.and forever that you are in earnest. The sport can well do without players who have lc be pandered to in any way; but it is very, curious'that, it is those who think that they .cannot be done without that try the bluffing. There has been some of it going on in New Zealand, but for the sake of the sport it must be severely checked.

GAMES IN THE PARK

The Birmingham' City Council .has gone out whole-heartedly to give tennis players of their city a splendid opportunity of playing tennis. The council believes that the. game is. good for the masses; and has provided 375 grass and hard 'courts in the pjiblic parks. As soon as funds permit, the Parks Committee of the Corporation hope to lay down still more hard courts. The Corporation grants the sole use of one in every six of these courts to any body of CO players who, under certain conditions, form themselves into a club. Over 60 clubs have been recently formed in Bir-. mingham, and now play on the courts under these conditions. They have formed an association, which is strictly confineo' to park clubs, and is entirely managed by their members. It is quito clear that the Corporation reaps rich fees for the park ground laid out in. tennis courts.