FOOTFAULT CALLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 128, 1 June 1936, Page 9

FOOTFAULT CALLS

AUSTRALIANS TROUBLED SPROULE PUZZLED (Received June 1, 11.30 us.) PHILADELPHIA, May SI. Crawford is inclined to hold himself at fault for the inadequate manner in which he played in the first two set® of the doubles, but he complained of bad cramp in the left leg which came on suddenly in the tenth game, shortly after his fall. Both players were troubled by the calling of footfaults. Quist was particularly troubled. He was unable to understand why footfaults had been called in /natch. He was certain that both hit feet had been behind the line and one foot on the ground. Sports commentators declared it is unfortunate that footfaults were called on the visiting players, always apparently at crucial stages of a match. One linesman who called faults said, "The rule is so clear that there cannot be any misunderstanding about it. Violation of the rule may be unconscious, but to one watching to see that the rule is not violated it is immediately apparent when a violation haa occurred." "POOR KID." In an interview with the Australia®. Associated Press agency regarding the foot-faulting of Quist, the Australian manager (Mr. C. A. Sproule) said: "For the life of me I cannot understand their foot-fault rule. It might have cost us the match. If a man foot-faults six times during a match according to the interpretation of the judge then it is likely that he foot-faulted throughout, and why weren't they all called. "The poor kid was simply penalised unnecessarily. I cannot understand how a judge with cardboard against one eye can see the ball in play and the action of the feet at the same time. They claim that he has one foot over the line before he hits the ball, .but that is not so. If the penalisation, of foot-faults is for the purpose of pre* venting an advantage in running to the net how far advanced towards the for* Court was Quist at any time after the foot-faults were called on him? As.a matter of fact he was so anxious to prevent the penalty that he deliberately sacrificed most of his opportunities to run up after his service. If Quist is a foot-faulter then Mako and Allison certainly are, but we never, called, footfaults against Allison in Australia. The International Federation has defined a foot-fault, but its interpretation here ia mysterious." ,He added, however, that he would not protest. Asked what his feelings about tomorrow were now Mr. Sproule said: "Well, after this match, how would you feel?"

(The report of the doubles match, Australia v. U.S.A., appears on pace 5.)